Construction is moving into high gear on a $193 million project to add a high-occupancy vehicle carpool lane along the Interstate 10 freeway in each direction between Puente Avenue and Citrus Street in the cities of Baldwin Park and West Covina.
Construction is moving into high gear on a $193 million project to add a high-occupancy vehicle carpool lane along the Interstate 10 freeway in each direction between Puente Avenue and Citrus Street in the cities of Baldwin Park and West Covina.
The project that began in June 2014 includes widening of bridges and ramp realignments along a 4.1-mi. (6.6 km) stretch of I-10 in Los Angeles County.
Sound walls also will be constructed to mitigate noise at various locations throughout the project boundaries.
Much of the current construction activity is at West Covina Parkway and Azusa Avenue in West Covina.
Construction of the Baldwin Park Boulevard bridge and freeway median barrier work has been completed. Bridge work on Athol Street is complete.
The Bess Avenue pedestrian bridge overcrossing is currently being replaced to accommodate the freeway widening. Sound wall and retaining wall work is continuing along with freeway lane construction. Completion of the project is expected in spring of 2019.
General contractor is Ames Construction Inc., based in Burnsville, Minn., with multiple offices including a Corona, Calif. location. Caltrans designed the project.
Along with sound wall and retaining wall construction current work includes installation of the drainage system, bridge and outside shoulder widening and ramp construction.
The project is large in scale. Two new bridges will be constructed, seven bridges will be widened and 20 on- and off-ramps will be reconstructed.
Work on the eastbound Vincent Avenue off ramp to I-10 has now been completed.
Utilities were moved at the beginning of the project.
As work continues, detour signs will be posted to direct motorists.
The bridge and ramp work preceded work on the HOV lane.
“Construction of the HOV lane will not begin until early 2018,” said Yessica Jovel, public affairs officer of Caltrans in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
Significant Amount of Construction Materials
Workers will apply 26,000 tons (23,587 t) of asphalt and pour 72,710 cu. yds. (55,590 cu m) of concrete. Lean concrete base will total 46,500 cu. yds. (35,52 cu m). Rebar also is in heavy use on the project.
Heavy construction equipment includes bulldozers, large cranes, large excavators, loaders, backhoes compactors and pavers. Also large drill rigs are being used for cast-in-drilled-hole concrete piling.
The contractor has 15 subcontractors on duty.
“They are experienced subcontractors in bridge widening and ramp construction,” Jovel said.
Major contractors include Integrity Rebar Placers of Perris, Calif., for rebar; Singer Bridge & Iron of Coolidge, Ariz., for structural steel; L. Johnson Construction of Gardena, Calif., for masonry walls; Austin Enterprises of Bakersfield, Calif., for joint steel; and Ace Fence Co. of La Puente, Calif., for fences and metal bean guard rail.
Most of the construction is taking place at night. Work is also conducted on weekends.
Ramp Closures, Detours Necessary
“Due to construction work, ramp closures have been occurring when necessary,” Jovel said. “Along with detour signs being posted, weekly construction activities are being distributed to alert local residents of construction activities.”
Project Challenges
The project is complex, but Caltans and the contractor have kept the project moving through efforts to maintain good communication.
“Through daily communication and weekly construction meetings, Caltrans and Ames have been able to effectively work together to resolve and mitigate any issues that arise,” Jovel said.
Project Benefits
The I-10 HOV project will increase the 532-mi. (856.17 km) carpool lane system in Los Angeles County. It will add freeway capacity, reduce congestion by encouraging carpooling, improve traffic flow and reduce energy consumption.
As a result, air quality in the area is expected to improve.
The carpool lanes will provide an option for Interstate 10 commuters who have experienced serious congestion on the very busy freeway.
The current HOV project is the second of three such projects that, upon completion, will offer on continuous HOV lanes from downtown Los Angeles to I-15 in San Bernardino County, a distance of about 40 mi. (64.4 km).
“Carpool lanes are one of the best ways of ensuring that corridors such as the I-10 remain efficient well into the future,” Joval said. “Carpool lanes not only benefit motorists who use them, drivers in the mainline also benefit from reduced overall congestion and we all benefit from improved air quality.”
She said that about 322,000 vehicles or 759,000 people in Los Angeles County ride in carpool lanes each day.
“On average, HOV lanes carry 33 percent of freeway ridership in just 20 percent of the space while each adjacent mixed flow lane only carries 17 percent of the freeway population,” Jovel said.
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