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Post by Gokhan on Apr 9, 2013 14:31:41 GMT -8
Yes, both the Sepulveda and Bundy station platforms will be centered on the street. They will be very similar to La Brea.
The earlier plan was to build the Sepulveda Station on the west side of the street, which would provide better access to the Pico/Sawtelle commercial district, but it was scrapped when the aerial option was selected, due to technical and financial reasons.
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f ron
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Post by f ron on Apr 9, 2013 15:54:51 GMT -8
Greetings TC posters. I'm a long time reader tho a first time poster. As someone who lives along the Expo ROW I'm mighty interested in the discussions that take place here. You folks have been invaluable in helping me keep up to date with all the Expo related developments. So thank you all. In honor of this first post please let me share the view from my studio window. I've circled a new stake, what I suspect to be signs of the soon-to-be sound-wall on the south side of the Northvale trench. It's always something new out there... Attachments:
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 9, 2013 16:08:53 GMT -8
Greetings TC posters. I'm a long time reader tho a first time poster. As someone who lives along the Expo ROW I'm mighty interested in the discussions that take place here. You folks have been invaluable in helping me keep up to date with all the Expo related developments. So thank you all. In honor of this first post please let me share the view from my studio window. I've circled a new stake, what I suspect to be signs of the soon-to-be sound-wall on the south side of the Northvale trench. It's always something new out there... Many people on this forum would love to have that view of yours, fronn.
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Post by bobdavis on Apr 9, 2013 23:10:56 GMT -8
As someone who rode the Pacific Electric Monrovia line, and saw it dismantled about 61 years ago, I welcome your photos of the Expo Line. So much better than seeing rails ripped out of pavement. You'll probably be seeing some of my views of the Gold Line Foothill Extension, which is bringing electric rail service back to my old home town. Welcome aboard!
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 10, 2013 8:25:57 GMT -8
We haven't seen the construction progress in Palms in a long time and I crossed the street and took a couple of pictures yesterday. There will be a cast-in-place retaining wall west of the station and they will backfill with earth between it and the freeway. I believe at the very east end of it there will be a short MSE-wall segment instead of cast-in-place wall, as they need to build a hole for the staircase. There is still a lot of formwork to be done at the bridge superstructure and the concrete pour for it is still a few weeks away. This is looking at the bridge from the west. The wall position will be approximately at the vertical wood. To the right of it will be a new sidewalk, landscaping, and perhaps some bike lane. The cast-in-place retaining wall toward the west is mostly done and backfilled but there is still a huge gap for vehicular access. There will be some sound wall by the Advantage Fitness Products (which may have closed down), Boy Scouts of America Westside Service Center, and Lycée Français de Los Angeles. There will be a third, storage track for one three-car train here, the only such track along the entire line not counting the Downtown Santa Monica Station and storage facility. You can also see the communication ducts: This is the present end (due to vehicular access) at Clarington Ave of the retaining wall from the backfill side. You can also see the TPSS location across the street:
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Post by rajacobs on Apr 10, 2013 12:43:07 GMT -8
Nice update! ...I've been wondering about the state of construction at National-Palms but never got close enough to the construction site.
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Post by bzcat on Apr 10, 2013 13:28:25 GMT -8
Yes, both the Sepulveda and Bundy station platforms will be centered on the street. They will be very similar to La Brea. The earlier plan was to build the Sepulveda Station on the west side of the street, which would provide better access to the Pico/Sawtelle commercial district, but it was scrapped when the aerial option was selected, due to technical and financial reasons. Thanks for the explanation. I was looking at the FEIR and the engineering drawing still shows Sepulveda Station located west of the street. So the change happened after FEIR? How is that possible? backup.buildexpo.org/phase2/Phase%202%20FEIR%20Documents/AppendixE%20Plan%20and%20Profile_FEIR_1%20of%203.pdfPage 10 - Sepulveda Grade Separated alternative - you can see the two parallel platforms are clearly west of Sepulveda.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 10, 2013 13:38:29 GMT -8
Yes, both the Sepulveda and Bundy station platforms will be centered on the street. They will be very similar to La Brea. The earlier plan was to build the Sepulveda Station on the west side of the street, which would provide better access to the Pico/Sawtelle commercial district, but it was scrapped when the aerial option was selected, due to technical and financial reasons. Thanks for the explanation. I was looking at the FEIR and the engineering drawing still shows Sepulveda Station located west of the street. So the change happened after FEIR? How is that possible? backup.buildexpo.org/phase2/Phase%202%20FEIR%20Documents/AppendixF%20Station%20and%20MF_FEIR_2%20of%203.pdfThere was an aerial option for Sepulveda in the FEIR, with the condition on external funding. They didn't have conceptual engineering for it though. The two preliminary-engineering contractors did the preliminary engineering for both the at-grade and aerial options, which reminds me we have never seen the preliminary-engineering drawings of the other contractor (URS/Shimmick), who had a higher bid than Skanska/Rados and didn't get the construction contract.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 10, 2013 13:44:38 GMT -8
This morning they already started on the rebars for the cast-in-place retaining wall in Palms: Work on the formwork for the new National/Palms/Exposition Bridge superstructure is slow for some reason. Condition of Venice Bridge construction as of today: End of the existing bridge, westbound track seen only:
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Post by bzcat on Apr 10, 2013 13:51:36 GMT -8
There was an aerial option for Sepulveda in the FEIR, with the condition on external funding. They didn't have conceptual engineering for it though. The two preliminary-engineering contractors did the preliminary engineering for both the at-grade and aerial options, which reminds me we have never seen the preliminary-engineering drawings of the other contractor (URS/Shimmick), who had a higher bid than Skanska/Rados and didn't get the construction contract. Ok, so chapter 2 of FEIR does mention an aerial option with station over Sepulveda... but the drawing is not included in FEIR. At least not that I could find. The only drawing in FEIR for aerial option shows station west of the street. Hence the confusion...
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 11, 2013 17:24:00 GMT -8
It looks like they've finished the hole in the sidewalk corner at Venice/Robertson. There are now only three left.
It appears that the column will be in the sidewalk corner. They will probably somehow enlarge the sidewalk a little bit.
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Post by fissure on Apr 11, 2013 23:14:23 GMT -8
The earlier plan was to build the Sepulveda Station on the west side of the street, which would provide better access to the Pico/Sawtelle commercial district, but it was scrapped when the aerial option was selected, due to technical and financial reasons. The longer distance won't matter nearly as much as the unpleasantness of the walk. The area under the 405 looks like a war zone (only partially due to the current freeway widening, I think), and Sawtelle south of the 405 off-ramp isn't much better. The city has their work cut out for them extending the walkshed of the station to the northwest.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 12, 2013 11:52:40 GMT -8
This picture taken today is for Mr. Toe, who was curious about the location of the column in the street corner. You can now see it's above-ground steel cage: Meanwhile, the work on the Palms Bridge superstructure finally picked up. Apparently there was an issue with rebars and after a long delay, they started to work on it again. Forms may be completed in a few weeks, followed by concrete pour.
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f ron
Full Member
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Post by f ron on Apr 12, 2013 13:07:56 GMT -8
Just crossed the footbridge over the Northvale trench. Soundwall posts are being planted now. Looks like they're starting at the end --near Chevoit Drive-- and working their way west. Won't be long before they've made their way to Overland. Though right inbetween is a gaping maw where some storm drain work continues into it's third week. That'll have to be filled. It's a tight squeeze in the ROW. Hard to imagine both crews working at the same time at that spot.
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Post by rubbertoe on Apr 12, 2013 13:26:55 GMT -8
That is going to be one spectacular bridge when completed. I'll post a photo blast from the GLFE when I get home from work tonight.
RT
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Post by culvercitylocke on Apr 12, 2013 15:46:05 GMT -8
Dwight posted many more photos, including one of the covered hole for bent 17L, which he says is finished.
I'm guessing since the drill is now back in the vincinity of the 16LR bents that 16R will be the next hole drilled.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 12, 2013 16:54:35 GMT -8
Dwight posted many more photos, including one of the covered hole for bent 17L, which he says is finished. I'm guessing since the drill is now back in the vincinity of the 16LR bents that 16R will be the next hole drilled. That's from yesterday. You can see the cage inside the hole in my today's picture I posted above.
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Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on Apr 15, 2013 10:35:09 GMT -8
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 15, 2013 12:14:35 GMT -8
I like the colorful kitty: That's how the Expo Line kitties actually look like: Manhole for the communication ducts by Palms Park: The sound walls, seen from a distance in the first right-of-way picture above, start at the west side of Clarkson Road, just where Palms Park ends and houses begin. The line is still in a trench in this section but they aren't taking any chances. There will not be sound walls on the Northvale Road side. They have finally started wrapping up the formwork for the Palms bridge. You can see some of the inner forms now. They should be able to start the concrete pour in a couple of weeks or so: Rebars for the retaining wall adjacent to the Palms Station: There was a man inside the hole in Culver City: They appear to have just started drilling the third hole and it should take about a couple of nights:
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 16, 2013 9:32:12 GMT -8
Falsework installation for the Venice Bridge started today. They aren't losing any time waiting for the bents (columns) to be finished: They have finished drilling the third hole, which is in front of the drill rig, which is standing by the water pit. They will install the rebar cage tonight: Looking toward the west abutment. They are still working inside the cage:
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Post by culvercitylocke on Apr 16, 2013 10:27:29 GMT -8
Wow on the Venice Form work! that is unexpectedly speedy. I can't tell have the telecom companies all moved their wires finally?
I'm guessing they'll move the drill into place for the 18R drilling soon and as soon as the 16R rebar cage is in place and poured they'll start work on the concrete forms for the three 16/17 bents.
I guess these five columns will not match the columns of the previous 15 bents of the Venice Bridge? Will they be more like a highway column or more like the odd columns over Ballona Creek?
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 16, 2013 11:33:25 GMT -8
Wow on the Venice Form work! that is unexpectedly speedy. I can't tell have the telecom companies all moved their wires finally? I'm guessing they'll move the drill into place for the 18R drilling soon and as soon as the 16R rebar cage is in place and poured they'll start work on the concrete forms for the three 16/17 bents. I guess these five columns will not match the columns of the previous 15 bents of the Venice Bridge? Will they be more like a highway column or more like the odd columns over Ballona Creek? Yup, falsework is already being erected and the formwork and rebar work should take place soon. The contractor for the telecom companies has been working on the fiber lines but it seems a little slow, with only a few guys working at a time. Yesterday, they were digging in the sidewalk, under which the underground conduit is. Apparently there was an issue. Hopefully within a month or so, they will finish it. They have already pulled quite a bit cable into the underground conduit. They may bring the drill rig into the Venice Blvd median as early as tonight. Due to space restrictions, the bents could be cylindrical-shaped. I suspect so because I saw a standard large yellow cylindrical metal-built form behind the abutment.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 16, 2013 11:40:46 GMT -8
Finally, Caltrans approval comes for the Motor Ave Bridge and the construction is scheduled!Good afternoon, Please find enclosed our updated notice regarding the reconstruction of the Motor Avenue Bridge in the City of Los Angeles. What: Motor Avenue Bridge Construction Where: Construction activities will take place on the Expo ROW and Motor Avenue, just north of Irene Street When: Work Activities are scheduled as follows: Site Preparation Monday, April 29 - Friday, May 3, 2013 (Day Work) - 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Restriping of Traffic Lanes and K-Rail (Concrete Barrier) Installation Monday, May 6 - Friday, May 10, 2013 (Night Work) 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Bridge Construction Begins Monday, May 6 (Day Work 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.- Approximately 6-8 months) Work Description: Construction of the Motor Avenue Bridge will require the realignment and restriping of traffic lanes along Motor Avenue between National Boulevard and Walavista Road. K-rail (concrete barriers) will be placed on Motor Avenue to delineate new traffic lane boundaries and to protect work crews. Due to placement of K-rail, parking on the west side of Motor Avenue under the I-10 Freeway will be prohibited throughout the bridge construction. Most construction activities will be limited to areas behind the K-rail and the Expo ROW. Traffic Impacts: Northbound and southbound Motor Avenue will remain open to through traffic. However, the center turn lane will be eliminated and one lane in each direction between National Boulevard and Walavista Road will be maintained during these construction activities. Electronic message boards, directional signage and/or flagmen will be used to safely to safely direct vehicles and pedestrians around the construction zone. Pedestrian access will be maintained and directional signage will be in place as needed. Advisories: Supplemental notices will be provided for additional night work activities. · Parking restrictions will be strictly enforced at all times and signage with specific restrictions will be in place in all construction areas. · Local access to businesses and residences will be maintained throughout all construction activities. · Noise levels will be monitored to ensure work performed is within the necessary compliance levels. · Please obey all posted construction signs and do not enter the construction work zone. (Construction schedules are subject to change for various reasons including but not limited to: weather conditions, unforeseen emergencies and other acts of nature.) To view the construction notice – please click here. Thank you, Glenda Silva Government/Community Relations Representative Exposition Construction Authority
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Post by culvercitylocke on Apr 16, 2013 13:09:18 GMT -8
I found that if you go to expovenice.org and click on the Construction news tab there isn't any news on the page, but if you hover your mouse over the dates on the calendar, it will give you in detail what work is scheduled for that particular day/night. Looks like all the construction for the columns will be done by May 6-7 as they have crews demobilizing on those days (presumably to make room for falsework. www.expovenice.org/04-12-13-venice-boulevard-closures-and-night-work/
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Post by darrell on Apr 16, 2013 21:28:40 GMT -8
Thanks, Gokhan, for the latest photos! I especially like the sequence looking west from the Culver City station showing the rebar cages appearing. Here are some updates this afternoon from farther west. Colorado has yet to proceed beyond utility relocation, which is still active per these photos. Cleared terminus station site west of 5th Street. At 10th Street. At 14th Street. Still nothing but K-rails on the former Fisher Lumber yard, site of the future 17th Street station. And two of the falsework now above Olympic.
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Post by bzcat on Apr 17, 2013 9:58:01 GMT -8
The Sepulveda bridge/station is taking shape quite nicely. It is going much faster than I thought.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 17, 2013 10:35:49 GMT -8
Still nothing but K-rails on the former Fisher Lumber yard, site of the future 17th Street station. Thanks for the Santa Monica update, Darrell. I should drive along the line one of those days. The Fisher Lumber was between 14th and 16th Streets. That's where the Southern Pacific trains ran until 1987, all the way to 14th Street, through the Fisher Lumber yard. Expo chose to build the station at 17th St instead of 14th St. There was a bank at the site in your picture between 16th and 17th Streets where the 17th St Station will be built.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 17, 2013 10:50:12 GMT -8
A large rebar cage for the next foundation is now on public display in the median of Venice Blvd, drawing awes: expolinefan has verified that the columns will be standard cylindrical. This is due to lack of space, as there is already significant amount of lane and sidewalk loss due to the columns and every foot counts. Thanks to the use of standard cylindrical columns instead of custom columns, the formwork for and concrete casting of the columns will take no time -- all it takes is to put the standard metal form around the above-ground rebar cage and pour concrete -- and we could see all columns completely finished in early May. No wonder they have already started erecting the falsework.
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Post by culvercitylocke on Apr 17, 2013 12:51:50 GMT -8
will the remainder of the Venice bridge be a single pour, or will they do it in two sections?
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 17, 2013 12:59:56 GMT -8
will the remainder of the Venice bridge be a single pour, or will they do it in two sections? It's a very simple superstructure. Perhaps some of the OCS foundations etc. may need to be cast after they cast the main superstructure. Chances are that they may finish this bridge ahead of the schedule. Let's hope they will relocate the overhead fiber lines on time. As far as the number of pours for the main superstructure is concerned, expolinefan was told seven - eight pours (due to logistic reasons regarding the number of pumps [likely only one], mixer trucks, etc.). Therefore, it should take only about a week. Then it will be about a month before the forms are removed.
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