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111 Academy Way, Suite 150

Irvine, CA 92617

tel: 949-752-5452

Memorandum

To: Diego Alvarez, Program Director, LAX Specific Plan Amendment Study

From: Robin Ijams

Date: April 15, 2013

Subject: Construction Analysis of Lincoln Boulevard Realignment

At your request, this memorandum has been prepared to address public claims that suggest

realignment of the segment of Lincoln Boulevard from the W. Westchester Parkway grade separation

to S. Sepulveda Boulevard proposed as part of the SPAS BOAC-Selected Alternative would require a

two-year closure of Lincoln Boulevard. CDM Smith has reviewed these claims and determined that

there is no reasonable basis to believe this type project (i.e., construction of the realigned Lincoln

Boulevard associated with implementation of the SPAS Board-Selected Alternative) would require the

complete closure of the existing roadway (Lincoln Boulevard) at any time during construction, let

alone for an extended period.

As indicated in the SPAS Final EIR, this realignment of Lincoln Boulevard is conceptual in nature, and

considered at only a programmatic level of analysis in the EIR. Consequently, no construction phasingplans for the subject improvement have been prepared, as such plans would be more appropriately

developed in conjunction with more detailed future planning and design of that project. (See SPAS

Final EIR, Topical Response TR-SPAS-LR-1 Lincoln Boulevard Realignment.) CDM Smiths research

regarding the aforementioned claims included consideration of factors that could influence the

construction phasing approach for a typical road realignment project, such as the site setting and the

basic nature and characteristics of the realignment concept, particularly as related to whether a

lengthy period of roadway closure (i.e., existing Lincoln Boulevard) would be warranted. CDM Smiths

evaluation was accomplished by identifying the basic phases of a typical roadway realignment

program such as that conceptually proposed for Lincoln Boulevard, based on expert opinion and

professional experience on other projects of a similar nature. Specifically, the review was conducted

by Mr. Mark Orton, PE, PTOE, who has 37 years of experience in highway design, encompassing

hundreds of projects with a total value in excess of $400 million, in coordination with Mr. Patrick

Tomcheck, LAWAs Senior Transportation Engineer.

In light of the site setting and basic characteristics of this conceptual improvement, no long-term

closure of Lincoln Boulevard is anticipated to be required in order to complete the realignment of

Lincoln Boulevard. The boundaries of the project site are in an undeveloped area that is owned and

controlled by LAWA. The majority of the realigned segment of Lincoln Boulevard would be located

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Diego Alvarez

April 15, 2013

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several hundred feet away from the existing alignment. There are no land uses on either side of the

planned alignment, with the exception of a radar facility that would be relocated as part of the

project, and there are relatively few roadways that connect with the affected segment of Lincoln

Boulevard and those that do connect have, for the most part, light traffic volumes.

There are many possible construction phasing scenarios available for implementation of the Lincoln

Boulevard realignment. One viable construction scenario would follow the standard roadway

engineering practice to construct the new segment of a roadway while the existing roadway remains

in operation, and then to tie the new roadway into the existing lanes (i.e., construct the new segment

separate from the existing road and then connect the end points of the new roadway to existing

roadway).

Under this scenario, there could be minor interruptions to traffic on the existing roadway during

construction of the main portion of the realigned roadway for transporting equipment and materials

to the work site; however, no closures are anticipated during this phase. After the new roadway

segment has been constructed, it would be connected to the existing portions of the roadway. As is

often the case for such road projects, this tie-in phase would involve temporary closure of some of the

travel lanes, but would not require the complete closure of the existing roadway. Furthermore, in the

case of the SPAS project, Mitigation Measure ST-19 would require any such lane closures to occur

during short periods at night and roadways would remain open until they are no longer needed for

regular traffic, unless a detour route is available.

In summary, even though construction plans and a construction phasing program for the realignment

of Lincoln Boulevard have not yet been prepared, the site setting and basic nature and characteristics

of the conceptual realignment indicate, based on professional practice, that the majority of the

realigned roadway could be constructed separate from, and without interference to, traffic on existing

Lincoln Boulevard. There is no reasonable basis to believe that construction of the realigned Lincoln

Boulevard associated with implementation of the SPAS Board-Selected Alternative would require the

complete closure of Lincoln Boulevard at any time during construction, let alone for an extended

period. Partial lane closures would be required to connect the new roadway with the existing lanes at

the north and south endpoints, but northbound and southbound travel would continue to be

provided on Lincoln Boulevard during this phase.

cc: Cynthia Guidry, LAWA

Pat Tomcheck, LAWA