A rural section of I-10 in Riverside County is undergoing 8.2 mi. (13 km) of rehabilitation. Heavy truck traffic and weather have damaged pavement in the project area, especially the outside lanes. The project spans from County Line Road in Calimesa to the Pennsylvania undercrossing in Beaumont.
The project, which began April 6, includes widening of on- and off-ramps, bridge deck repairs, lowering of the existing 6th Street off-ramp to provide more clearance for tall trucks, upgrading metal guard rails, drainage and concrete median barriers, and replacing the connector between eastbound SR 60 and eastbound I-10. The $40 million cost is funded by the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP).
“The project is being completed in five phases,” explained Joy Sepulveda, construction liaison for California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 8. “The first and second phase includes shoulder strengthening, concrete barrier work and drainage improvements. Phase 3 will include more drainage work, widening of the westbound Beaumont off-ramp to provide two lanes, and slab replacement. Phases 4 and 5 will cover the replacement of the SR 60/I-10 connector, with the project wrapping up at the beginning of 2011.”
Beador Construction of Beaumont, Calif., is the prime contractor and is covering a majority of the tasks including excavation, bridge construction, drainage, sign installation, AC paving, and rapid set concrete replacement operation.
“Rapid set allows the crews to replace sections of concrete that are in disrepair without causing major interruptions to the flow of traffic. The concrete reaches full strength in about 2 hours, versus 28 days for traditional concrete,” commented Sepulveda.
Crews will use 50,000 ton (45,350 t) of asphalt and 35,000 cu. yds. (26,775 cu m) of concrete on the project.
Approximately 70,000 cu. yds. (53,550 cu m) of dirt will be taken out during work on the embankments, shoulders and drainage improvements. The existing median, which currently sits at 32-in. (81.3 cm) in height, will be removed and replaced by a 56-in. (142.2 cm) median to reduce headlight glare from truck traffic.
Beador is using a variety of equipment on the job, including a Cat 416C, Cat 430, and Cat 446 backhoes. For excavators, Beador is utilizing a Cat 322, a Cat 345 CL, and a Cat 320L. Other equipment includes a John Deere 210LE skip loader, a Cat CB224E tandem vibratory smooth drum, a Cat D6R XL dozer, and a Cat AP655C asphalt paver. Beador is using Quinn Rental Services for a few pieces of equipment. Quinn offers a full range of Caterpillar and other name brand equipment and specialized tools.
Among the list of subcontractors is Drill Technology Drilling & Shoring for excavation, Crown Fence Company for temporary fences, Cal-Stripe Inc. for line painting, Hawthorne Contracting Company Inc. for traffic control, and Marina Landscape Inc. for landscaping.
Beador is using Valley Concrete to supply concrete, Calmex Engineering, Inc. for asphalt supply and Avar Construction Systems for pre-cast concrete slabs.
Lane closures will be necessary to improve I-10. However, most of the work will be done at night to keep traffic moving during the day and minimize public inconvenience. Crews are working Monday through Friday in two shifts; 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Ramps are closed during rehabilitation. Signs have been posted in advance to let motorists know when a ramp is closed and where the detour is. To keep detours as short as possible, no two consecutive ramps will be closed at the same time.
Visit caltrans8.info for weekly updates on closures.
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