Photos: Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority.

Progress continues on the bridge that will carry the tracks for the Gold Line Foothill Extension over the eastbound 210 freeway in Arcadia. Here’s the latest update on the Measure R project by Foothill Extension Construction Authority CEO Habib Balian:

It’s hard to believe that the Gold Line Bridge is only a few months away from an on-time, on-budget hand-off to the Alignment contractor that is responsible for completing the stations, track and systems for the project. As you can see – WOW; the falsework is being removed to reveal the many architectural elements designed into the superstructure by artist Andrew Leicester. It will take several more weeks of consecutive night closures to complete the removal process.

The falsework removal is only one of numerous activities currently underway at the project site. In the freeway’s center median, heavy machinery is demolishing the remaining portions of the previous retaining wall. Specialists are out sandblasting the superstructure’s exterior; part of the finishing activities I have described in previous emails. And crews are encasing the last of the post-tensioning ducts on the eastern abutment. The locations of these activities are shown below.

Finally, off-site, work continues on fabrication of the baskets that will soon sit atop the bridge’s main columns.

Be advised that eastbound closures of the I-210 will start again late Sunday night, and continue through next Friday morning. Closures start around 9 p.m. each night with nearby on-ramp closing first, then individual lanes begin to close around 10 p.m. Full closure of the eastbound freeway starts at Midnight, and all lanes reopen by 5:00 a.m. the following morning.