With the concrete being poured on the eastbound portion of the SR-126 and Commerce Center Drive Interchange bridge Monday in Castaic, the project is nearing completion.

Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking Santa Clarita news alerts delivered right to your inbox. “The bridge is being constructed in two different stages. We did the westbound first and are going to do the eastbound side today,” said Roy Fisher, Construction Manager for the Los Angeles County Department to Public Works. “The first stage is already completed so they are (working on) the second stage — a bridge is done in two halves. The bottom part is done first and then about a month later they pour the deck, pouring the girders and the bottom slab. We started at 7 a.m. and going to go all day, pouring about 500 cubic yards.” 

About 50 cement trucks were used Monday for the pouring of the 500 cubic yards.

“We have quite a few workers, placing concrete, vibrating concrete, people with rakes and shovels to move it around, supervisors watching,” Fisher said.

The project began August 19, 2013 and is expected to be completed summer 2016, he said.

“The main goal of constructing the bridge is that the SR-126 is intersecting with Commerce Center Drive at grade,” Fisher said. “The freeway will go over Commerce Center drive.” 

The construction of the new Henry Mayo Drive is being worked on simultaneously with the SR-126 and Commerce Center Drive Interchange bridge. 

“We started putting down base a road. There are several components to it. Most people just drive on the final layer which in this case would just be asphalt,” Fisher said. “We have different layers — an aggregate base that is compacted. Today, we are putting down more aggregate base. Last week, we poured curb and gutters. We are now pouring depressions for the storm drain.”

Here are the stages of the construction, according to the L.A. County Public Works website:

• Stage 1: Summer 2013 to Summer 2015
• Utility relocations, construction of soil cement wall, sound walls, and bridge work.
• Stage 2: Fall 2015
• Bridge work, open Travel Village Driveway with signal, open new Henry Mayo Drive.
• Stage 3: Winter 2015
• Widening of State Route 126, construction of ramps, and installation of traffic signals.
• Stage 4: Spring 2016
• Construction on north side of State Route 126 and Commerce Center Drive.
• Stage 5: Summer 2016
• Complete construction on State Route 126, installation of overhead signs, electrical work.
• Stage 6: Summer 2016
• Final paving and striping

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an additional $450,000 for the project Tuesday.

The original contract amount was $35,387,229.10.

A change in work was previously approved by a “delegated authority” to add $1,315,834.07 to the budget, officials said. Another $228,788 was approved by the Board of Supervisors.

The request adds funds for roadway excavation to the already $37,381,851.17 contract, according to the agenda. The change in work will compensate the contractor. No additional working days are expected to be required.

Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.