Pile driving is scheduled to begin in late October for the new portion of the Avenida Pico bridge on the southbound side of Interstate 5 (I-5) in San Clemente.
Reconstruction of the Avenida Pico interchange is part of the $230 million I-5 South County Improvement Project, which also extends the carpool lane from San Juan Creek Road in San Juan Capistrano to Avenida Pico in San Clemente.
Before pile driving can begin, crews have to excavate the massive piles of dirt where the new portion of the bridge is being built. The dirt, known as surcharge, ensures the ground beneath it is completely compacted and will fully support the new bridge.
Crews also will install temporary shoring adjacent to southbound lanes to support the existing freeway while the bridge is being built.
Meanwhile, work continues on other segments of the project.
Over the next several months, crews will be reconstructing the sound walls along the southbound I-5 freeway, between Camino de Estrella and the bridge over Avenida Vaquero. Further north, near the PCH connector to I-5, efforts continue to widen three bridges and finish several retaining walls.
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