The following article appeared in the Pasadena Star-News website on Friday March 23, 2012.

Gold Line bridge completes major phase of construction

ARCADIA – The Gold Line Construction Authority announced Friday the completion of a major phase of work for the I-210 Gold Line Bridge, likely bringing an end to consecutive, full-lane closures of the eastbound I-210 Freeway until the summer.

Construction of the temporary falsework structure – which crosses the eastbound lanes of the I-210 Freeway and was installed over the last several months – required more than 20 full closures of the eastbound freeway.

Construction Authority officials do not anticipate another full-lane closure on the eastbound I-210 Freeway until May, while consecutive full-lane closures are not expected again until late summer, said Lisa Levy Buch, spokeswoman for the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority.

The 584-foot-long falsework consists of nearly 50 beams that are 90 to 100 feet long and hundreds of smaller beams. It will help support over 5,000 tons of concrete that will form part of the bridge’s superstructure during an 18-hour period in May, a statement said.