As one might surmise from such a monumental project, and as Contractor Rick Disney will attest, it was no walk in the park.
In fact, it was a carefully measured operation 150 feet above Shamrock Ranch in Pacifica; one that took Disney Construction workers roughly 500 working days to accomplish.
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Biologists were on-site at all times overseeing construction to ensure the safety of California red-legged frogs and peregrine falcon, species of particular interest to the state. Due to the ecological sensitivity of the area, Disney said his crew had to build as if over a lake, unable to touch the surface below.
Builders worked from both ends, casting 16-foot segments one at a time under crane-support, until the two sides met in the middle, “like arms growing out of a body,” Disney said. As a result, crewmembers were constantly reanalyzing the “geometry control” and survey, sometimes on a daily basis.
“It was all calculated and worked out, but things don’t always go according to the theoretical projections,” Disney said. “There’s not a straight line on the bridge, everything has a curve to it. It was not a straightforward piece of work. It required a lot of skilled carpenters, and things took a lot longer than you’d think.”
The bridges — there are actually two, northbound and southbound separated by a divider — are approximately 900 feet long, cast of concrete.
“It’s a beautiful bridge,” Disney said. “We have people who’ve been working on bridges for 25, 30 years and they said it was the most incredible thing they’d ever seen. I have kids and it’s something my grandkids will drive across. It’s been a very rewarding experience. It’s something to stand back and look at and feel good about.”
During the event, the bridges will be open to community members for a walk-through. Speakers are also poised on the morning’s agenda, including prominent state and national dignitaries like U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier and state Sen. Leland Yee. Disney said he might give a speech as well.
Caltrans personnel are asking public participants to congregate in the parking lot located at Linda Mar Blvd and Highway 1 in Pacifica. Buses will shuttle people to the bridges for the ceremony, which is expected to last approximately two hours, according to Benjamin DeLanty, Caltrans spokesman.
“We’ll have materials to provide a little more perspective on the project,” he said. “The way the construction has been scheduled is (that Disney’s crew has) completed (the bridges) and now offers the tunnel contractor the necessary access to build tunnel canopies. They have particular tasks and they’re now able to use the bridge to get to that site.”
Aside from the public event, DeLanty said the bridges will be closed to all traffic, including bicyclists and pedestrians, until the whole tunnel project has been finalized.
The entire Devil’s Slide project is slated for completion in 2010. r
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