Oldcastle Precast ships record-length Caltrans girders

Sources: Oldcastle Precast, Perris, Calif.; CP staff

As part of California Department of Transportation’s $1.6 billion Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) South Corridor Improvement Project, Oldcastle Precast-Perris is fabricating 158.5-ft. prestressed concrete super girders for the Norwalk-San Antonio Bridge—built in stages entailing placement of seven, four and nine beams.

Security Paving of Sylmar, Calif., awarded Oldcastle Precast a contract requiring 7-ft. tall, wide flange girders cast with 8,500-psi design strength mixes. The 100-ton super girders are the longest precast/prestressed bridge members to date on a project for Caltrans, an agency with a deep inventory of cast-in-place, post-tensioned box girder structures. The Norwalk-San Antonio Bridge combines the beams with cast-in-place decking and transverse abutments, netting what project officials note are decreased construction time, improved safety for construction personnel and the public; improved structural performance and durability; and, cost savings.

Caltrans becomes the latest state agency to mark a new length record for ‘trailered’ precast/prestressed girders, following similar milestones since 2010 in Minnesota (175 ft.), Pennsylvania (167 ft.), Texas (166 ft.), Utah (195 ft.) and Washington (205 ft.). With a scheduled late-2015 completion, the Santa Ana Freeway South Corridor Improvement Project will see roadway and bridge widening for new High Occupancy Vehicle and general purpose lanes along nearly seven miles from the Los Angeles County/Orange County line to Interstate 605.