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Post by Gokhan on Apr 30, 2013 12:46:38 GMT -8
Why problematic... What did the drillers find underground? I remember a long time ago when I was a state highway inspector on a lighting project along Cleveland's Memorial Shoreway, since it was fill-land, we encountered washing machines, pieces of a junked car ...it seemed as if every other day the contractor legitimately was asking that the work be deemed extra cost ("force-account"). ...But I doubt there are any washing machines or junked cars under Venice Bl. Any idea what the issues are? Perhaps this relic eating the construction workers?
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Post by rajacobs on Apr 30, 2013 14:36:03 GMT -8
...Or maybe it's lava tubes extending from Los Volcanes de Brea! ...popularized in the movie, "Volcano."
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 30, 2013 15:47:29 GMT -8
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Post by bobdavis on Apr 30, 2013 16:46:12 GMT -8
Not sure if this is the same Kiewit group that's doing the Monrovia GLOC, but if it is, they should have plenty of experience. Maybe I just haven't looked in the right place, but could someone closer to Expo than me provide a map showing where the Expo version will be?
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 30, 2013 17:23:28 GMT -8
Not sure if this is the same Kiewit group that's doing the Monrovia GLOC, but if it is, they should have plenty of experience. Maybe I just haven't looked in the right place, but could someone closer to Expo than me provide a map showing where the Expo version will be? Lol, Bob, you should have memorized the Expo right-of-way by now. It's east of Stewart St between the right-of-way and Exposition Blvd, west of Dorchester Avenue, although there will be a narrow buffer just north of Exposition Blvd.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 30, 2013 17:26:59 GMT -8
The first cast column is already wrapped up like a baby for curing.
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Post by roadtrainer on Apr 30, 2013 18:54:17 GMT -8
If they are going to lower the Psalms National bridge then why would thy tension it? it does make sense that the bridge would be lowered first and then the tensioning should begin.
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 30, 2013 19:42:46 GMT -8
If they are going to lower the Psalms National bridge then why would thy tension it? it does make sense that the bridge would be lowered first and then the tensioning should begin. The reason why they tension the concrete beam is so that it can carry more load, as concrete likes tension but not stretching (under load). It's not only easier to tension it now because the holes are more accessible but it will also increase its strength before they take away the I beams (falsework) and let the concrete beam support its own weight. However, if they want to tension the short beam and main beam together, it would be more appropriate to do so after they align the main beam with the short beam by lowering it into place. I don't know if that's what they will do, but it doesn't look like it from the work going on.
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Post by rajacobs on Apr 30, 2013 21:36:02 GMT -8
Tonight the drill was positioned in the Venice median for drilling the 4th hole for the westbound bridge.
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Post by Gokhan on May 1, 2013 13:28:31 GMT -8
I've noticed that the steel cage is only 70-ft-long, whereas the holes are said to be 100-ft-deep. It appears that the cage doesn't go all the way to the bottom.
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Post by Gokhan on May 1, 2013 13:33:36 GMT -8
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Post by roadtrainer on May 1, 2013 14:33:26 GMT -8
In picture # 5 it shows that the main bridge is higher that the small span, now it will b interesting to se how many jacks will be set up and how long will it take to lower the bridge and take away the existing falsework. Another engineering marvel! Can we get Dwight on the lower span to take some close up pictures?
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Post by rajacobs on May 1, 2013 14:48:23 GMT -8
I'm waiting with baited breath. ...If we know the date and time, Skankos Rados could set up bleachers and sell popcorn for the show!
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Post by masonite on May 1, 2013 16:46:07 GMT -8
All the bids came in over budget. This seems to be the trend of late and does not bode well for Crenshaw, the Connector, the Purple Line Extension, and anything else. Shouldn't be a big deal for Expo as I think they have plenty of slack in their budget, but the big discount for lack of construction work seems to be over.
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Post by Gokhan on May 1, 2013 16:55:35 GMT -8
All the bids came in over budget. This seems to be the trend of late and does not bode well for Crenshaw, the Connector, the Purple Line Extension, and anything else. Shouldn't be a big deal for Expo as I think they have plenty of slack in their budget, but the big discount for lack of construction work seems to be over. Yes... Ironically, Expo Authority is saying that the reason behind the cost increase is that there are too many rail projects out there and the companies already have projects and they no longer have to compete. In other words, it's supply and demand. It's not good for the future projects indeed. "The national market has changed significantly for transit projects with a number of significant projects either underway or starting up. Los Angeles Metro has three projects currently in process: Expo, Gold Line and Crenshaw. The availability of work has been reflected in a general increase in the cost of construction. Kiewit also has the contract for the design - build of the Gold Line Maintenance Facility."
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Post by bobdavis on May 1, 2013 17:00:24 GMT -8
Thanks for the coordinates for the Expo yard--I had to zoom in on the area the find Stewart St. on Streets and Trips. To some of us SGV types, Santa Monica is Terra Occidentalis Incognita. A couple years ago I posted a column in the monthly e-zine "DaBelly.com" about going to a musical event on Little Santa Monica Blvd, east of the 405. The day before, I drove over there in the daytime to make sure of the location and scout the parking nearby. On the way home, I went by the Formosa Cafe at Santa Monica and Formosa to photograph the Pacific Electric interurban body that forms part of the restaurant.
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Post by Gokhan on May 1, 2013 17:08:07 GMT -8
On the way home, I went by the Formosa Cafe at Santa Monica and Formosa to photograph the Pacific Electric interurban body that forms part of the restaurant. Ha! I didn't know!
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Post by Gokhan on May 2, 2013 11:58:46 GMT -8
Only one more CIDH cage remaining for the Venice Bridge, th eone for the eastbound track in the median:
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Post by Gokhan on May 2, 2013 12:04:56 GMT -8
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Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on May 2, 2013 13:13:42 GMT -8
Rails are piling up at various places along the line. I wonder if the old track was recycled? Here's an interesting clip on how the rails are made prior to delivery:
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Post by darrell on May 2, 2013 21:57:40 GMT -8
Thanks, Gokhan, for the milestone photo update, and Alexis for the pretty fascinating video!
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Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on May 4, 2013 3:57:44 GMT -8
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Post by roadtrainer on May 4, 2013 13:29:08 GMT -8
I drove by the construction zone today, at last a half dozen Edison trucks and crews were there working on the overhead wires at Venice and National Blvd. And the crews were pumping concrete into one of the Bents. There were two cement trucks standing by on Venice and the west bound traffic was down to one lane. The cement was being pumped into the one bent that was first drilled across the street from Del Taco .
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Post by bobdavis on May 4, 2013 19:58:07 GMT -8
I doubt if the old Santa Monica Air Line rails will be reused--they have probably already been sent to scrap. Out here in Gold Line country, I have seen some of the old Santa Fe rails stockpiled--the contractor may have them welded together for use in the Operations Campus yards. And thanks for the rolling mill video--as an amateur "gandy dancer" (track worker), it's interesting to see the new rail coming off the rollers. I usually see the rail many years later. Part of the rolling process is adding the manufacturer's name, the weight and section, and the date of manufacture. Rail on heavily used freight lines is replaced fairly often, but some branch lines and industrial spurs may have sections that are over 100 years old.
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Post by roadtrainer on May 5, 2013 5:35:29 GMT -8
I was sitting in a Amtrak train awaiting departure from Union Station and I was looking down at the rail and one could see the date of the rails manufacture, it was back in the 1930's.
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Post by bobdavis on May 5, 2013 21:36:05 GMT -8
Since Union Station was opened in May 1939, one might expect to see 1930s dated rails--after all, the terminal tracks are straight, and there's no high-speed running or freight traffic.
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Post by Gokhan on May 6, 2013 9:29:07 GMT -8
Old Expo Line -- "Santa Monica Air Line" that is -- tracks, used until 1987 - 1990 by Southern Pacific, were stamped Year 1916. Skanska/Rados saved and stored a few yards of it.
Steel is expensive and it's always recycled.
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Post by Gokhan on May 6, 2013 9:51:29 GMT -8
I took pictures of the Pico/Sawtelle Boulevards area on Sunday. First, the Sepulveda Bridge though, looking northeast: Here is the Sawtelle abutment -- small squeeze space below the freeway for the trains: Looking west from Sawtelle behind the businesses and on the north side of the storage facility, the bridge is following the old tracks. For some reason they kept the storage facility renting out the right-of-way. The right-of-way is also currently blocked by a medical-marijuana shop seen in the background: Looking east from the same location: Looking east from Pico. You can see the Billingsley's Restaurant (est. 1946) to the left of the column: Looking west from the same location: Looking west from the Pico abutment: Pico abutment at the north side of Pico: Trying to get a perspective view of the Pico/Sawtelle Bridge work: Unfortunately it's hard to capture a nice perspective picture at this location. Now, if we could only get expolinefan in the lighthouse of the Fantasy Island, we would have a great perspective shot.
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f ron
Full Member
Posts: 222
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Post by f ron on May 6, 2013 11:07:05 GMT -8
So mighty curious to see how a train fits under that freeway and still leaves clearance for the traffic on Sawtelle. I'm sure it makes sense on paper but when I'm at that location my eyes can't reconcile it all!
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Post by RMoses on May 6, 2013 11:52:09 GMT -8
The plan was/is to excavate Sawtelle below grade to allow for adequate bridge clearance.
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