Company:
RBF Consulting, a Michael Baker International Company
Status:
Awarded
Awarded:
Bridge Project of the Year
Additional Files

Additional Information

Sand Canyon Avenue Grade Separation

Project Location:

Irvine, CA

Project Description:

Sand Canyon Avenue is a major east/west arterial highway link for the City of Irvine. The Sand Canyon Avenue Grade Separation undercrossing project intersects the LOSSAN rail corridor between Interstate 5 and Oak Canyon/ Laguna Canyon Avenue.  The project lowers Sand Canyon Avenue under the railroad tracks and widens the roadway from four lanes to six lanes. The grade separation will relieve traffic delays and accommodate future traffic demands. The Sand Canyon exit ramp off of Interstate 5 Southbound received upgrading to improve traffic conditions and accommodate the new Sand Canyon Avenue. The new roadway provides access for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclist to travel safely under the railroad tracks and avoid delays from crossing trains. Project improvements include: new rail bridge structure, walls, landscaped median and parkways, storm water pump station and water quality retention basin, class I and III bicycle facility, and utility corridors.

Project Justification:

The difficulty in the design of this grade separation was the complexity of the stage construction. As a requirement by the City, access had to be maintained at all times to the Old Town Business district at Burt Road. To accomplish this feat, a multi-stage construction approach was developed. The first stage consisted of combining dual shoo-fly construction of rail track to maintain accessibility for the 60+ daily trains passing alongside the site, removal of the original track to begin bridge construction and one of two weekend closures. Stage two included the installation of temporary shoring, grading on the east end of the project, new bridge construction and new permanent rail track, and providing detour access routes. The third stage consisted of connecting the permanent rail with the existing line, removing the temporary shoo-fly, grading on the west end of the bridge structure, and construction of the pumping station. The final stage included asphalt installation for the new Sand Canyon Avenue and connecting adjacent streets.

The traveling distance along Sand Canyon Avenue between the LOSSAN Rail corridor and the I-5 Freeway is approximately 600 feet. The Burt Road intersection at Sand Canyon is approximately half the distance or 300 feet separation from the LOSSAN Rail Corridor and 300 feet separation from the I-5 Freeway.  Sand Canyon Avenue roadway surface would be lowered at its maximum depth of approximately 20 feet below the at-grade condition.  Temporary water and oil line facilities were constructed to mitigate construction of the rail shoo-fly system, and utility relocation corridors were developed to facilitate utility construction in advance of the grade separation work.

Special Circumstances:

A strong working relationship with the utility agencies, the Irvine Company, Metro link, Caltrans, OCTA and the City of Irvine was forged to facilitate the development and coordination of the design effort.  Environmental, Funding Regulatory, and Multi-Agency coordination was required to obtain the regulatory requirements for the project.

The Sand Canyon Grade Separation project was the first of the OC-Bridges group of grade separation projects overseen by OCTA.

Project Attachments:

See additional information below.

Award Citation::

The Sand Canyon Avenue Grade Separation undercrossing project intersects the LOSSAN rail corridor between Interstate 5 and Oak Canyon/ Laguna Canyon Avenue.  The project lowers Sand Canyon Avenue under the railroad tracks and widens the roadway from four lanes to six lanes. The grade separation will relieve traffic delays and accommodate future traffic demands.

Suggested Award Summary:

Sand Canyon Avenue is a major east/west arterial highway link for the City of Irvine. The Sand Canyon Avenue Grade Separation undercrossing project intersects the LOSSAN rail corridor between Interstate 5 and Oak Canyon/ Laguna Canyon Avenue.  The project lowers Sand Canyon Avenue under the railroad tracks and widens the roadway from four lanes to six lanes. The grade separation will relieve traffic delays and accommodate future traffic demands. The new roadway provides access for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclist to travel safely under the railroad tracks and avoid delays from crossing trains. Project improvements include: new rail bridge structure, walls, landscaped median and parkways, storm water pump station and water quality retention basin, class I and III bicycle facility, and utility corridors.

The difficulty in the design of this grade separation was the complexity of the stage construction.  The traveling distance along Sand Canyon Avenue between the LOSSAN Rail corridor and the I-5 Freeway is approximately 600 feet. The Burt Road intersection at Sand Canyon is approximately half the distance or 300 feet separation from the LOSSAN Rail Corridor and 300 feet separation from the I-5 Freeway.  Sand Canyon Avenue roadway surface would be lowered at its maximum depth of approximately 20 feet below the at-grade condition. As a requirement by the City, access had to be maintained at all times to the Old Town Business district at Burt Road. To accomplish this feat, a multi-stage construction approach was developed: combining dual shoo-fly construction, temporary shoring, detour access routes, and two phased week-end closures to facilitate rail mainline connection.  Temporary water and oil line facilities were constructed to mitigate construction of the rail shoo-fly system, and utility relocation corridors were developed to facilitate utility construction in advance of the grade separation work.

Project Awards

Burris Pump Station Project, Phase 1 Skimming the Waters of Newport Habor Sunset Ridge Park Lake Forest Sports Park Coyote Creek Class I Bikeway The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) Corona del Mar Water Transmission Main Santa Ana River Interceptor (SARI Line) Relocation Project State Route 57 Northbound Widening (Central Phase) 20 Story Office Tower and 8 Story parking Structure @ 650/670 Newport Center Drive Tustin Ranch Road Extension Balboa Boulevard Beautification Park Place SR 57 Widening North Segment Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) Irvine Regional Park Maintenance Building Replacement Project Sand Canyon Avenue Grade Separation SR-57 Improvements Newport Forcemain Project Emergency Roof Stabilization, Tustin Hangar 1 Lower Santa Ana River Reach 9 Phase 2B Project Newport Beach Civic Center & Park City of San Clemente Recycled Water Expansion Project Groundwater Replenishment System Initial Expansion Cerritos Avenue Reconstruction and Sanitary Sewer Improvement Project Bristol Street Improvements Phase II New Ocelot Exhibit at the Santa Ana Zoo Newport Beach's Harbor Litter Removal Project Brookhurst Street Widening Project I-5/SR-74 Interchange Improvement Project Oso Creek Multi-Use Trail PCH/Del Prado Street Improvements Marina Park Newland, Edinger, and East Garden Grove Wintersburg Storm Channel Confluence System Gobernadora Multipurpose Basin Lincoln Avenue Widening over the Santa Ana River Gilbert Street Improvements LAGUNA BEACH FESTIVAL OF ARTS FAÇADE/ENTRANCE PROJECT ALEGRE AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS Cow Camp Road Design – Phases 1A & 1B West County Connectors Project Waste to Energy - Bowerman Power Project Glassell Yard Campus Stormwater Low-Impact Development Retrofit Project Esencia, Rancho Mission Viejo Irvine Boulevard Pedestrian Bridge Orange County Water District La Palma Groundwater Recharge Basin Stanton Central Park Jeffrey Open Space Trail Emerald Bay Entrance Widening Peters Canyon (Wash) Channel Water Capture and Reuse Pipeline Project 91 Express Lanes Pavement Rehabilitation and CMS Replacement Memory Lane Park, Santa Ana La Pata Extension Project SR-91 Westbound Widening Newport Beach Country Club Clubhouse 400 Spectrum Center Drive Soil Nail Wall Myra 3 Stormwater Pump Station Sunset/Huntington harbour Dredging and Waterline Project Huntington Beach Senior Center In Central Park Newport Boulevard Widening Crown Valley Park Channel Entry Improvements Anaheim Convention Center Betterment VII Mackay Park Tesoro Zone II and Zone B Water Facilities Park Avenue Bridge over Grand Canal I-5/La Novia Roundabout Dairy Fork Wetland and Habitat Restoration Jeffrey Road Park n' Ride Lot Expansion Project Tustin-Rose Grade Separation Project, Part of the OCTA OC Bridges Grade Separations Program Argyros Girl Scout Leadership Center Wagon Wheel Creek Restoration and Stormwater Management OCTA OC Bridges Program ABC Green Home 3.0 Project Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts Grounds Renovation Ortega Highway Emergency Repair Project The Tracks at Brea Baker Ranch City of Buena Park Fire Station No. 61 Arlington Drive Bioswale & Dry Weather Diversion Project Altair Irvine Village Pond Park/Veterans Park Renovation Mid-Basin Injection: Centennial Park Agua Chinon Corridor Tarbut V’ Torah Phase III & Phase IV Rancho Mission Viejo Joint-Use Pavilion I-5 HOV Improvement Project between Avenida Pico and Avenida Vista Hermosa Orange County Great Park Sports Complex Crawford Canyon Road Drainage Improvements & Reconstruction South Cove Development Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena Lido House Hotel Broadcom Corporate Campus (now FivePoint Gateway West Orange County Water Board Feeder No. 2 Relocation Newhope-Placentia Trunk Sewer Replacement Project State College Boulevard Grade Separation Los Patrones Parkway Rancho Mission Viejo Multipurpose Path Urth Caffe - Orange Environmental Nature Center Preschool Building 16

Candidate Awards

Natalie A. Meeks, P.E. Tasha M. Kamegai-Karadi Yazdan (Yaz) T. Emrani, P.E., Byron Tobey, PE, QSD, LEEP AP Eric Walker Gidti Ludesirishoti Victoria Pilko Pratanu Ghosh Steven R Marvin Phil Jones, PE Joshua Nelson, PE Victor Aguirre Kenneth H. Rosenfield, PE George A. Jurica, PE Tom Bogard Ravi Shah, PE, QSP/QSD Amy Choi, EIT Elizabeth Ruedas, EIT, ENV SP Mujahid Chandoo Roxanne Follis Amir Aghakouchak, Ph.D., M-ASCE, P.E. Fred Minagar Jeffrey Okamoto, PE Harvey Gobas Chloe Gharios Kevin Onuma, P.E. Ryan Chamberlain Dr. Adrian Moore Michael Pierce, A.M.ASCE Remi Candaele, PE, MS, QSD/QSP, M.ASCE Thomas A. Broz, P.E., S.E, F.ASCE Karen Cervantes, S.M.ASCE Isamar Escobar, A.M.ASCE Kevin Kondru, P.E., M.ASCE Douglas J. Johnson, P.E., M.ASCE Jeremy Redman, PhD Christopher Haire Mojgan Hashemi, P.E., M.ASCE OC Report Card Executive Committee Steven J. Huff, P.E., M.ASCE William Bennett, P.E., M.ASCE Bruce Phillips, P.E. Brad Dybel, PE Bryant Wong Gyssela (Jazzy) Quinabo, E.I.T. Nestor Godinez, PE Professor Joel Lanning Elizabeth Ruedas Dave Lowe Wei Koo Bill Lawson Amber Ganapathy Bob Kallenbaugh State Senator Josh Newman Gary Urban Dr. Sudarshan Kurwadkar Clint Isa, PE Jason Fix, PE Chirath "Chuck" Karunathilake Amber Shah Ashlyn Alexander John C Hogan Marionne Lapitan Dr. C.T. Bathala, PhD, P.E. Kevin Du Mont, P.E. Ziad Mazboudi, P.E., D.WRE, MBA David Frattone, P.E. Lisa Bartlett Jennifer Bohen Gyssela (Jazzy) Quinabo, E.I.T. Adeleine J. Tran, P.E. Jared Lindo Janelle Gonzalez Marionne Lapitan, E.I.T., ENV SP Chirath "Chuck" Karunathilake Gabreelle Gonzalez, P.E. George A. Jurica, P.E. Jeff Braun, P.E. Representative Harley Rouda Jeremy R. Squire, P.E. Kathereen Shinkai, P.E. Mobility 21 Douglas J. Sereno, P.E., F.ASCE Dr. Lisa Star, Ph.D., P.E. Lisa M. Penna, P.E., F.ASCE, QSD Michael A. Kraman, P.E. Tapas Dutta, P.E., F.ASCE Raul Omar Rodriguez Mathew Picardal Darlyn Hernandez Keenan Do Guillermo Medina Jesse Bennett Rob Himes Jennifer Marks Andrew Oshrin Sam Ali Stephanie Wiggins Patrick Tierney, P.E. Rudy Emami
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