To alleviate congestion along this route, lanes are being widened and a 10-mile, high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane is being added, along with support infrastructure, such as ramps, bridges, and sound walls.

Challenge: Serving as the lead retaining wall and roadway geotechnical engineer, Kleinfelder had to meet the client’s demands and conform to a compressed schedule and leverage company resources to meet the challenging construction deadlines and issues on this high-profile project.

Solution: Kleinfelder was able to immediately mobilize 30 professionals from 12 different offices. We planned and conducted a geologic mapping, geophysical and subsurface investigation, and laboratory testing program, to supplement data provided in the bid documents. The exploration program addressed conditions at the sites of retaining walls, proposed cut slopes, and utility conflict areas. Engineered solutions were developed for areas that have been impacted by landslides, for protection of utilities, and for successfully founding needed structures.

Project Results: The majority of the components of the project were optimized for lowest cost and ease of construction, and fast-tracked to meet an aggressive completion schedule, avoiding potential costly delays. Moreover, by optimizing earthwork and retaining wall design, we were able to significantly reduce construction costs.