Temp bridge support done

The temporary false-work for the I-210 Foothill Freeway Gold Line Bridge has been completed.

The temporary structure, which crosses the eastbound lanes of the I-210 Freeway, was installed over the last several months and was built to support the bridge superstructure during concrete placement. Because the false-work was erected over an active freeway, the work required more than 20 full closures of the eastbound freeway.

Construction began in mid-February and required crews to work day and night shifts to install nearly fifty, 90-100 foot long beams (each weighing about 16 tons) across the eastbound lanes, along with hundreds of smaller beams to complete the structure. More than 300 feet of the 584-foot-long structure spans over the eastbound freeway.

The false-work structure will need to support more than 5,000 tons of concrete scheduled to be placed during an 18-hour period in May, according to Gary Baker, Director of Construction for the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority.

The bridge project is on track for completion late this summer and is scheduled to be turned over to Foothill Transit Constructors – A Kiewit Parsons Joint Venture — in December to begin installation of the track and other elements onto the bridge as part of the overall 11.5-mile Foothill Extension Alignment Project.

The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension is a $1.4 billion project, partially funded by Los Angeles County’s Measure R. The light rail extension is being overseen by the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority and is currently undergoing final design and construction for the Pasadena to Azusa segment and environmental review for the Azusa to Montclair segment. Construction of the 11.5-mile light rail extension to Azusa is on schedule to be completed in 2015, adding six new stations in the cities of Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa.

— By Scott Hettrick