Photo courtesy Aldridge Electric

Caltrans 405/105 Tunnel Lighting Upgrade

Los Angeles

BEST PROJECT, HIGHWAY/BRIDGE, and Award of Merit, Safety

Submitted by: Aldridge Electric

Owner | Lead Design Firm: California Dept. of Transportation

Prime Contractor: Aldridge Electric

Partnering: GLA Partnering

Subcontractors: Maneri Traffic Control Inc.; Her-Con Construction Services Inc.; Cor Ray Painting Co.

While relighting tunnels at the I-405/I-105 interchange, exposure to traffic proved to be the most dangerous variable. Aldridge Electric was relighting three tunnels at the junction of two highways carrying more than 250,000 vehicles a day, and the crews worked inside them under overnight closures. Breaches were frequent enough that the team tracked them through daily task analysis. California Highway Patrol was brought in to manage the closures directly. An attenuator went in to block the tunnel entrance outright rather than mark it.…