The Vasco Rd Safety Improvements Project - Phase 1 is designed to improve the safety of approximately 1 mile of Vasco Rd between the cities of Brentwood and Livermore. This stretch of twisting Vasco Rd has heavy, fast moving traffic and a history of serious injury accidents. The project consists of installing a concrete median barrier along the 1 mile project limits and widening the southbound pavement to provide a truck climbing lane, thereby eliminating the gap in the existing truck climbing lanes along Vasco Rd. To accommodate these safety improvements, 6 retaining walls, storm drains, wildlife crossings, and a bridge widening will be constructed. This project is anticipated to take 1.5 yrs (2 construction seasons) to complete, anticipated in December 2011. Check out this blog from time to time to see updates on construction progress and facts about the project.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Alameda County to begin median barrier project August 22

Alameda County has issued a notice to proceed to their contractor to begin work on August 22 on a project that includes installation of one mile of a concrete median barrier to be placed along the centerline of Vasco Road from the County line to the Los Vaqueros Reservoir entrance road in Alameda County. Contra Costa County is in contact with Alameda County to coordinate traffic control efforts to minimize the impact to the traveling public along this busy commute corridor. Teichert Construction will be the prime contractor for both the Alameda County project as well as Contra Costa County's safety improvement project to widen the road and install a center median barrier. Having one contractor on both projects will ensure good coordination between projects.

August 17 and 18 single lane controls on Vasco Rd

On August 17 and 18 Vasco Road will be under single lane controls so that the Contractor, Teichert Construction, can perform crack sealing on the existing asphalt concrete pavement. This work is needed to prolong the life of the existing pavement section and precedes an asphalt concrete overlay scheduled for later in August. Expect up to 20 minutes of delay when traveling on Vasco Road through the project area during these dates.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Project update

On the night of July 12th, traffic lanes were reset on Vasco Road so that the contractor can begin stage 3 work along the east edge of the road. This move allows the contractor to begin the construction of the new pavement widening along the east edge of the road which includes over 40 feet of pavement widening in areas. After the pavement work is complete later in the month of August, the contractor will begin work on the center concrete median barrier. Project work is nearly 80 percent complete. The project is expected to be complete by December 2011.

August 8 and 9 single lane control on Vasco Road

Vasco Road will be under single lane traffic controls on August 8 and August 9, 2011 so that the Contractor, Teichert Construction, can install hot mix ashpalt across the roadway. The traveling public should expect up to 20 minutes of delay on these dates.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Traffic Shift July 13th; Single Lane Controls July 6, 7

Teichert Construction will be shifting the traffic configuration on Vasco Road during the night of July 12th. The work to implement the Stage 3 Traffic Configuration will begin the night of July 12th and possibly carry over into the next night as necessary. The travelling public will see a new traffic configuration on the roadway on July 13th. The message boards situated along Vasco Road will notify Vasco Road traffic of the changes beginning on July 8th.

On July 6th and 7th Vasco Road will be under single lane traffic controls between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm so that project work can be completed. The message boards along Vasco Road will notify the travelling public of these traffic controls beginning on July 1.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Construction Season is Here!

Construction of the Vasco Rd Safety Improvements Project continues into the 14th month. Construction Stages 1 and 2 are now complete with the recent paving work that was installed by Teichert Construction’s paving crews on June 2 and June 3. Stage 3 work, the final work stage, officially begins later this month with the shifting of public traffic onto the new pavement along the west project edge. The shift of traffic will allow for the grading and paving work to begin along the east edge of the project. The shift will also allow for the construction of the center concrete median barrier--the project’s primary feature. The large retaining walls that line the roadway edges are nearly complete with only facing elements left to install. The storm drain and wildlife culvert crossings of Vasco Road are now complete which will reduce the need for signal lane traffic controls. The project is still on track to be completed by December 2011.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Construction Continues

Teichert Construction continues construction of the Vasco Rd Safety Improvements Project into the 2011 winter season. Stage 1 Improvements (widening of the Brushy Creek Bridge and construction of 6 retaining walls) were completed during the summer 2010. Construction of Stage 2 improvements began in early 2011, consisting of storm drain and wildlife crossing installation and architectural finishing of the retaining walls. Construction activity has been limited to the recent weather, however Teichert Construction continues to make steady progress. The architectural concrete finish (fractured fin) for portions of the southern project limit retaining walls were recently completed in late February 2011 with the remaining walls at the northern limit to be completed by June. As drier spring weather approaches, it is anticipated that significant construction progress can resume. The remaining portions of Stage 2 (grading and paving) will start in early Spring 2011 with Stage 3 improvements (consisting of median barrier and wildlife fencing installation, grading, and paving) scheduled to start in June 2011. Pending weather delays, the project is anticipated to be completed by December 2011.




Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Stage 2: Working Through Wet Weather

Teichert Construction continues to proceed with Stage 2 improvements during the recent wet weather. The majority of the construction operations consist of installing storm drain along the roadway in conjunction with wildlife crossings. The wet weather limits the ability for construction equipment to access grading areas near the retaining walls. Prolonged days of thick fog has also limited Teichert Construction's ability to implement lane closures for installation of storm drains across Vasco Rd. As spring approaches, Stage 2 roadwork will commence upon completion of storm drain operations.

In early February, Teichert Construction performed remedial slide repair work at Wall 4 North. This repair operation consisted of excavating a hillside to remove a recently discover slide plane, installing a keyway, and regrading the slope to accommodate the future lane widening.



Excavated storm drain trench at Wall 6.



Forming a storm drain inlet around the recently installed storm drains at Wall 6.



After the recent rains, a weep hole drains subsurface water collected behind Soil Nail Wall 7.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Cast In Place Facing Walls

Teichert Construction has completed portions of the Cast in Place (CIP) facing walls that will ultimately provide the architectural facing along all the retaining walls on Vasco Rd. Upon completion of the soil nail installation and shotcrete facing walls, a CIP wall is then installed to create the final wall face and grades along the future road shoulder widening. A concrete barrier will be installed at the bottom of the wall, to "mirror" the future median barrier.



Wall 2 CIP facing wall forms.



Wall 2 CIP forms and steel reinforcement.



CIP facing wall and exposed shotcrete, geocomposite drains, and soil nails at Wall 2.



"Fractured Fin" Finish at Wall 2.