In an effort to expedite the construction of a new $448-million sports-and-entertainment arena in downtown Sacramento, the California Legislature late last week overwhelmingly passed a bill to prevent potential litigation over environmental concerns. Image courtesy of City of Sacramento The arena is intended to boost redevelopment of Sacramento's blighted downtown. Image courtesy of City of Sacramento/AECOM AECOM produced this early concept drawing of the arena prior to the firm's selection as architect. Related Links: PLA Deal for New York's Tappan Zee Bridge Construction 49ers Use 'Integrated Bridging Design-Build' To Speed Stadium Construction The bill's passage came on the heels of
The opening date for the San Francisco-Oakland East Bay Bridge has been moved back to the original date of Tuesday, Sept. 3. The bridge opening had been postponed until December to allow time for contractor American Bridge/Fluor Joint Venture to install permanent saddle braces to replace the clamping force lost when corroded steel bolts broke during tensioning in March. Photos courtesy Caltrans As the temporary shims are put in place to allow the bridge to open on time (above), work continues on the permanent saddle fix (below). Related Links: View a Brief Video of a Worker Installing a Temporary Shim
Image Courtesy of Caltrans Steel shims inserted between bearings will dissipate earthquake energy. Related Links: San Francisco Bay Bridge Opening Delayed Until Broken Rods Are Fixed in December View a Brief Video of a Worker Installing a Temporary Shim The opening date for the San Francisco-Oakland East Bay Bridge has been moved back to the original date of Tuesday, Sept. 3. The bridge opening had been postponed until December to allow time for contractor American Bridge/Fluor Joint Venture to install permanent saddle braces to replace the clamping force lost when corroded steel bolts broke during tensioning in March.Shortly after announcing
Photo courtesy of David Seibold Injury to onlooker may trigger new efforts to discourage live viewing at demo site. Related Links: A History of Explosive Demolition Man's Leg Amputated After Plant Implosion I n 1997, a 13-year-old girl and her family stopped to watch an explosive demolition of an abandoned hospital in Australia. She was killed by flying debris. "Almost overnight, implosions worldwide ceased being actively promoted as spectator events," wrote Brent L. Blanchard, operations manager for consultant Protec Documentation Services, Rancocas Woods, N.J., in his history of the demolition technique.Now there is a sad new chapter. California officials are
In 1997, a 13-year-old girl and her family stopped to watch an explosive demolition of an abandoned hospital in Australia. She was killed by flying debris. "Almost overnight, implosions worldwide ceased being actively promoted as spectator events," wrote Brent L. Blanchard, operations manager for consultant Protec Documentation Services, Rancocas Woods, N.J., in his history of the demolition technique. Photo courtesy of David Seibold Injury to onlooker may trigger new efforts to discourage live viewing at demo site. Related Links: A History of Explosive Demolition Bakersfield Power Plant Implosion Gone Wrong Results in Serious Injuries Now there is a sad new
While demolishing the five-story former Chinese Hospital in San Francisco, senior project superintendent Jerry McKinley snapped this photo when he noticed that the cruncher on his crew's excavator—which chews through concrete—mimicked the shape of the iconic Transamerica Pyramid in the background. "I've been working in downtown San Francisco for 30 years, so I love all the landmarks and I tried to get that in the back of the picture," McKinley says. Photographer: Jerry McKinley Submitted By: DPR Construction, Redwood City Related Links: Upload Your Own Project Photos to ENR California's Project Photo Gallery ENR California Photos Page At ENR California
Tamara Clarke has joined HOK's San Francisco office as senior project manager. Clarke has 25 years of experience in justice-sector projects, most recently as DLR Group justice and civic principal in Phoenix. Related Links: Upload New Hires & Promotions to ENR California's People Gallery Read Other Recent Updates About Construction Professionals Beverly Prior PRIORwas appointed president of Los Angeles-based HMC Architects, where she will lead the expansion, strategy and development of the 330-person firm. Prior has more than 30 years of industry experience. She was president of Beverly Prior Architects for 25 years until 2011, when the firm merged with
California's top contractors experienced a robust 2012 and anticipate an even stronger 2013, according to an annual survey conducted by McGraw Hill Research & Analytics and ENR California.
Aimed at preventing rail disasters like the one that killed 79 people in Spain last month, Los Angeles commuter-rail operator Metrolink is installing a sophisticated control system along its 512 miles of track. Image Courtesy of Parsons Installation of positive train control technology on Metrolink trains will help prevent collisions and over-speed accidents. Related Links: American Companies Adopt Swiss Hardware for Railroad Surveying FRA Issues High-Speed Rail Guidelines The $210.9-million project involves a network of software, signal network updates and communications towers—known as positive train control (PTC)—that will interoperate with similar systems overlayed onto freight-railroad networks operated by United Pacific,
Image Courtesy of Metrolink Installation of positive train control technology on Metrolink trains will help prevent collisions and over-speed accidents. Related Links: American Companies Adopt Swiss Hardware for Railroad Surveying FRA Issues High-Speed Rail Guidelines Aimed at preventing rail disasters like the one that killed 79 people in Spain last month, Los Angeles commuter-rail operator Metrolink is installing a sophisticated control system along its 512 miles of track.The $210.9-million project involves a network of software, signal network updates and communications towers—known as positive train control (PTC)—that will interoperate with similar systems overlayed onto freight-railroad networks operated by United Pacific, Burlington
