210 Gold Line Bridge Construction Stays on Track

As construction crews finished installing the falsework for the 1-210 Gold Line Bridge, the Gold Line Construction Authority announced the project is on track for completion this summer.

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.

“Completion of false-work activity is a major milestone for the project,” said Gary Baker, Director of Construction for the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority.

Construction of the false-work commenced 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.  Over 300 feet of the 584-foot-long structure spans over the eastbound freeway.

“Although temporary, the false-work and subsequent form-work, play a critical role in achieving both the structural and aesthetic requirements of the design,” said Mr. Baker. “Together, they must also support  over 5,000 tons of concrete scheduled to be placed during an 18-hour period in May.”

The bridge project is on track for completion in late summer 2012, 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.

To learn more or receive construction alerts and project updates, sign-up at: http://www.foothillextension.org/ or follow the project on Facebook and Twitter. To receive text alerts about freeway closures, text from your cell phone “GOLDLINENEWS” to 888777.