What’s That Big Pile of Dirt Doing Near the Freeway?

Have you noticed the mammoth piles of dirt near the 7th Street Bridge on the I-405 and also next to the I-405/SR-22 connector lately? Wondering why there’s hardly any work going on? Although we’re anxious for construction to finish, there’s a reason why nothing is happening out there. 

The piles of dirt will eventually become the building blocks for bridges and retaining walls, but for right now they need to just hang out – what’s called a “settlement period” in construction speak.  

Here’s the what, why and when of settling:

Settlement periods are required to compact soil levels and help offset any potential settlement of the bridge abutments and retaining walls once these structures are constructed. 

Construction crews place a surcharge (stockpile of dirt above the anticipated location of the structures) for various periods of time prior to excavation and placement of foundations. During this time, there is generally limited activity in these areas within a certain radius of the structure. Once the settlement periods are over, crews will resume heavy activity and structure can be completed.

On the east segment of the West County Connectors project, the southbound I-405 / eastbound SR-22 connector is in the middle of a 185-day settlement period. Other structures on the east segment have settlement periods ranging anywhere from 45 days for the reconstruction of the east portion of the Valley View Street bridge to one year for the new SR-22 / I-405 carpool connector.

On the west segment of the project, the 7th Street connector settlement period is 84 days for the abutments and retaining walls. Work is expected to resume on the 7th Street bridge in mid to late September.

So next time you’re driving on the freeway and you notice the mountains of dirt sitting idle, rest assured that time isn’t being wasted. Sometimes settling is a good thing.

In other news:

The northbound lanes of Valley View Street will be closed between Garden Grove Boulevard and the westbound SR-22 Valley View Street off-ramp from 11 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21 until 5 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 22.

The lanes are being closed so construction crews can pour concrete for the new Valley View Street bridge. To get around the closure, northbound Valley View Street traffic will be directed to turn right on Garden Grove Boulevard, proceed east and turn left on Goldenwest Street / Knott Street, turn left on Lampson Avenue to access Valley View Street.

For more on WCC construction, please visit: www.octa.net/westcounty. Or, feel free to like us on Facebook at “WCC Project Info” for updates.

Drive safely!