Expo E-News Keeping Our Community Informed Summer 2013 Building Bridges to the Future! National/Palms Bridge Nearly Complete Page 2 In this Issue : Page 3: Construction Update Page 5: Spotlight Page 6: Recent News For more information about the Expo Line, visit our website at BuildExpo.org or call 213.922.EXPO
Phase 2 Update Building Bridges to the Future! National/Palms Bridge Nearly Complete The Palms Station, which is the first stop heading west along the Phase 2 alignment, is a unique combination of old and new, with a center platform design that uses both the existing steel bridge and a new concrete bridge. The steel bridge was part of the Santa Monica Air Line that carried passengers and freight to the Palms Depot for more than 80 years. Since the existing bridge isn t wide enough to accommodate trains traveling in both directions, the new National/Palms bridge is being built to operate the second set of tracks. The old steel bridge will be updated to complement the new concrete bridge. The concrete for the new bridge deck has been poured and the falsework has been removed. The bridge features natural concrete side panels with a gentle recessed arch, which provides a visual relief. The arch will tie into the aesthetics of the larger concrete bridges along the Expo Line, which have arched transitions between the columns and the horizontal bridge structure. Historic Palms Depot did you Know? Palms is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, developed in the 1880s, well before surrounding areas such as Culver City, Cheviot Hills or Rancho Park. The new concrete National/Palms Bridge Page 2
Phase 2 Construction Update Construction on Phase 2 is very busy throughout the alignment with: Continued installation of ductbanks, soundwalls, storm drains, and construction of the ballast curb Continued utility relocation on Colorado, Bundy, Sepulveda and Venice Boulevards Conduit installation for the Traction Power Substations Falsework for the Venice Boulevard Bridge Widening of Colorado Avenue The Colorado Avenue widening started in May 2013. The widening is required to accommodate the 17th Street/Santa Monica College Station and the new guideway along the center of Colorado Avenue. For more information on construction along Colorado Avenue, please click here. Venice Boulevard Bridge The Venice Boulevard Bridge will cross over Venice Boulevard to connect the Culver City Station (the end of Phase 1) with Phase 2. Construction of the bridge will include columns in the center of the street, which requires the widening of Venice Boulevard, including the reconstruction of the median and reconfiguration of traffic lanes between Culver Boulevard and Ivy Street. Learn more about Venice Boulevard construction at http://www.expovenice.org/ Safety Tips Obey traffic controls; they re there for your safety Avoid distractions (such as cell phones) Pay attention to signage and flaggers Be aware that traffic patterns may change on a day-to-day basis Please do not enter the construction work zone Page 3
Phase 2 Bridge Update Bridge construction is moving along quickly! The National/Palms Bridge falsework has been removed and finishing work is underway The falsework installation for the Venice Boulevard Bridge started in May and is expected to continue through July Falsework installation has been completed for the Bundy Bridge and concrete pours are being conducted The structural members for the bridge foundation and supports (pre-cast girders) for the Centinela Bridge have been installed The concrete pours continue for the Olympic/Cloverfield Bridge and falsework removal is starting soon Overnight closures are planned in the coming months for falsework installation for the following bridges: Motor Avenue Pico Boulevard Sawtelle Boulevard Additional overnight street closures will be required for the removal of the falsework. fun Fact The Pico Boulevard bridge piles are 96 inches in diameter and roughly 100 feet deep. That s equivalent to the height of the Lincoln Memorial! View of the new Centinela Bridge Page 4
Spotlight Expo Construction Team Demonstrates Commitment to Safety It s one thing to talk about safety, but it s another to demonstrate that commitment day in and day out, for over two years! Since Spring 2011, the SRJV team has worked for more than 780 days without a reportable lost time accident or injury while building the Expo Line all while focusing on keeping motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists safe around the construction. This extraordinary achievement reflects Skanska s focus on an Injury-Free Environment (IFE), which is unparalleled in the construction industry and goes far beyond standard safety programs. SRJV's safety record board Every day, the workers on the Expo Line, from those in the office to those working along the alignment, attend a safety meeting where they participate in stretch and flex exercises to reduce injury and discuss safety topics relevant to the activities for the day. Work crew member wearing a retractable life line harness during pile drilling Workers are encouraged to share examples of unsafe work they ve witnessed off the jobsite to serve as lessons learned. All new workers on the project undergo a half-day safety orientation focused on the project and safety policies as well as a pre-employment drug screening. Ongoing training includes modules on a range of topics, such as using the right ladder for the job and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Skanska leads the industry with its focus and commitment to safety. Robb Fonkalsrud, construction project manager for the Expo Line Perhaps most importantly, every worker is empowered to stop work if they re concerned about safety. Recently, a foreman working on an excavation along the alignment noticed a utility marking that didn t match his plan sheets. He stopped work, re-evaluated, dug a few small test holes and discovered the line was mismarked. By doing that, he determined they were close to an unknown utility and made adjustments to avoid it and keep the project moving forward safely. SRJV is committed to building the project efficiently and safely, while minimizing impacts to the public and maintaining access through the construction zones. Page 5
Recent News Maintenance Facility Contract Awarded In May, the Exposition Construction Authority Board awarded the contract to construct the Operations & Maintenance Facility for the Expo Line to Kiewit Building Group, Inc. Preliminary work is underway and construction is expected to start soon. Rendering of the Operations & Maintenance Facility Station Art: Artist Profiles Palms Station Shizu Saldamando is a third-generation resident of Palms and is very familiar with the diverse communities, changing architecture and cultural history of the area. She hopes to reflect the various people and places that make the area what it is today. Westwood/Rancho Park Palms Station: Art concept proposal by Shizu Saldamando Abel Alejandre believes that the scenes of this diverse neighborhood serve as cinematic vistas and he envisions panoramas of local commuters waiting, engaging with one another. His artwork will feature only the legs and shoes, which show the personality of each commuter. Their body language will tell their story Stay tuned as we feature additional artist profiles in upcoming newsletters! Westwood/Rancho Park Station: Art concept proposal by Abel Alejandre How to Reach Us Call our project hotline at (213) 922-EXPO (3976) or email us at info@buildexpo.org For questions on Phase 2 of the EXPO line, please contact: Torri D. Hill Skanska-Rados Joint Venture Community Relations (310) 500-1485 Page 6 Project Website: www.buildexpo.org Sign up on our homepage to be added to the project database and receive notices via email. Social Media: www.facebook.com/expoline www.twitter.com/expoline