| PROJECT: | ||
| LOCATION: | Wilmington, California | |
| OWNER: | The Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority (ACTA) | |
| CONTRACT VALUE: | $87,426,707 | |
| CONTRACT TYPE: | Lump Sum | |
| OWNER CONTACT: | Art Goodwin | Phone: (310) 233-7480 |
| ENGINEER CONSULTANT: | N/A | |
| ENGINEER CONTACT: | Eric Stassevitch | Phone: (310) 522-5832 |
| PROJECT MANAGER: | Paul Camaur | Phone: (510) 293-1100 |
| START DATE: | September 1999 | |
| COMPLETION DATE: | August 2002 | |
Description of Work:
Shimmick/Obayashi,
JV was the prime contractor for the Henry Ford Avenue Grade Separation.
An $87M project consisting of
construction of a new two track railroad viaduct over Dominguez Channel south
of Anaheim Street, and over a reconfigured intersection of Henry Ford Avenue
and Pier A Way. The project served as "The
Gateway" to the $2 Billion, 20 mile long Alameda Corridor.
The viaduct improved the flow of port traffic for both the freight trains and the trucks that utilize the busy ports. The viaduct known as the “Mainline Viaduct,” consists of 2 truss bridges. Each bridge spanning 295 feet and supported by eight 10- foot diameter CIDH piles driven to a depth of 100 feet below ground, 2 steel plate girder sections, followed by 1,400 feet of precast/pre-stressed concrete box girders on 42" CISS piles and 2,000 feet of MSE walls sitting on top of 2,500 stone columns.
In
addition, the existing at-grade,
4- lane Henry Ford Avenue Bridge over Dominguez Channel was replaced
with a new 6-lane structure. The existing at-grade, single-crossing Transfer
Yard Connection Bridge (formerly Harbor Belt Line Bridge) crossing Dominguez
Channel was reconstructed just west of
the
new Henry Ford Bridge. Other features include modifications to Terminal Island
Freeway on and off-ramps at Henry Ford Avenue, modifications to Pier A Way,
realignment of Henry Ford Avenue south of the intersection with Pier A Way,
addition of retaining walls, at-grade
track modifications, and utility relocations.
The project limits extended over 1 mile from Anaheim Street to the north with the Mainline tracks connecting to the Badger Bridge to the south. Challenges to the project were numerous. Traffic into and out of the ports had to be maintained at all times during construction. Crucial to the project was the sequencing of the railroad work in which shooflies were constructed in order to maintain the heavy railway traffic through the ports while the viaduct, permanent tracks, and the new Henry Ford Avenue were constructed. The project included 9 phases of traffic control and 8 phases for the trackwork. Furthermore, excavation proved to be difficult with the maze of over 300 existing utilities owned by various companies such as DWP and Tidelands Oil sprawled throughout the project. With the excavation, contaminated soils were uncovered and treated before disposal. Shallow groundwater and poor soils had to be mitigated as well.
The Viaduct was completed in 2 years (6 months ahead of the client's schedule) and well under budget (5% under the second bid including all change orders). The safety record was exceptional as well, as the project won the AGC "High Hazard Award" for 2001 and Honorable Recognition in 2000.