Reyes Adobe bridge studied

Now that the Kanan Road freeway interchange has been improved, Agoura Hills officials are turning their attention to the welltraveled and often crowded Reyes Adobe interchange.

The city announced that Parsons Transportation Group Inc., a global management, engineering and construction firm from Irvine, will provide management services during the construction of the Reyes Adobe project.

The Agoura Hills City Council and Parsons agreed to a $950,000 contract. Two other firms submitted substantially lower bids- $568,000 and $640,000- but, according to Agoura Hills Assistant City Manager Nathan Hamburger, their proposals did not include work to be performed during nighttime hours.

"A majority of the bridge expansion work will need to be completed during the nighttime as this work is not allowed to occur above live traffic," Hamburger said.

Hamburger told council members that Parsons worked on the Kanan Interchange and did a "phenomenal" job.

Parsons will perform a variety of duties, including preconstruction plans and helping the city comply with state and federal regulations. The company will also oversee compliance with Caltrans and utility company permits.

The $10-million interchange project will expand the bridge from three lanes to six lanes and improve traffic flow, city officials say. Other improvements include the addition of bike lanes and sidewalks.

The Reyes Adobe Bridge was built in 1965. In 1974, the freeway was widened from a four-lane highway to an eight-lane freeway, which resulted in a reconfiguration of the on- and off-ramps at Reyes Adobe Road. The configuration resulted in tight traffic lanes, according to a history of the bridge on the city's website.

The design phase of the project is on schedule to be completed at the end of summer. By early fall the work will be put out to bid.

Construction on the bridge is expected to start at the beginning of 2008.