SAK Construction of O’Fallon, Mo., teamed with joint venture partner W.A. Rasic Construction Co. Inc. of Long Beach, Calif., to advance the River Supply Conduit Improvement Upper Reach (RSCIUR) project, units five and six, in North Hollywood, Calif.
SAK and W.A. Rasic began working on the $91.5 million project for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) in spring 2015. Completion is scheduled for early 2018.
The assignment requires the contractors to apply open-trench and tunneling strategies to install 15,768 linear ft of 78-in. diameter, welded steel pipe and appurtenances. The open trench approach is to be applied to 5,411 linear ft; tunneling to 10,357 ft.
Originally built in the 1940s using concrete pipe, the 30,000-linear-ft RSC is a major conduit for the transmission of water from LADWP’s North Hollywood Pump Station to the Headworks Spreading Ground in central Los Angeles. After more than 70 years of service, the concrete pipe is showing wear.
The new infrastructure will boost capacity and help the district meet updated statem standards for water pressure, enhance system reliability, minimize air entrainment to improve water flow and widen operational flexibility within the distribution system. It will also help LADWP meet new, tougher federal and state water quality regulations by setting the stage for the city’s conversion to chloramines to disinfect drinking water.
“After a hiatus of several years, the SAK tunnel management team is thrilled to return to the West Coast to take on this technically challenging tunnel project,” said Brent Duncan, senior project manager at SAK Construction. “Excavating five separate tunnels in the middle of busy North Hollywood streets has required the project management team to solve problems with creative, unconventional methods to ensure successful completion. Our highly experienced SAK team is well suited to tackle the demands presented by this project. We look forward to a successful completion in 2017.”
