During a routine investigation of Metro Gold Line bridge structures on Wednesday, March 26, Metro Operations discovered cracks in the concrete on a bridge abutment between Union Station and Little Tokyo/Arts District Station. The inspection occurred prior to the 5.1 earthquake on March 28.
Metro’s Engineering & Construction and Facilities Maintenance departments performed a preliminary investigation, analyzed the scope of the cracking and determined that the cracking does not pose a risk to public safety. A speed restriction of 8 mph has been implemented for trains crossing the bridge as a precaution. Metro will monitor the situation on a daily basis.
The cause of the cracking is still under investigation. In an abundance of caution, Metro will conduct a thorough assessment of transit aerial structures. Metro is arranging for its contractor to make needed repairs immediately.
Categories: Transportation News
[…] Metro Finds Cracks In the Gold Line 101 Freeway Bridge Abutment (The Source) […]
This sounds like the same area near/at China Town Station that was equipped with some netting to catch falling concrete a few years back?
Hi Sonny;
That segment was built as part of the Gold Line’s Union Station to Pasadena segment. This is on the Union Station to East L.A. part of the line, built several years later.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
I’m sure it’s going to be fixed promptly. The connecter won’t be in place until 2009, anyway.
But an 8 MPH slowdown is hardly the biggest threat to the regional connector’s speed.
We still have plenty of intersections on the light rail lines were a handful of pedestrians and cars turning left get signal priority over a train full of people.
How fast were the trains allowed to go before the discovery of the crack?
Hi Alex;
The speed limit is normally 15mph due in part to the two tight turns on the south side of the 101.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
This problem has nothing to do with the Connector. However substandard construction is not new to the MTA. Tudor-Seliba has been banned from contracting with the MTA after it was discovered tunnel walls were to thin in places on the subway .
I agree! 8 MPH is unacceptably slow. It’s barely tolerable right now running at 15 MPH across the bridge IIRC.
I don’t see how a 8 mph speed restriction will help. The speed limit over the bridge due to the tight turns is already quite low.
Metro should also inspect the entire 110/105 Interchanges since there is a 3-level transit station at the interchange. Metro cannot expect the traffic there to go 8 miles per hour.
Maybe it isn’t a safety risk, but the situation needs to be fixed. Eight mph is unacceptable. What’s going to happen when the Connector is built?