October 1, 2008 Contact: Dave Sotero/Marc Littman Metro Media Relations 213.922.3007/213.922.2700 www.metro.net/pressroom

Metro to Repave Portions of Metro Orange Line Transitway Beginning Oct. 6

Beginning Monday, October 6, Metro’s construction contractor will begin repaving portions of the popular Metro Orange Line to repair wear on some segments of asphalt and upgrade the transitway pavement to accommodate future traffic growth. Metro staff will be on-site to assist Metro Orange Line patrons to ensure safe boardings and minimize service delays during repair work that is expected to take approximately eight to 10 weeks to complete.

Metro Orange Line pavement repair map: Blue sections represent full-depth pavement replacement; stars mark the intersections where grind and overlay repairs will be undertaken in phase 2.
Click image to enlarge view.

Construction crews will repair separate segments of the transitway in two sequential phases. The first phase will be an eastern segment between Tujunga Boulevard and the intersection of Fulton Avenue and Burbank Boulevard near Valley College. First phase work will include full depth pavement replacement, including installing a top layer of extra strong “Super Pave” asphalt. Buses will be detoured onto Chandler Boulevard during this phase of work.

The second phase will be a western segment between White Oak Avenue and Victory Boulevard, and between Burbank Boulevard and Hazeltine Avenue. Work crews will grind off the top layer of existing asphalt and replace it with “Super Pave” asphalt at transitway approaches to intersections. Buses also will be detoured onto neighboring streets during construction.

In both phases, the transitway and pedestrian crossings also will be re-striped, and traffic signal detector loops will be re-installed.

Pedestrian and automobile access will be maintained at all intersections throughout the course of work. Metro Orange Line stops at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Fulton Avenue will be temporarily re-located. Signage and information will be provided to patrons, and Metro operations supervisors will be on-site to assist customers between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Work hours will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday except in certain locations on Friday evenings where work will end by sundown in observance of the community’s cultural practices. Work schedules are subject to change.

Metro will ensure that all repairs are made with the least possible impact to Metro Orange Line customers and surrounding community. Residents can, however, expect noise and vibration from pavement removal, scraping and grinding, trucks entering and leaving the site hauling materials, and compaction and paving activities.

Repairs are needed to strengthen asphalt and to eliminate rutting that is occurring as a result of bus braking before street intersections. The pavement section along Chandler Boulevard will be significantly upgraded to accommodate future traffic growth. There is no safety risk to current bus operations, however, Metro seeks to expedite repairs and conclude all work prior to the start of the rainy season.

Metro and its contractor reached a compromise settlement this week to share the $1.5 million repair cost, with each party contributing $750,000. Metro’s share will be taken from the project’s existing budget. Moreover, Metro is contributing an additional $500,000 from the project’s existing budget to further strengthen the transitway with the new thicker and stronger pavement section that includes a top layer of “Super Pave” material. The upgrades along Chandler Boulevard will strengthen the pavement to the point that it will more than double the number of trips that the pavement can support over its 20-year life.
Since its opening, the Metro Orange Line has become a unqualified success, carrying much higher boardings than originally expected. The agency has also increased the frequency of bus service to accommodate these ridership increases.

Metro-162

Editors Note: “Metro” should be used when referring to this agency.

Copyright © 2008, LACMTA | Privacy Policy