Interstate 710 (I-710) Pavement Rehabilitation and Bridge Widening Project
Project Description
The project covers a 3.5 mile stretch of I-710 through the cities of Commerce, Vernon, Bell, and the unincorporated area of East Los Angeles from Slauson Ave to State Route 60. The project consists of rehabilitating this segment of the I-710 with Joint Plain Concrete Pavement, (JPCP), and Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP). All northbound lanes between Bandini Blvd. and the I-5/I-710 Interchange will be replaced with JPCP. The Hobart Yard bridge will be widened to accommodate standard lanes and shoulders. In addition, the median shoulders will also be repaved with JPCP and the median barrier will be upgraded to meet current standards. The project also includes installing new overhead sign structures, an overhead changeable message sign, and upgrades to drainage.
I-710 Project FAQs
Q: What are the hours, days and times of construction activities?
A: Construction will take place seven days a week. Closures will occur from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday. On various weekends, there will be 55-hour extended weekend closures.
Q: Will there be full closures of the freeway for this project?
A: Yes, there will be full closures of I-710 on Friday nights from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m., but only in one direction. When the freeway opens in the morning, it will be reduced to two lanes in one direction to allow crews to begin paving operations behind k-rails. On Sunday evening, crews will fully close the freeway again from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. to remove k-rails and open all lanes back to traffic in the morning.
Q: Will detour routes be posted when full closures occur?
A: Yes, the contractor will place signage along the detour route if you need to continue your commute on I-710. Detour routes and full closure notifications will be publicized on social media.
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Q: Will Caltrans close consecutive on and off-ramps at the same time?
A: Consecutive ramps will be closed simultaneously during extended weekend closures. Caltrans will limit consecutive ramp closures to a minimum during regular overnight closures.
Q: Will all the ramps be closed at the same time?
A: No. Not all ramps are closed at the same time. The contractor requests closures ahead of time in case certain ramps need to be closed to bring in construction equipment, or for emergencies. Our traffic management center updates closures regularly on the Caltrans QuickMap when crews call in to open or close a ramp.
Q: Will any on/off-ramps be closed long-term?
A: Yes. The northbound I-710 Washington Blvd. off-ramp and southbound Washington Blvd. on-ramp will have a full long-term closure.
Q: How many days are certain on/off-ramps closed long-term?
A: The ramps will be closed for approximately five months, but they could reopen sooner.
Q: Why do the ramps need to be closed for a long period of time?
A: The ramps needs to be closed for an extended period to allow workers to remove a bridge barrier and connect the new structure with the current bridge. The closure also allows crews to pave the ramps.
Q: Will detour and closure signs be posted?
A: Yes. Since the start of construction in May 2018, extended closure signs have been posted at the start and end of the construction zone. Signs alerting drivers that there may be temporarily closures are also at every ramp in the construction zone. Electronic changeable message signs with detour and closure information will be posted at various locations around the construction zone during construction hours.
Q: How many miles of lanes are being replaced?
A: Approximately 37 lanes miles will be replaced for this project.
Q: How many lanes will this project replace?
A: All lanes of I-710 from Slauson Avenue to State Route 60 will be replaced.
Q: When did the project start?
A: May 2018
Q: When is the project expected to be complete?
A: June 2022
Q: What is the cost of the project?
A: The awarded contract for the project is $150.7 million.
Q: Will Caltrans be doing any work on the I-710 Hobart Yard Bridge?
A: Yes, Caltrans will be widening the bridge to accommodate shoulders on both directions of I-710 during this project. This will increase safety for motorists, highway workers, and emergency service personnel.
Q: Will this project install sound walls?
A: No. This is a paving rehabilitation and bridge widening project. Since the passage of Senate Bill 45, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is now the agency responsible for noise abatement inquiries and sound wall projects within Los Angeles County. For further assistance, please contact Benkin Jong, Sound Wall Program Manager at (213) 922-3053 or email at jongB@metro.net
Q: Does the project involve landscaping?
A: A minimum amount of landscaping using drought tolerant foliage will be done when feasible due to the current drought restrictions within California.
Q: Were any trees removed for this project?
A: No. Only trees determined to be diseased were removed for the safety of workers and motorists.
Q: Are you updating the drainage system?
A: Yes, we are installing a new drainage system. The upgrades will meet current Caltrans regulations.
Batch Plant FAQs
Q: What is that large metal structure located at the Bandini Blvd. off-ramp in Vernon?
A: It’s a concrete plant, also known as a batch plant or batching plant.
Q: What is the function of the batch plant?
A: The batch plant combines various ingredients such as water, rock, cement and sand to produce concrete. The concrete will be used to repave the road on I-710.
Q: What are the hours of operation for the batch plant?
A: Hours will vary depending on construction activities.
Q: What are the hours, days and times of construction activities?
A: Seven days a week. Construction will mainly take place from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. during the weekdays. On weekends, there will be 55-hour extended closures for paving activities.
Q: What are the expected impacts?
A: Residents and local businesses nearest the freeway may notice noise, vibrations and dust associated with the batching operation.
- Caltrans will make every effort to mitigate noise associated with construction activities by installing a noise reduction barrier around the plant location.
- Noise levels will not exceed state, federal and city regulations.
- Water trucks will be used to minimize dust during working hours.
- Dump truck driver will minimize backing up operations to reduce back-up alarm noise.
Q: How long will the batch plant be in use at this location?
A: Approximately 18 months.
Q: Where did that large pile of concrete come from?
A: The concrete was removed from the existing structures, barriers and pavement. In keeping with our efforts to enhance the environmental sustainability, it will be recycled and used for new concrete for this and other construction projects.
Q: Is this work part of the proposed I-710 freeway widening?
A: No, the work on I-710 is for a paving and bridge rehabilitation project between Slauson Ave and State Route 60.