Caltrans moves up MacArthur Maze I-880 connector repair completion estimate to next Wednesday

I- 580 ramp will be repaired in approximately 50 days

Caltrans announced today the damaged section of the I-880 MacArthur Maze interstate connector will be repaired as early as next Wednesday. The Interstate Highway 580 ramp will be repaired in approximately 50 days.
Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

By Caitlin Cassady

May 4, 2007

Bay Area drivers can expect to be using the Interstate Highway 880 ramp that was damaged in Sunday's tanker truck accident as early as next Wednesday, Caltrans spokesman Bob Haus said this morning.

The damaged section of I-880 is expected to be open for traffic in five to eight days, Haus said. The highway sustained damage, but the section is still structurally sound, so Caltrans will not need to replace any steel on that part of the road.

"Right now we are concentrating on false work, which is temporary external supports that we will attach to the freeway,'' Haus said.

Caltrans crews will attach long steel columns to the highway to brace the road deck, so that crews can attach jacks and lift the freeway 9 inches. By lifting the section of road workers will be able to straighten the steel that was warped during the accident.

Crews will be repaving the road deck that was damaged by the fire at the same time as other crews are straightening the steel beams, according to Haus.

The Interstate Highway 580 ramp will be repaired in approximately 50 days, Haus said.

Around nine contractors will submit bids for the repair job and the contract will be awarded the afternoon of May 7.

The contract will contain both incentives and disincentives, Haus said. The repairs should be done by June 29, and for every day before that date the repairs are finished, the contractor will receive $200,000. However, for every day after June 29 that the highway is not completed, the contractor will owe $200,000, Haus said.

The interchanges from eastbound Interstate Highway 80 to eastbound Interstate Highway 580 and from westbound Interstate Highway 80 to southbound Interstate Highway 880, were damaged after a tanker truck crashed and exploded early Sunday morning, which caused the collapse of the freeways, according to Caltrans.

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