A $16.5-million project to repair a tunnel linking the northbound 5 and 2 freeways, which was charred by a fuel-tanker fire in July, will start Tuesday and adhere to an "ambitious and aggressive" construction schedule, officials announced.
The tunnel sustained severe damage after the tanker truck, which was carrying 8,500 gallons of fuel, overturned July 13 and caught fire. Beyond creating a massive traffic headache, "intense heat from the fire caused extensive damage to the pavement, walls, support columns, drainage and lighting," according to the California Department of Transportation.
Scheduled repairs include removing damaged concrete from the structure’s surface, spraying concrete slurry to fill voids, and applying epoxy injections to seal cracks.
Caltrans said it expects to have work on the tunnel repairs completed in time for Christmas.
“We understand that the closure of any part of the freeway system can inconvenience motorists,” acting Caltrans District 7 Director Carrie Bowen said in a statement. “We have an ambitious and aggressive construction schedule in place to safely open this connector before Christmas.”
