The California Aqueduct in Hisperia, California is undergoing a major restoration and concrete is at the forefront of the design and update. The aqueduct is underground restoration and earthquake retrofits, making it stronger and more reliable in the event of the big one. Aqueducts have often been made of concrete over time, and the Roman aqueducts have proven they can stand the test of time since they’re still standing strong in many places in Italy.
The beginning of February saw commuters and neighboring residents near the Ranchero Road bridge over the California Aqueduct as concrete was poured for part of the project. The project is supposed to be completed by end of February, with an original goal of February 15th, but has been plagued by a variety of delays from weather to transit and issues with the original plans for the bridge itself.
Originally, the contractors doing this concrete project gave a date of November 5, 2014 for completion, but delays ensued. The original drawings for the bridge and aqueduct system proved to be false, so they had to make sure they had the right plans to ensure proper completion of the project. Once the contractors were agreed upon with new plans, the project started up again, allowing them to get it complete.
The biggest frustration of the delays for this project, a $560,000 project, have been the closure of portions of Ranchero Road, which is a busy route for those who live and work in the surrounding areas. Projects of all shapes and types come under delays, but sometimes they just can’t be helped. Luckily, this project is back on track and should hopefully be completed by the end of February 2015.
Concrete is an amazing building material and can be used to build, restore and repair a variety of structures and areas. Bridges, aqueducts and other roads we travel can be repaired and revitalized with concrete, as is the case with the California Aqueduct in California.