California 8, April 21, 2024

Snap Into Action

Caltrans, Crews Working to Repair Highway Landslides

By Irwin Rapoport CEG CORRESPODNENT

A landslide on Highway 1 (The Pacific Coast Highway) led to an approximately 7-ft. section of the outer lane sliding down the hillside and the indefinite closure of the famed highway in Big Sur for 40 mi., which leaves only one functional lane open based on convoys overseen by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and law enforcement authorities to ensure a safe passage for motorists. The landslide was caused by heavy rains.

“Another section of California’s Highway 1 has collapsed days after Caltrans announced it was getting closer to its promised reopen ing of the scenic roadway in the wake of destructive landslides brought on by stormy weather,” Caltrans said.

The DOT has been on top of the situation since the section collapsed. Emergency crews and engineers have been onsite assessing the damage, state of the highway in the immediate area and sorting out the traffic situation, which initially left more than 1,600 motorists stranded overnight.

“Activities following this incident included the addition of gravel to the drainage ditch off the shoulder of the northbound lane to ensure proper drainage through the site,” stated Caltrans. “Work was also completed to pave over a gravel-filled ditch and part of the dirt shoulder of the northbound lane to gain extra room in the travel lane. Caltrans is continuing to focus on repair strategies to stabilize the edge of the roadway with details of this operation, work hours and timetable to be announced when details are certain.”

The installation of a barrier to protect highway workers and temporary re-striping to accommodate equipment expected to be mobilized to this area was completed the

Landslides are causing havoc throughout the state, including on Big Sur where a 7 ft. section of roadway collapsed and has closed the famed highway indefinitely for 40 mi. Local residents needed convoys of food and other vital supplies.

weekend of April 5.

“Additionally, emergency responses through the closure area are complicated by the presence of heavy machinery staged in the northbound lane, which could take up to an hour to remove,” Caltrans said.

Caltrans has already removed close to 500,000 cu. yds. of debris due to one landslide.

% Reach out to y our California m one y in y our p ocket when N o g i mm i c k s, j ust stra i g h t f o This is y our offer to save on FOR Cat dealer to start savin g. y ou p urchase a C at machine . rwar d mat h t h at equa l s mor e com p act e q ui p ment . ® Cat

Valew Quality Truck Bodies Unveils New Electric Trucks

Valew Quality Truck Bodies, in partnership with Velocity Truck Centers in Whittier, Calif., recently hosted an open house to unveil the latest lineup of electric work trucks. This event showcased EV vehicles manufactured by Rizon, a

Daimler Truck brand dedicated to pioneering zero-emission commercial vehicles, signaling a major shift in the commercial vehicle landscape in the state of California.

The open house provided an exclusive opportunity to

explore the cutting-edge designs of EV trucks, customized with three distinct truck bodies by Valew Truck Bodies. Among these were a service body, a dump body and a flatbed body, which showcased the versatility and adaptability of electric vehicles in various industries. According to Valew representatives, these designs mark the beginning of a new era in commercial vehicle customization, integrating the eco-friendly advantages of EV technology with practical utility.

Velocity Truck Centers, as a distributor of this innovative EV brand, plays a crucial role in facilitating the transition toward sustainable transportation solutions. Upon purchase, customers have the option to personalize their trucks according to their requirements. Valew then steps in to customize the truck body to meet the customer’s needs. This collaborative approach ensures that each vehicle is tailored to optimize performance and functionality for its intended application.

The open house was attended by a diverse group of contractors, city and municipal representatives, as well as county districts and public works departments. This surge in interest underscores a growing appetite for EV’s within the commercial sector, driven not only by environmental concerns, but also by regulatory regulations.

With the implementation of new CARB compliance rules in California starting 2024, the transition to electric fleets has

see VALEW page 9

The Velocity Vehicle Group, represented by (L-R) Jim Ross, Jennifer Rhinehart, Kellie De Leon and Danny Ruano.

Velocity EV, North American distributor of Rizon battery electric trucks. (L-R): Ran Wei, operations manager; Cesar Rodes, sales coordinator; Bang Yong Lo, project manager; and Alex Voets, general manager.

The Valew Quality Truck Body team is excited about this partnership with Velocity Truck Centers and Rizon. (L-R): Shane Newson, Frank Flores, Chad Newson, Courtney Hayes and Roger Hayes

City of Santa Monica Resource Recovery and Recycling was at the open house to see the latest in EV technology. (L-R): Saul Parra, Resource Recovery & Recycling crew leader with the city of Santa Monica; J Montez; and Jose Ramirez, Resource Recovery & Recycling crew leader with the city of Santa Monica.

The Rizon EV with a dump body, a service body and the flatbed body, all fabricated by Valew Quality Truck Bodies.

Construction Crews Stabilizing Highway 1’s Infrastructure

ACTION from page 1

Caltrans officials responded rapidly and by the morning of March 31 DOT engineers completed their assessments, confirming that motorists could drive on the northbound lanes under close supervision. Convoys began on noon that day.

Jim Shivers, Caltrans District 5 public-legislative affairs manager, provided the latest news on the Rocky Creek landslide and overall situation of Highway 1.

“This repair process will include drilling into the rocks in the area below the highway,” he said. “This will take place on the sheer cliff wall below the highway. There is no estimate at this time [when this section will reopen].”

Asked to what extent are there concerns about sections of the road immediately north and south of the landslide, Shivers replied, “We are continuing to monitor all areas and there has been no change in the footprint of the slip out or impacts to the surrounding highway from when it initially occurred.”

Caltrans is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the viability of Highway 1’s infrastructure and the safety of motorists.

“Each incident is different and we respond accordingly,” said Shivers. “We have various things in the toolbox for each location. At each repair site, we have been able to install modern drainage facilities to increase the amount of water we can keep away from nearby slopes and the highway.”

He added that Caltrans has not identified any other section of the highway where landslides could occur.

Caltrans and local emergency personnel arrived on-site rapidly after they were informed of the Rocky Creek landslide.

“The most important thing is to keep the public safe by implementing the closure and convoys,” Shivers. “It is also important to monitor conditions so that we can allow our highway workers to be in the safest environment possible.”

As has been pointed out, Caltrans is aware of the possibility of landslides and has well-honed response plans.

“We have been consistent in our approach,” said Shivers. “We have improved our outreach by briefing the business community and elected officials. We have a robust social media presence where constant updates are posted.”

“We want to emphasize that this is a state jurisdiction disaster,” Nicholas Pasculli, the director of communications for Monterey County, told SFGATE. “The key now is for people who don’t belong down there to stay away from that area. We don’t need any more traffic along that stretch of the road.”

Timeline of Events

Landslides in February closed 10 mi. of Highway 1 near Big Sur, which also led to convoys for local residents to secure food and other vital supplies. Last year, Caltrans removed close to 500,000 cu. yds. of debris due to a landslide, which occurred in January.

Over the past few months, Highway 1 was impacted by serious atmospheric river storms, as were roads in the interior.

Prior to the March 30 landslide, crews were conducting road repairs at Paul’s Slide, Post Mile 22; Regent’s Slide at Post Mile 27.78; and Dolan Point at Post Mile 29.5. At Dolan Point, a permanent cable net system will be installed on the face of the slope.

According to the SGATE, the majority of Highway 1 was open “save for a 12.1-mile section between the Esalen Institute at the north end and just south of Limekiln State Park, part of the same area affected by the recent slide.”

The Caltrans convoy system is working well.

“[March 31], we likely did have the highest volume of people come through who needed to take advantage of convoys,” Kevin Drabinski, a Caltrans public information officer told SFGATE. “A lot of those people were on the other side of a closure in a way they had not planned for. I can imagine two scenarios: people who came down to Big Sur for the day and found themselves having to stay overnight and people who may have been staying in Big Sur and took a day trip up to Monterey and were unable to return.”

Daily convoys resumed on April 6 through the site of the Rocky Creek Slip Out, approximately 17 mi. south of Monterey, at 8 a.m. and again at 4 p.m. based on final assessments by Caltrans engineers. On Tues., April 9, the convoy times changed to 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. after consultations with

community stakeholders and in collaboration with the Monterey County Department of Emergency Management.

“Caltrans engineers and maintenance staff continue to monitor the site for any significant changes and the public will be advised of any modifications to this schedule,” stated an April 5 press release from Caltrans District 5 (Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties).

A slip-out near the Rocky Creek Bridge, less than 1 mi. from Bixby Bridge, caused chunks of asphalt from the southbound lane of the highway to plummet into the ocean below, stranding some tourists in the area, authorities with the California Highway Patrol said. A roughly 40-mi. stretch of the road has been closed in both directions, from Palo Colorado Road (Post Mile 61.5) to just south of Limekiln State Park (Post Mile 32.1) and Caltrans engineers are currently assessing the site.”

As the situation remains fluid, Caltrans noted that “updates on the status of the closure of Highway 1 at the Rocky Creek Bridge will be provided as more information becomes available.”

An April 9 Caltrans press release provided a more detailed explanation on its convoy system, especially in relation to efforts to repair the affected section.

“Convoys are intended for the use of local residents and essential workers only,” it stated. “Limiting the volume of vehicles through the repair site is one strategy which is helping manage the risks associated with conditions at the slip out and with emergency response. Public safety personnel have been consistent in their support for limiting convoys to residents and essential workers. There are limited public safety resources staged south of the closure area.”

Noted the SFGATE: “Pasculli said the response to the washout has been ‘an all-out community effort,’ with at least seven hotels, bed and breakfasts and campgrounds racing to offer up their amenities to people who were trapped. A temporary evacuation shelter set up at Big Sur Lodge was at about 75 percent capacity,” he said, “and some people ultimately chose to stay in their vehicles overnight.”  CEG

(All photos courtesy of Caltrans.)

The installation of barrier to protect highway workers and temporary re-striping to accommodate equipment expected to be mobilized to this area was completed the weekend of April 5.

Prior to the landslide, crews were conducting road repairs at other locations because of previous landslides at Paul’s Slide at Post Mile 22; Regent’s Slide at Post Mile 27.78; and Dolan Point at Post Mile 29.5.

PIRTEK Power Inn

4191 Power Inn Road, Suite D

Sacramento, CA 95826

916-737-7777

PIRTEK

San Leandro

1997 Burroughs Ave

San Leandro, CA 94577

510-568-5000

PIRTEK SFO

121 S. Maple Ave #4 South San Francisco, CA 94080

650-532-9200

C.A. Rasmussen Commences Paving, Guardrail Project

By Irwin Rapoport CEG CORRESPONDENT

C.A. Rasmussen Inc. started work on the California Department of Transportation’s (Caltrans) $59.5 million Topanga Canyon Boulevard Pavement Project, which covers more than 18 mi. on State Route 27 (SR 27) from the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu to Devonshire Street in Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles County).

More than 60 lane mi. of SR 27 are being repaved and approximately 40,000 linear ft. of guardrail will be upgraded. The project is upgrading curb ramps and crosswalks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. This includes 26 traffic signals, 200 repaired and replaced curb ramps and nearly 30 pedestrian push buttons. Additionally, the work will add more than 20 landscape control locations, nearly 50 transit stop improvements and two bicycle drainage gates.

The project is expected to be delivered in fall 2027.

David Miraaney is serving as the project manager; the project engineer is Nguyen Hua and Refugio Dominguez is Caltrans’ design engineer on the project.

“There were no design challenges to this project,” said Dominguez. “The main challenge was community support of this project. [Many people] are concerned about traffic delays during construction and how it will impact their daily commute. Also, there are existing guardrails that need to be upgraded since they have been damaged and/or do not meet the safety requirements. Residents do not want shiny new metal guardrails on the road. This concern is typically found in the rural and mountainous area of Topanga Canyon."

The new guardrails, known as the Midwest Guardrail System (MGS), will be colored reddish-brownish to avoid a shiny appearance and essentially match the color of the existing guardrail.

The overlay will extend the lifespan of the pavement by 10 years, with a top layer of RHMA and a bottom layer of HMA.

“There is a 9,000 feet highway segment in the mountainous area that we are not doing the typical cold plane and overlay,” said Dominguez. “We are just overlaying it because it is in a sensitive environmental area. The cold plane could generate dust or pavement material [shavings] that could reach the nearby creek.”

C.A. Rasmusen crews started work at the north end of the project near Devonshire Street and are making their way south to Malibu, with construction taking place day and night. Caltrans is aware that construction is impacting the community.

“Residents and businesses located near the freeway are advised to anticipate noise, vibrations and dust associated with construction activities,” said Diana Jimenez, a public Information Officer of Caltans District 7 (Los Angeles and Ventura counties).

Caltrans is making every effort to mitigate noise associated with construction activities by installing a noise reduction barrier around the plant location.

“Noise levels will not exceed state, federal and city regulations,” stated a press release. “Water trucks minimize dust during working hours and dump truck driver will minimize backing up operations to reduce back-up alarm noise.”

The DOT is planning detour routes to help deal with traffic problems.

At this point, C.A. Rasmussen has initiated early opera-

More than 60 lane mi. of SR 27 are being repaved and approximately 40,000 linear ft. of guardrail will be upgraded.

tions and is ramping up its efforts.

“The early construction challenge is to coordinate with current and future contracts by other agencies within the same project limit to minimize the delay impact,” said Caltrans Transportation Engineer Elizabeth Martinez, the acting resident engineer of the project. “Saw-cut operations started March 14 and resumed on April 8. The work is on schedule, progressing as planned. Groundwater is not anticipated at the shallow depths excavated at 2 feet. Excavation operations will be a maximum of 1.85 feet in depth into existing pavement sections. There will be no significant soil disturbances. Underground utility clearances are being managed by the contractor. Other work on CA 27 not part of this contract [and] will be coordinated within Caltrans to avoid work conflicts.”

This is a tight work zone, with half of the project going thru the canyon. The road is a two-lane highway, one lane in each direction.

Safety measures are being taken to protect workers and motorists via proper lane closures and signage following Caltrans standard plans that are based on MUTCD guidelines, including speed reduction limit signs around construction areas as needed.

“We are partnering with the California Highway Patrol to have officers on-site during construction operations,” Martinez. “Placement of message signs containing notice of anticipated workdays are done one week in advance of operations. Caltrans responds promptly to finding proper solutions to any issue with the contractor.”

The repaving is based on asphalt lanes, save the proposed bus pads, which will be changed from asphalt to concrete to provide a stronger pavement due to the braking action of the

buses.

In regards to the new bus pads, they are based on a 0.85 ft. Joint Plane Concrete (JPCP), a 0.5 ft. Lean Concrete Base (LCB) and a Rapid Set 05 ft. Class 3 aggregate base.

“The challenge is minimizing impact to traffic and local businesses during business hours,” said Martinez. “The work is being performed at night, with detour routes and signs as needed. We are limiting closures to two miles; or to ½ mile on one-way reversing traffic control setups. One-way reversing traffic-control lane closures will not exceed five minutes for each direction. Another challenge is keeping noise to a minimum at night. Caltrans can offer hotel stays away from the site of construction for those impacted by noise.”

The length of road sections that are being repaired will depend on production rate, but will be limited to 2 mi. perclosure

“One closure is currently planned per-night in one direction,” said Martinez. “Concurrent closures will be more than five miles apart. At least one through traffic lane will remain open in each direction of travel or one lane will remain open for use by both directions of travel [wait times will not exceed more than five minutes at a time]. Cold planing and placement of new pavement sections will be scheduled to be done in one shift. Cold planing will consist of removal of existing asphalt pavement, pavement markers, pavement delineation and pavement markings.”

The road removal is between 0.15 ft. to 0.25 ft. The upgraded lanes will have a top layer of RHMA and a bottom layer of HMA, using a 0.15-ft. rubberized hot mix asphalt to reduce noise (friction between the road surface and the tires) and a 1 to 0.1 ft. regular hot mix asphalt.

There will only be an overlay at environmentally sensitive areas and no pavement removal to avoid dust particles and road material from entering the adjacent creek.

For the cold planing operations, crews are using cold planer/milling machines, sawcut machines, grinders, asphalt distributors, skid steer loaders, sweepers, asphalt pavers, backhoes, compaction rollers, striping equipment and light towers.

Prior to paving, 52 new bus pads and 200 ADA curb ramps will be constructed.

“Guardrail upgrades will be done after roadway paving,” said Martinez.

The relationship between the Caltrans and C.A. Rasmussen management teams, said Martinez, “is very collaborative.”

The number of construction workers from C.A. Rasmussen and the subcontractors, local and regional, shall increase as the operations expand.

The amounts of materials to be excavated and brought in are still being tabulated. CA materials are being recycled.

Maintaining and repairing equipment rapidly is crucial to production.

“The contractors have oilers and personnel that come by daily to refuel the equipment and lubricate any machines if needed,” said Martinez.

“This project is needed to rehabilitate the existing pavement and add another 10 years of life span,” said Dominguez. “It started at the end of March 2016 with a scoping field review and constructability review ensued in midOctober 2016. A Capital Preventive Maintenance Project Report [CAPM-PR] for Programming was approved in June 2017. The project was subsequently programmed by California Transportation Commission in 2018.”  CEG

(Photo courtesy of Caltrans.)

Valew Showcases EV Lineup From Rizon at Open House

VALEW from page 4

become imperative for businesses operations within the state. These regulations mandate that a percentage of fleet vehicles must be electric, with requirements set to increase over time. As such, the introduction of EV work trucks represents a strategic investment for businesses seeking to align with regulatory standards while reducing their carbon footprint.

One of the primary concerns voiced by customers revolves around battery life and its suitability for sustained

Ray Gaskin Service, a supplier of waste collection bodies, exhibits the zero emission waste collection vehicle. (L-R): Ron Creighton, fleet, municipal salesman of Velocity Truck Centers; Bobby Ziello, sales manager of Ray Gaskin Service; and Brandon Schutte, product support manager of Velocity Truck Centers.

use throughout the workday. Depending on the size and configuration of the truck, they are equipped with a combined two-battery configuration which gets 110 mi. to 120 mi. per charge or a three-battery configuration which gets 150 mi. to 160 mi per charge. Other innovative solutions are being implemented to address this challenge on some models, including secondary chargers installed in the truck bed, enabling on-site charging during downtime, such as when servicing equipment. This innovative approach ensures that EV work trucks remain operational throughout the workday,

New $140M Biogas Facility for SacSewer Coming to Sacramento

Ameresco Inc., a cleantech integrator specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy, recently announced it entered a nearly $140 million contract to develop and construct an advanced technology biogas cogeneration facility for the Sacramento Area Sewer District located at the EchoWater Resource Recovery Facility (EchoWater Facility) near Elk Grove, Calif.

Construction of the new facility is expected to be completed by July 2026.

This on-site renewable energy facility will beneficially utilize biogas (methane), a byproduct of the EchoWater Facility’s solids treatment process, to produce renewable electricity and heat for the EchoWater Facility through an integrated 13.4 MW cogeneration plant that will utilize fuel cell and engine technology. By incorporating the fuel cell system, the project will have exceptional efficiency and reduced pollutant emissions, making it a clean, reliable baseload dispatchable resource. Additionally, the system will allow for the expandability to produce hydrogen in the future.

“SacSewer is committed to being a leader in environmental stewardship,” said

Christoph Dobson, SacSewer’s general manager. “Through our sustainable efforts in resource recovery, we maximize the reuse of treatment process by-products such as biogas. This project is yet another example of how we’re working every day to fulfill our mission of protecting public health and the environment by collecting, treating and recovering resources from sewage.”

“We are thrilled to partner with SacSewer, supporting their efforts to optimize the use of the biogas that is generated as a byproduct of the sewage treatment process,” said Michael Bakas, executive vice president of Ameresco.

“Capturing and repurposing biogenic methane, that is already in our environment and produced by society, to displace fossil fuel is a powerful example of the circular economy in action, where waste is not discarded, but turned into a valuable asset. This voluntary act by SacSewer, backed by a material investment into this advanced renewable energy center, speaks volumes to their commitment to our environment and their surrounding community.”

For more information, visit www.ameresco.com/energy-efficiency/.

enhancing productivity and convenience for users.

The open house hosted by Velocity Truck Centers and Valew Quality Truck Bodies marks a significant milestone in the adoption of electric work trucks within the commercial sector. By showcasing the capabilities of EV technology and highlighting practical solutions to address customer concerns, this event served as a catalyst for driving forward the electrification of commercial fleets.  CEG (All photographs in this article are Copyright 2024 Construction Equipment Guide. All Rights Reserved.)

A look under the cab of a Rizon E18M reveals the neatly packaged hardware that makes this truck go.

boom. Imagine wh eleskid i e The JCB T

eleskid a try and s eleskidatryandsTe

seehowmuchmoreyouc at that does for efficiency is four machines in one an see how much more you c A C E R

1960 Highway 20 Colusa, CA 95932 (530) 458-2166

2173 Blossom Street Dos Palos, CA 93620-2313 (209) 392-2161

’t imagine it , don . Actually d the world’s only skid st can accomplish. Visit H to learn more. tolearn Bcom the . Instead, give eer with a telescopic

JCB canaccomplishVisit

N&S Tractor

600 S. State Highway 59 Merced, CA 95341-6928 (209) 383-5888

1340 W. Charter Way Stockton, CA 95206 (209) 944-5500

20280 Main St. Stratford, CA 93266 (559) 947-3301

1215 West Glenwood Ave Turlock, CA 95380-5703

(209) 634-1777

www.nstractor.com

827 North Tehama St Willows, CA 95988  (530) 934-3382

3056 Colusa Highway Yuba City, CA 95993 (530) 923-7675

SoCal JCB

14675 Valley Blvd. Fontana, CA 92335 (866) 522-7225

14480 Alondra Blvd. La Mirada, CA 90638 (866) 522-7225

www.socaljcb.com