According to a 2016 study by transportation analytics researcher IRNIX, congestion in Los Angeles costs the city $9.7 billion annually through fuel expenditures and wasted time. Municipalities in the area are constantly looking to ameliorate this problem—a massive rail-highway grade separation project in the City of Industry was one solution. The project sought to reduce 3.2 vehicle-hours of delay each day by lowering a major road under existing railroad tracks and adding a four-track railroad bridge. Rowland Water District (RWD), the local water district, needed to relocate their potable water and recycled water pipelines to maintain service to their various customers while the project was underway and Woodard & Curran provided the water district with a hydraulic analysis of the water systems as well as design and construction support for the affected pipelines.
HYDRAULIC ANALYSIS
Woodard & Curran conducted an initial hydraulic analysis on the potable water and recycled water systems using RWD’s existing hydraulic model to determine if existing pipelines could be severed along Fullerton Road during construction of the grade separation project. The results of this initial hydraulic analysis helped define the relocation requirements for the affected pipelines of the two systems and determined, based on system operations, to disconnect and abandon in-place segments of the pipes located near two major intersections.
DESIGN SERVICES
Woodard & Curran help RWD disconnect and abandon over 1,900 linear feet of 12-inch potable water pipeline, 350 liner feet of 8-inch recycled water pipe line and 1,000 linear feet of 24-inch diameter recycled pipeline and install 400 linear feet of 12-inch diameter potable water pipeline and approximately 400 linear feet of 8-inch diameter recycled pipeline in a new sidewalk. This re-alignment work included the verification and design of connections to water services and hydrants on the design plans.
