The project widened the Newhall Ranch Road bridge over San Francisquito Creek by approximately 70.6 feet to improve vehicle, pedestrian, and bicyclist capacity and safety. The expansion provided eight through lanes (four lanes in each direction) on Newhall Ranch Road between Avenue Tibbitts/Dickason Drive and McBean Parkway. Safety enhancements included constructing a raised median, a barrier-protected raised sidewalk on the north side of the bridge, a barrier-protected sidewalk, and a 16-foot Class I bike trail and sidewalk on the south side of the bridge. The trail improvements include connecting the west side of the San Francisquito Creek Trail (SFCT) under the Newhall Ranch Road Bridge and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant slope modifications to two existing trail access ramps. Funding for the bridge widening was made possible by the City of Santa Clarita, the County of Los Angeles, the Federal Highway Administration, and Caltrans.
Twining provided quality assurance materials testing and inspection services along with geotechnical support per the 2015 edition of Caltrans Construction Manual for bridge and retaining walls, the Public Works Construction Green Book for all other work, and the City’s QAP. The City has utilized our certified Caltrans Accepted Testing laboratory and assigned personnel for all materials testing.
The firm’s inspection scope included geotechnical construction inspection of the roadway subgrade, retaining walls, structural backfills, and special inspection of welding, structural steel fabrication, and structural steel erection, including high-strength bolting. Twining also oversaw project source inspection and material verification.