Alameda Corridor Agency Approves Largest Remaining Contract for Interchange Work

SEPTEMBER 9, 1999

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – The public agency building the Alameda Corridor rail cargo expressway approved its second largest contract Thursday for construction of a new interchange that will ease traffic and rail congestion immediately north of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

The Governing Board of the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority (ACTA) approved a $76.3 million contract – its largest remaining construction contract – with Shimmick Construction/Obayashi, JV for construction of the Henry Ford Ave. Grade Separation. The Shimmick/Obayashi team, based in Hawyard, Calif., submitted the lowest responsive bid for the work.

The Henry Ford Avenue Grade Separation project calls for construction of a mile-long, two-track railroad bridge over Dominguez Channel and freeway ramps; replacement of a single-track railroad bridge; widening of the Henry Ford Avenue vehicle bridge over the channel to six lanes from four lanes, and widening of the Henry Ford Avenue on-ramps and off-ramps at the Terminal Island Freeway (State Route 47) to three lanes from two.

Construction is expected to begin in October and be completed in early 2002.

“This was our largest remaining contract – an important milestone for a project of this magnitude and significance,” said Long Beach City Councilman Jeffrey A. Kellogg, chairman of the ACTA Governing Board. “This is a key component of the Alameda Corridor.”

ACTA, a joint partnership between the cities and ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, is building a 20-mile-long railroad cargo expressway from the ports to the transcontinental rail yards near downtown Los Angeles. The $2.4 billion project, scheduled for completion in 2002, will speed the flow of cargo and reduce traffic congestion by eliminating conflicts at more than 200 street-level railroad crossings.