Shimmick Construction with its joint venture partner, Nationwide Construction, successfully completed the seismic retrofit of the second level roadway around the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). LAX is the busiest airport on the West Coast and Shimmick and Nationwide performed the retrofit with no disruption to the airport’s normal pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Specialized construction equipment and techniques were used to meet the airport’s aggressive schedule.

The project required the installation of one and half million pounds of steel column casings on over three hundred columns that support the Second Level Roadway. Most of these columns were located directly in front of the seven passenger terminals at the airport. Additionally, all the expansion joints of the second level roadway were tied together by placing cables between the ends. Along with the Second Level Roadway, three pedestrian bridges were strengthened. The pedestrian bridges were strengthened using a combination of new structural steel members and reinforced concrete. Shimmick and Nationwide performed over seventy percent of the work required to complete the project. Managed subcontractors were used to perform the reinforcing steel, painting, welding, post-tensioning and electrical.