Image via The Source

The Source reports that the construction of the Gold Line basket bridge (which will cross the 210 between Baldwin and Santa Anita Avenues in Arcadia) will now be causing five-year-olds in passing cars to hyperventilate with excitement–construction equipment, including drill rigs and cranes, have shown up by the south side of the freeway to start digging several huge foundation holes. Earlier this summer we were promised a 350 ton crane and a drilling rig called Big Stan, so this should be good.

According to an email from Foothill Extension Construction Authority CEO Habib Balian, quoted by the Source, the cranes will dig “three 110 foot deep, 11 foot in diameter foundations to be drilled over the next four weeks.” Balian also explains the timeline for the drilling: “each foundation will take approximately six days to drill and cast. We anticipate drilling the first foundation next week, followed by the installation of the reinforcing steel cage, concrete placement and testing the following week.” The schedule is dependent on final approval from Caltrans, which Balian expects this week. The freeway will be closed at night for some of the work.

The authority is certainly going big on its first try–the bridge is a design-build project under the direction of Skanska USA, and the first component of the Gold Line extension to finalize design and begin construction. Back in July, Curbed posted a video with all the renderings and animations everyone loves so much.

· Gold Line Foothill Extension construction update [The Source]
· How to Build a Gold Line Extension Basket Bridge [Curbed LA]