CalContractor Concrete Construction Issue 2014

REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS & PROGRAMMING

Get ready for

big-time uptime

Wouldn’t it be great if your dealer could remotely read codes and even fix a problem from miles away while the machine is at work?

Yes, it would, and is.

Welcome to the brave new world of remote diagnostics and programming.

Let’s take a look at what remote diagnostics and programming can do.

Your dealer’s remote diagnostics and programming software boasts what IT types call “three modes of functionality,” namely:

1 2 3

Remote diagnostic trouble-code mode.

Your dealer can now retrieve codes from IT4 machines and above on a regular basis, keeping watch over engine, exhaust, hydraulics, transmission, joysticks — you name it. This state-of-the-art diagnostic tool can also remotely interact with some Tier 3 equipment.

Remote recording mode.

To cite just one example of many, let’s say something is malfunctioning only at 1,100 rpm. Your dealer can monitor machine data while the machine is within a certain rpm range.

Remote programming mode.

Now, for the first time, a dealer tech can update software from anywhere while the machine is on the jobsite.

This system works hard to overcome potential downtime. In this case an operator is replacing software on a 744K to repair a sealed-switch module. Even though the dealer was 90 miles away, the repair was made and the machine was parked only 15 minutes. In the “old days” this repair could have had the loader off the job for the better part of a day.

Let’s see how remote diagnostics and programming saves you time and money.

• With remote repairs and diagnostics while the machine is working, uptime will soar. A nominal charge to connect to the machine could eliminate the need for a technician responding to your jobsite.

• Dealer technicians will know what action needs to be done before they even leave the shop — reducing the number of hours the technician spends working on the machine.

• If a part is needed, the technician can arrive to the site with the replacement part in hand — saving extra cost-incurring trips back to the dealership.

• If a repair is made, the dealer can monitor the affected system to help ensure the problem — and downtime — doesn’t reoccur.

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Concrete Equipment Issue

Features 08 GRIFFITH COMPANY’S Concrete Division Puts Finishing Touches on Wilshire Bus Rapid Transit Project

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14 SULLY-MILLER CONTRACTING CO. Shines on Hollywood Walk of Fame Restoration

20 HERITAGE CUSTOM LANDSCAPES, INC. Building Custom Landscapes with an Emphasis on Advanced Technology Water Conservation Practices

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CalContractor Magazine / www.calcontractor.com PUBLISHER: Kerry Hoover (909) 772-3121 khoover@calcontractor.com

26 Industry News 30 Advertiser Index 4

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CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Brian Hoover

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Aldo Myftari FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION PLEASE CALL: Call Kerry Hoover (909) 772-3121

CalContractor is published twelve times each year by Construction Marketing Services, LLC. P.O. Box 892977, Temecula, CA 92589 - Phone: 909-772-3121 - Fax: 951-225-9659 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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Griffith Company‘s Concrete Division Puts Finishing Touches on Wilshire Bus Rapid Transit Project Written By: Brian Hoover

F

rom the Central Valley to the Los Angeles Basin to Orange County and San Diego, Griffith Company has left a lasting mark across Southern California. They were there when some of the first city streets were graded. They were there when the mighty Colorado River was tapped and took part in paving some of the very first highways, roads and runways in California. They have in fact been on the California construction scene for more than a century, building impressive flood control and water management structures and other infrastructure that has supported our local communities for so many years. Over these years, they have contracted with virtually every department in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Kern and San Diego.

Griffith Company operates from several district offices in Southern California with several separate and unique divisions and specialty crews, each

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dedicated to a specific niche.

These include the Southern Region, Central Region and Eastern Region, which are broken up into the following divisions: concrete, masonry, structures, landscape, underground (sewer, water & storm drain), Petroleum and Crushing division.

Mac Tarrosa joined Griffith Company in 2000 as a Project Engineer for the LA District and later transitioned into the role of Estimator/Project Manager. Tarrosa quickly developed a reputation with owners and subcontractors alike for his professionalism and integrity and in 2005, he was asked to join Griffith Company’s Concrete Division to help expand its operations. He now serves as the Concrete Division Manager and comments, “Our Concrete Division started out 15 years ago doing driveways and curb and gutter work. We transitioned into Caltrans work with PCC paving, rapid set concrete panel replacement

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and eventually into stamped concrete, acid wash finish, hand-seeded aggregate finish, decorative flatwork and are now looking into a new precast panel construction system for Caltrans,” says Tarrosa. “Each division acts as an independent company and in essence, we are an internal sub contractor to Griffith. Around half of our workload is internal, with the other half focused toward other general contractors, agencies and private entities.”

Around 65 percent of the Griffith Company Concrete Division’s work is in the public works arena, while the remainder is with private projects. Chach Medina is a General Superintendent for Griffith Company and he has been with the company since 1979. “I have been fortunate to have had a front row seat to watch this wonderful company grow into what it is today,” says Medina. “Griffith Company always self performed concrete throughout Southern California, it wasn’t until 2000 when now www.calcontractor.com

Right: Griffith Company is currently constructing a new dedicated bus lane along a 3.6-mile segment of Wilshire Boulevard.

Senior Estimator, Pete Jezowski, started to move into servicing external clients as a sub and therefore growing the Division to what it is now. By 2007 we were doing more than 100 concrete jobs per. Things obviously slowed down, but we are once again performing at this level. We have the best in the industry working here at Griffith. From foremen and masons to engineers, we have what it takes to stay at the top of our game.�

Wilshire Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project Griffith Company has received many awards and honors over the years for their outstanding work and they are often complimented for their professionalism and unique efficiencies. An example of this type of work can be found on Wilshire Boulevard, where Griffith Company is currently constructing a new dedicated bus lane along a 3.6-mile segment of Wilshire Boulevard www.calcontractor.com

from Western Avenue to San Vicente Boulevard. The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project required Griffith Company to remove the existing curb and gutter, as well as the asphalt lane located closest to the curb in order to make room for a new 21 inch tall curb and a 13 inch deep concrete pavement monolithically poured section protruding 12 feet from curbside. The grading and paving division will later go in and remove the other two lanes in each direction and replace it with a new hot mix asphalt section.

The Wilshire Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a $11-million project that by jobs end will add 7.7 miles of peak hour bus lanes to portions of Wilshire Boulevard between Valencia Street (west of downtown Los Angeles) to Centinela Avenue in Santa Monica. There are approximately 53,000 daily bus boardings on the current BRT system with 44 percent of these occurring during rush hours. It is hoped

that the new Wilshire Boulevard BRT lanes will reduce this traffic by 24 percent. It is also hoped that the new BRT lanes will encourage a shift from the use of personal cars to public transit.

The first 1.8 miles of the bus-only lanes opened June 4, 2013 between South Park View St. and Western Avenue. The Western Avenue to Highland Avenue segment opened in May 2014 and now Griffith Company is putting the finishing touches on the Western Avenue to San Vicente Boulevard section, which should be open by early 2015.

The main emphasis of this entire project has been to convert the existing curb lanes on Wilshire Boulevard to peak period bus lanes in each direction, in addition to removing and reconstructing the middle four lanes with new asphalt pavement.

Other improvements include constructing new curb and gutter, restriping of the traffic lanes and upgrading the existing transit signal system.

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In January 2014, Griffith Company began construction on the Western to San Vicente segment and will have their concrete portion finished in October 2014. Tony Naranjo is a Senior Estimator and Project Manager for the Concrete Division and he has been an intregral part of this project. “We broke the pours down to approximately 700 foot long sections or a little more than three blocks at a time. In order to minimize the impact on local businesses and residents, we would move our work segments across the 3.6-mile job area from the East to the West and then to the middle and rotating sections in between these points,” says Naranjo. “We would also close only up to two intersections at a time, utilizing 5,000 and 6,000 PSI High Early mixes in order to open these intersections as soon as possible.”

According to Naranjo, 16,100 cubic yards of PCC pavement was used to pour the 13-inch thick road sections and 26,000 lineal feet of curb line. Then there is the intersection cross walks, where they poured concrete bands and some sub slabs and in between the concrete bands they placed pavers. More than 350,000 sq. ft. of concrete pavement was utilized on the approximately $3 million concrete segment of this project.

Challenges included the constant vigil of looking out for the safety of the public and the workers alike. There were also other jobs going on at the same time as this job, including a high-rise project that also required a great deal of concrete. Fortunately, both companies were utilizing the services of Cemex, and according to Tarrosa, Cemex did an excellent job of making sure that the deliveries did not get mixed up. There were also a few construction challenges, including the paving process itself. “If we were simply doing a straight PCC pave without a curb involved, this job would have been much simpler,” says Tarrosa. “However, I must say that our crews did a terrific job of maintaining the grade and proper flow throughout this entire project.”

Right: The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project required Griffith Company to remove the existing curb and gutter, as well as the asphalt lane located closest to the curb in order to make room for a new 21 inch tall curb and a 13 inch deep concrete pavement monolithically poured section protruding 12 feet from curbside.

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General Superintendent Chach Medina and Superintendent Larry Medina were present most all of the time on this project and they point out that it is the outstanding and talented Griffith Company crew that made it all go so smoothly from start to finish. “We all worked together, implementing precise planning so that we could begin pouring at 9 a.m. and have everything finished and secured by 3 p.m.” says Medina. “We utilized multiple demo and removal crews and had a concrete crew of more than 20 workers on the project on any given day.”

Recognizing those that worked so hard to make this project a success is important to Chach Medina and Concrete Division Manager, Mac Tarrosa.

They would like to thank Tony Naranjo, Concrete Division

Senior Estimator/Project Manager; Nick Honnold, Concrete Division Project Manager; Larry Medina, Superintendent; Joe Martinez, Lead Project Foreman; Joe Torrez, Sammy Clemente, Gilbert Salgado, Carlos Macias and Mike Guerrero, Foremen; Southern Region Lead Project Manager, Rodrigo Ochoa; Project Engineer Linda Hynds; General Lead Superintendent, Joe Tuttle and a long list of operators and laborers that worked so very hard each and every day.

Mac Tarrosa would also like to recognize the grading and paving division, whose $10.6 million portion included the installation of 19,693 tons of hot mix asphalt on the middle four traffic lanes. “I, of course, focus on our concrete division, but we often are

afforded the privilege of working with our other divisions, and the result is always positive.” says Tarrosa.

“There were however several challenges on this project, including the logistics of working with more than 20 separate agencies. Most of our issues were resolved at the field management level and never needed to cross my desk, and that’s huge.”

Berth 142/143 Backland Improvement Project Griffith Company served as the prime contractor on this more than $105 million project. The concrete portion came in at $9.1 million and Concrete Division Estimator, Tony Naranjo comments, “We utilized 30,225 cubic yards of 570 flex concrete with 3 pounds of strux and

Below: Griffith Company broke the pours down to approximately 700 foot long sections or a little more than three blocks at a time, in order to minimize the impact on local businesses and residents.

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90/40 synthetic fibers. The concrete sections ranged from 13 inches in-depth to 11.5, 10 and 8 inches in other areas,” says Naranjo. “We will install 53,400 lineal feet of curb and gutter, 38,000 sq. ft. of sidewalk and more than $1 million worth of structural components, in addition to structural pads, anchor drums and footings, scanner pull foundations, covered walkway footings, corridor footings and 3,000 lineal feet of V-Gutter.”

The Berth 142/143 project will be a fully automated facility. All of the concrete will be poured monolithically, with the exception of the use of a Miller Formless Paver for the curb and gutter work. The job began in February 2014 and is expected to be completed in 2016.

Roosevelt Elementary School Not everything that Griffith Company’s Concrete Division does is big and grand. They often perform private projects below $1.1 million and public works jobs for school districts and private contractors. They are currently working as a subcontractor for Tilden-Coil Constructors, Inc. at Roosevelt Elementary School in Long Beach, where they are pouring 54,000 sq. ft. of sidewalk and 14,000 sq. ft. of concrete pavers. The $1.3 million contract also includes 1,000 lineal feet of retaining wall work, stairs, platforms and trench drains. They have also been called upon to do some off-site work for the City of Long Beach that butts right up against the property. This includes sidewalk, driveway

and ramp work and 500 feet of curb and gutter along the street front.

Griffith Company performs more than $250 million of general engineering construction each year with more than 500 employees. “We are continuously looking to diversify and self-perform as much work as possible,” says Mac Tarrosa. “Our Concrete Division is at around $20 million right now and we fully expect to grow that to more than $30 million in 2015. We look forward to growing hand in hand with the other Griffith Company divisions, with new technologies, challenges and opportunities at the forefront.” For more information on Griffith Company, please visit them online at www.griffithcompany.net or call their corporate headquarters at (714) 984-5500. Cc

Below: Griffith Company utilized multiple demo and removal crews and had a concrete crew of more than 20 workers on the project on any given day.

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SHINES ON RESTORATION Written By: Brian Hoover

M

ore than 10 million people have visited the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame since its inception in 1958. There are currently 2,484 stars embedded into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, making this 15-block stretch the most visited tourist attraction on the West Coast. After years of discussions, meetings and delays, the Hollywood Historic Trust has begun an ambitious restoration project that is estimated to cost well beyond $4 million.

The Walk of Fame restoration has been made possible through the efforts of the Historic Trust, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Metro, the Board of Public Works, the Cultural Heritage Commission, the offices of Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, Council members Garcetti and LaBonge, as well as CIM Group and a long list of local businesses, corporate sponsors and property owners. The Chamber presented a star to entertainer, Johnny Grant, who was later asked to Chair the Walk of Fame Committee, a position, which he enthusiastically held until his death in January 14

2008. Johnny Grant, who became known as the honorary mayor of Hollywood, first began leading an effort to rehab the Walk of Fame back in 2006, when he noticed deterioration in front of the Hollywood & Highland center. In addition, the Ficus tree roots were upending the 300-pound star pads and tremors from the subway below were also creating damage. The issue at hand was that repairs made by the Trust would quickly break up again and Grant was determined to find a way to more permanently repair the sidewalk areas. Grant passed away before he could see the restoration effort begin, but he would be proud to see the fine work that his task force, led by the steadfast members of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, have finally accomplished.

One of the first things the task force did was to call in an expert in terrazzo, Fritz Iselin, from Florida to evaluate why the sidewalk was continuously cracking. Iselin determined that it was not an issue with the terrazzo, as much as it was the base that lay beneath. He

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recommended that the Historic Trust use reinforced concrete and 5 inches of CMB and include more space bars to allow for movement. A test strip was installed at Hollywood and Highland and allowed to sit for one year to see how it held up to foot traffic and weather. The test strip was deemed successful and the City approved the new specifications. It was now time to find a knowledgeable and trustworthy contractor.

Totum Consulting is the construction manager and together with the The Historic Trust, they decided to award the contract to Sully-Miller Contracting Co. One of the first jobs at hand would be to issue a report card on the condition of at the time, all 2,365 stars on the Walk of Fame. A letter grade from A to F was assigned to each star and the decision was made to replace the bronze and terrazzo for those with C, D and F grades. It was also decided that 2,155 blank terrazzo squares would also be replaced, along with 778 of the actual stars. [ Continued on page 16 ]

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Left: Terrazzo and star installation in front of TCL Chinese Theater. Below: Grinding down Terrazo Finish.

(Area 2C)

[ Continued from page 14 ]

The stars were removed and crated under the supervision of the Hollywood Historic Trust and then tagged and entered into an inventory log. Next they were transported to a secure facility and tracked by a chain of custody form.

Sully-Miller Contracting Co. would now go to work tearing out and re-grading the sidewalk area in order to install new Class II base. Next a new curb and gutter was installed, along with a new 4-inch sub-slab, complete with numerous expansion joints. A mortar bed was then placed on top of the sub-slab and the stars were then inserted into place, followed by the addition of the terrazzo and hand mixed and poured marble aggregate product. Color was then added and the terrazzo was ground and shined down to 2 inches above the sub-slab and sealed.

It is interesting to note that when a star is returned to its rightful spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, all of the activity is tracked through a chain of custody to insure accuracy and accountability, all under the supervision of a security guard.

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Bill Grider is the Project Manager overseeing the Walk of Fame Restoration Project. “This project continues to grow in size and complexity,” says Grider. ”This is an extremely detailed, privately funded job, made even more challenging by the long list of agencies, businesses and individuals in the community that are either financially involved or affected by the dayto-day operations.”

It was determined that the Walk of Fame locations with the most damage would be addressed first and that was on the north side of Hollywood Boulevard, directly in front of the Dolby Theatre. Sully-Miller broke up the construction in this area into three phases to minimize the impact on the surrounding retail businesses, the Metro station and the surrounding community. The first two phases were completed in 2012, while the third phase had to wait unit after the 2013 Academy Awards in March 2013. The next three-phase section would be between Orange and Highland and Sully-Miller is now busy completing the remaining portions of all three phases in

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this portion of the project. So far Sully-Miller has performed more than 1,000 cubic yards of excavation, laid down several hundred cubic yards of sub-slab concrete and hot mix asphalt, more than 25,000 sq. ft. of terrazzo, approximately 1,500 lineal feet of curb and gutter and installed about a 1,000 tons of Class II base.

“Settlement, caused by the subway beneath the street, caused a great deal of cracking on the Terrazzo surface and no longer met the ADA requirements, says Grider.

“Because of the settling, it was necessary to demo the entire Walk of Fame from Highland to Orange, raise the curb elevation back up and then reinstall The Walk of Fame. We essentially reconstructed the www.calcontractor.com

entire public right of way from curb to 15 foot back of curb.”

According to Grider, this project has offered a whole variety of challenges.

The Hollywood Historic Trust owns the sidewalk area and because of this they are the “owner” of this project, but Sully-Miller has to also answer to the City of L.A., who is of course liable for the safety of the pedestrians and thousands of tourists that visit their city each year just to see the Walk of Fame. But it doesn’t end there, as other agencies like the MTA, who is paying for part of the project, get involved. Sully-Miller Contracting Co. has stood the test and they will not say that it has been easy, but they will say that it has been very rewarding.

“The sub slab and Terrazo construction was designed by LSA Engineering and we have worked very well and as a team with both LSA, and construction manager, Totum Consulting, as well as everyone on the Historic Trust,” says Grider. “The biggest challenge has been with the pedestrian traffic control.” Grider goes on to explain how they would have to get creative, fencing off sections of the sidewalk and placing K-rail in the streets for a six to eight week period, while still leaving room for tourists and pedestrians to not only maneuver around the work zone, but also be able to visit the businesses behind or at times butting right up against the work area. “We have been asked to have one of our foreman out on the jobsite at all times by the Trust, whether or not we are working at the time,” says Grider. “There are constant signage or delivery issues and it is important to keep everyone safe at all times. We even help with directions to various venues when asked.

This is a unique job.”

According to Grider, the new sub slab and terrazzo topping are broken up into nine foot by nine foot sections, and constructed with ¼ inch expansion joints every 9 feet. The expansion joints are located between each panel at both the longitudinal and transverse sides. Additionally, dowels are located allaround the sub slab sections, with a smooth dowel epoxied into one end of the slab, while the other is greased into place on the opposite end. This enables the entire slab to move freely, allowing for fewer disturbances or cracking to the terrazzo surface above. www.calcontractor.com

Above: Sully-Miller forming and pouring sub slab, expansion joints placed every 9 feet and setting of pull box pans.

(Area 2C)

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Left: Pedestrian traffic control around area 2C.

“The ¼ inch expansion joints or gaps are filled with ½ inch Backer Rod (rope type filler) and a final Sikaflex caulking applied on top, to prevent any moisture from penetrating the slabs or terrazzo finish,” says Grider.

Top End Constructors is the sub contractor chosen by Sully-Miller Contracting Co. to do the terrazzo work. According to Grider, the Historic Trust has a very short list of contractors that are approved to do work on their ongoing project. Top End is one of those few and they began work by applying multiple primers to the concrete slab surface. Next, dry pack material is laid down and brushed off with a screed. The metal edges are then added to the sub slab. Now the surface is ready for the colored and blended terrazzo, with marble chips that are poured onto the epoxy mortar bed. After a short cure period, they grind the epoxy until the marble chips are exposed. Next, they polish the surface with high-speed polishers and then the surface is finished with a sealer and lastly, waxed and buffed to a beautiful long lasting luster.

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Top End Constructors is also artfully constructing all of the new stars, complete with emblems and names constructed from bronze.

The answer to the longevity of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, however, lies well below the original surface. The engineered plans called for Sully-Miller to excavate down 15-inches, removing the old terrazzo, sub slab and an additional 5 inches of base rock. The ground was then thoroughly compacted and 5-inches of new Class II base installed and compacted, before a new 4-inch section of sub slab was poured into place. “The secret to long term stability and the answer to past surface cracking issues, lies in the addition of expansion joints,” says Grider. “It’s a bit more complicated than that, but it’s all about allowing the panels to move without allowing the terrazzo to be damaged. It is also important to note that the sub slab sections had to match up perfectly with expansion joints and the terrazzo surface on top, so that they can expand and contract together as one unit.”

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Sully-Miller Contracting Co. is now moving on to Area 1 and the plan is to eventually replace the entire Walk of Fame. The Hollywood Walk of Fame Historic Trust started out with a budget of $290,000 to restore one section of the Walk of Fame and now that number has grown to an amount that may be difficult to estimate at this time. The Historic Trust and The Friends of The Hollywood Walk of Fame will continue to raise funds, knowing that maintaining this legendary tourist attraction will require everything they can collect.

For more information on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, please visit www.walkoffame.com.

Sully-Miller Contracting Company is part of Colas USA and is one of the premier road and highway contractors, rail & intermodal, seaport, airport, federal/military and specialty contractors in Southern California. For more information, visit their website at www.sully-miller.com or call their corporate offices in Brea at (714) 578-9600. Cc

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Caterpillar Mini Excavator with 2’ auger attachment readying a newly drilled hole for planting.

Heritage Custom Landscapes, Inc. Building Custom Landscapes with an Emphasis on Advanced Technology Water Conservation

By Brian Hoover Practices

W

ater is an essential, finite resource that must be managed properly in order to meet the demands of future generations.

The demand for fresh water has never been greater, making it perhaps potentially even more valuable than gold here in California.

Heritage Custom Landscapes, Inc. (Heritage) specializes in water conservation through the utilization of weather-based irrigation controllers, drip irrigation systems and retrofitting existing systems with high efficiency spray nozzles, in conjunction with the appropriate use of native plant design and selection. Dan Peters is the CEO and President of Heritage Custom Landscapes, as well as a certified landscape smart water manager.

“Educating customers with acceptable irrigation practices and appropriate plant selection is what sets us apart from your average landscape contractor,” says Peters.

“We specialize in landscape irrigation water

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conservation for residential, commercial and various state and federal agencies. Depending on their water usage, we have customers that have experienced water savings ranging from 20 percent to as much as 300 percent by upgrading to a more efficient system.”

Heritage Custom Landscapes, Inc. is leading the way to better water conservation practices, by using a combination of high efficiency spray nozzles coupled with an EPA certified weather based irrigation controller.

Dan and his team of landscape irrigation experts consult with their clients and are even able to retrofit existing systems, saving the customer thousands of dollars in the process.

“Many homeowners, commercial and public works water consumers overwater their grass and landscape,” says Peters. “Most native California plants have fairly low water demands that require much less water if applied properly.”

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Dan Peters points out that water demands during the summer are much different from those in the winter months due to increased evaporation from the intense heat, with as much as 1/3 to 1/2 inch of evaporation per day. “We first make an irrigation assessment for each unique individual customer and site.

In most cases we install a weather based controller with site specific settings that allow for programming of soil type, plant type, irrigation device type, slope of ground and specific micro climate,” explains Peters. “These systems are so precise they’ll apply water in minimal amounts to keep the plant/grass alive without overwatering. In so doing, that which is being irrigated will appear lush green, but the surrounding ground will appear dry.”

According to Peters, conserving water is not only environmentally necessary to the sustainability of our environment, but it also saves money. “Investing in this technology

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is a long term investment that will not only show a return from the water savings alone, but also guarantee zero runoff,” says Peters. “If you have a slight slope, you code that into the controller and it will break a an irrigation segment into multiple small water applications with a 20-minute rest in between. You may have 3-5 irrigations cycles for one valve with numerous days of skipped irrigation based on evaporation (ET).”

Dan Peters knows firsthand and from an early age about just how critical water can be. He grew up on and has owned several family farms and part of his experience involved an education on irrigation from the ground up. “We grew everything from citrus and grapes to palm and Christmas trees

Above Left (L-R): Dan Peters, CEO, Casey Peters, VP, Bill Kelley, not shown, A.J. Hensley.

Above Right: Caterpillar backhoe setting palm trees at the custom home.

Below: Water conservation in the landscape is Heritage’s key focus and they achieves this by utilizing smart irrigation design and implementation through the use of higher technology products.

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Left & Below: Caterpillar 259B Skidsteer back dragging sloped grade prior to installing jute and fiber webbed erosion control.

This versatile machine may also be equipped with an auxiliary auger, trencher, rototiller, landscape rake, and numerous other implements.

here in California and making sure that everything was watered properly was one of my duties,” says Peters. “I learned the basics of horticulture as a kid and what may seem difficult to some, but for me it eventually became second nature.”

Dan was also good friends with Dr. Joseph Hung, who served as the head of the Water Science Program at Cal Poly for many years.

The two men would talk for hours about worldwide water concerns. “I remember well a conversation I had with Dr. Hung, where he foresaw a time in the not so distant future, where water production would become so critical that prices would skyrocket,” says Peters. “I think we may be seeing the beginning of this in San Diego County right now where water was going for $1,000 per acre foot and now the San Diego Water Authority just recently made a purchase at $2,000 an acre foot and this may just be the beginning of higher prices statewide.”

Dan served in the Coastguard, Navy and Air force for around 24 years. His Air Force career began in 1983 and concluded in 2002 and Dan spent much of his time inspecting military base construction sites worldwide. His grandfather was a general contractor, as were many of his cousins and somehow Dan knew that he would join their ranks one day. Dan had a break in his service in order to earn his

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B.A. in English/Speech and Physical Education from Cal State University, Long Beach and his M.A. in English/Speech from the University of La Verne. He eventually rejoined the Air Force for a period before leaving to become a full-time English teacher. He would leave his teaching job each day and go straight home to work his agricultural business from his property in Rancho Cucamonga & Madera.

Then in 2007, Dan decided to pursue his love of plants and construction and start his own landscape business, along with his son Casey Peters. Casey had recently graduated from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona with a B.S. in Landscape Irrigation Design and Water Management. He accepted a position with HydroPoint Data Systems, where he worked closely with multiple local municipalities in water conservation for the better part of five years. Both Dan and Casey became certified in Landscape Smart Water Management and also earned their certification as irrigation auditors, installers, repair technicians and backflow testers. In addition, Heritage Custom Landscapes, Inc. applied for and was accepted as a Service Disable Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and a California Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE). “We do a lot of work with HydroPoint Data Systems out of Petaluma. [ Continued on page 24 ]

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[ Continued from page 22 ]

They are the leading weather based irrigation control manufacturer in the world and we act as a subcontractor for them on jobs for various cities like Laguna Beach and Barstow, as well as the California Water Authority, Caltrans District 12 and all of Orange County,” says Peters. “We have been on some pretty high profile projects, like the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, which was initiated and completed in August 2014. Not all of our jobs are big and many times we find ourselves helping homeowners change out their antiquated systems and that is every bit as rewarding.”

Dan points out that while it is true that any landscape contractor can attempt to install and program this advanced technology, you may be hard pressed to find one that is as thoroughly educated and experienced in water based systems. “For example, your run of the mill landscape contractor is typically not familiar with the types of coefficients for irrigation, and if they don’t have spec manuals at their fingertips, they could be in for a world of trouble,” says Peters. “They need to know things like gallons per minute of a particular device being used and if they don’t understand the components and engineering associated with an irrigation program things could go from bad to worse in a hurry.”

Dan also understands the importance of support equipment in his day-to-day operations. “When we first started out, we did much of the trenching by hand or rented skid steers and compact excavators as needed.

Eventually we began to see the benefits of owning our own heavy

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equipment and for this we turned to Caterpillar and Johnson Machinery,” says Peters. “Having Caterpillar equipment is a force multiplier. It is like having 20 extra boots on the ground, without the Worker’s Comp, hospitalization and overtime.

Johnson Machinery has been just great to deal with and you just can’t beat Caterpillar with it comes to performance and return on investment.

With Johnson Machinery and Caterpillar quality is inherent, intact and in place at all times.”

Heritage Custom Landscapes, Inc. is licensed as a California Contractor’s (#886931), a General Contractor (B), a Landscape Contractors (C27), a SDVOSB (DUNS#826333374), Federal CCR & ORCA Registered and a California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise – DVBE (CA #50807). Whether you are in need of a landscape construction consultant, a new irrigation construction design or a retrofit to an existing irrigation system, Heritage is the smart choice in landscape water conservation.

Water conservation in the landscape is their key focus and Heritage achieves this by utilizing smart irrigation design and implementation through the use of higher technology products. For more information, visit their website at www. heritagecustomlandscapes.com or call their Alta Loma office at (951) 966-4499 or (951) 966-5090. Cc

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Above and Below: Draught resistant landscape installations accompanied with the installation of weather based irrigation systems installed by Heritage Custom Landscapes, Inc.

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Volvo is with you. That means a quality product you can depend on.

A dealer you can rely on. A commitment to helping you do what you do - better. Smart Works – every day.

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LONG BEACH FREEWAY (INTERSTATE 710) PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT Construction on the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) Rehabilitation Project began in August 2012 and should be completed in late 2015. This roadway rehabilitation will result in better ride quality and will reduce the need for maintenance.

Existing median barriers will be upgraded to concrete barriers, therefore reducing the risk of vehicle crossovers. Construction of maintenance pullouts will also reduce exposure of maintenance personnel to traffic and enhance safety.

This is a $120 million pavement replacement project on the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) from the Los Angeles River Bridge to the San Bernardino Freeway (Interstate 10). The project includes the installation of precast concrete panels, as well as concrete slabs in various traffic lanes and locations, upgrading the median barrier and constructing maintenance pullouts along the route to enhance safety for maintenance crews. Shimmick Construction is 26

the general engineering contractor overseeing the project, which also will include widening shoulders and installing fiber optic lines for various traffic management technologies.

The 23-mile Long Beach Freeway runs from the city of Alhambra, near Pasadena, to the Long Beach Harbor. Along with some 230,000 vehicles a day in some spots, it carries

2014 concrete Construction ISSUE CALCONTRACTOR

the majority of goods coming into and out of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on the largest concentration of trucks in Los Angeles County.

Trucks account for nearly 20 percent of the traffic, which is roughly four times the amount envisioned when the freeway was built. The majority of the current freeway was built in sections between the early 1950s and mid www.calcontractor.com

1970s. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) began a pavement overhaul project on I-710 in 2001, beginning with a 2.5-mile section in Long Beach. Known as the Long Life Pavement Rehabilitation project, the work has moved up the freeway in stages, of which the current project is number five. So far, 18 miles of freeway in both directions have been reconstructed.

The project marked the first use on a California freeway of a new, highly engineered, more durable and more flexible asphalt mix, jointly developed by Caltrans, the asphalt industry and pavement scientists.

PRECAST/PRESTRESSED CONCRETE PANELS: Now the I-710 paving project will be the site of another innovation in pavement rehabilitation: the largest use of precast/prestressed concrete panels (PPCP) on any road renovation in the United States. The 9.2-mile job calls for more than 4,100 panels to be placed in the Numbers 3 and 4 lanes. The Numbers 1 and 2 lanes will be resurfaced via slab replacement. The benefits are clear: Precast panels install quickly in any weather with no special materials needed and they can be driven on immediately. On a high-volume route like I-710, this is a critical factor because closing the road for any length of time would impact not only motorists but also goods movement.

Precast concrete has been in use in building bridges for decades—now its time in roadway reconstruction apparently has come. The I-710 project involves 36 lane miles of concrete panels, equivalent to 831,000 square feet or 27,700 cubic yards. Among the application’s various challenges is the fact that, because of the roadway’s geography, the panels taper in width from 26 feet on one end to 36 feet on the other.

Each panel requires a shop drawing and each drawing has to be approved by Caltrans. Four design engineers have been assigned to work exclusively on reviewing the panels with the expectation that they each will be able to review five a day, or 60 per week.

Once 60 drawings are approved, the fabricator, MidState Precast of Corcoran, Calif., will begin production.

Set upon fully engineered sub-grade surfaces, the panels are interlocking through post tensioning and set by grouting. This system allows for continuous and intermittent replacement of the previously existing pavement.

Precast work will reportedly be completed in September 2014. Initial installation could begin before the end of the year. At that time, Caltrans will initiate a series of 36 full freeway weekend closures in which the freeway is closed in one direction at a time, shifting two-way traffic onto the open side. This traffic control method has been used in every segment of the I-710 freeway pavement rehabilitation project to date and Caltrans is confident it can be implemented with minimal impact to motorists. Cc www.calcontractor.com

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Quality you can rely on

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For details, contact your local Komatsu distributor.

www.clairemontequipment.com

7651 Ronson Rd. San Diego, CA 92111 Office: 858-278-8351 Fax: 858-492-9959 San Diego 4726 Convoy St. Office: 858-278-8338 Fax: 858-278-4845 Escondido 1330 Mission Rd. Office: 760-739-9100 Fax: 760-739-8888 Fontana 8520 Cherry Ave. Office: 909-429-9100 Fax: 909-429-9397 Imperial 440 West Aten Rd. Office: 760-355-7700 Fax: 760-355-7704 Indio 81-501 Industrial Place Office: 760-863-5558 Fax: 760-863-0959

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NEW CAT® E2 SERIES MINI HYDRAULIC EXCAVATORS GET NEW HIGH DEFINITION HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, NEW CAB AND NEW SOURCE FACILITY The five compact radius Cat® E2 Series Mini Hydraulic Excavators—303.5E2, 304E2, 305E2, 305.5E2 and 308E2— will all be produced at Caterpillar’s new 850,000 square foot facility in Athens, Georgia, USA and will also use the new High Definition Hydraulic system.

The E2 models are designed to carry on the solid performance of their E Series predecessor, while adding even greater value for the customer. For example, the new High Definition Hydraulic (HDH) System in the E2 machines provides a load sensing and flow sharing capability leading to operational precision, efficient performance and greater controllability. The simple valve architecture reduces heat, which leads to a reduction in hydraulic instability and improved overall efficiency.

The 305.5E2, 305E2, 304E2 and 303.5E2 all include a redesigned operator station.

This update includes a wider opening, a high quality suspension seat, easy to adjust arm rests and an overall improved ergonomic layout for operator comfort and productivity. Additionally, a new interlocking front window system, updated operator interface controls and 100% pilot controls provide a bestin-class operator station and customer value. Smart

Technology is a new feature of the 303.5E2. Through the integration of this technology with the 23.5 hp (17.6kW) engine, the machine is able to meet and exceed performance of the 303.5E. Additionally, testing on the 303.5E2 revealed an 8% fuel consumption improvement and 7% greater efficiency over the E series.

All the E2 series models are equipped with the digital control panel specially designed for Cat Mini Excavators—COMPASS— Complete Operation, Maintenance, Performance, and Security System. Built into the COMPASS monitor are an anti-theft system, which requires a five-digit alphanumeric password to start the machine, an automatic engine-idle selection, which drops engine rpm to idle after 4 seconds of inactivity and an adjustable auxiliaryflow control for work tools.

Both main-line and optional secondary auxiliary-hydraulic systems can be adjusted on a scale of 1-15 through the monitor for added control. Cc

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ADVERTISER’S INDEX A.S.A.P. Heavy Equipment Rentals................... 25

RDO Equipment Co.............................................. 5

Clairemont Equipment................................. 28, 29

RDOIC................................................................ 23

Coastline Equipment............................................ 3

Road Machinery................................................. 11

Coastline Equipment Crane Div......................... 31

Savala Equipment Rentals................................. 23

Crime Prevention Program................................. 13

Sonsray Machinery.............................................. 6

Hawthorne CAT.................................................... 2

Trench Shoring Company.................................. 13

Heavy Equipment Rentals.................................... 9

UB Equipment Corp............................................. 7

Johnson CAT........................................................ 2

Volvo Construction Equip. & Svcs........................ 25

Nixon-Egli Equipment Co.................... Back Cover

Westrax Machinery............................................ 30

Quinn CAT............................................................ 2

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Nixon-Egli Equipment Co., Wirtgen and Anrak Corporation

(Above) Anrak’s new Wirtgen W120Fi milling machine purchased from Nixon-Egli Equipment Co.

(Right) Patrick Anderson, Dispatcher/Estimator (left), Dennis Houston, Operator and Les Anderson Jr. Mechanic/Operator Anrak Corporation.

Anrak Corporation is an industry leading asphalt-milling contractor based in Sacramento that specializes in many different types of milling applications. The company’s 50-plus employees work throughout Northern California and Nevada and maintain one of the largest fleets of milling machines in the industry.

Anrak Corporation (Anrak) recently purchased a new Wirtgen W120Fi milling machine from Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. Patrick Anderson serves as an estimator and dispatcher for Anrak and he comments, “We go with Wirtgen profiling machines because they offer today’s most advanced technology, as well as superior productivity in the field,” says Anderson. “The W120Fi is the 13th Wirtgen and the fifth four footer added to our fleet and the third Tier 4 compliant unit as well.”

Anrak purchased their newest Wirtgen specifically for a large project they were recently awarded for Apple Corps Ltd in Cupertino. “We were chosen to mill the Apple Campus parking lot and one of their requirements included the exclusive use of Tier 4 compliant machines,” says Anderson.

Anrak Corporation’s operators and mechanics also prefer the Wirtgen product line. Dennis Houston, Anrak operator says, “Our newest Wirtgen is extremely quiet and operator friendly. It has great visibility and the controls are simple to use. This machine just makes my job easy.” Les Anderson Jr., Anrak mechanic adds, “It offers the most technically advanced computer system, it is easy to work on and transport. It comes with a fuel save mode that provides our company with even more fuel efficiency.”

Anrak is a customer driven company that works day and night to support its customers and they rely on the professional support of companies like Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. “David Cucinelli is our Nixon-Egli sales representative and through his vast product knowledge, has always provided nothing but excellent customer support,” says Anderson. “I also want to thank Chris Gibbons, a mechanic from Nixon-Egli that spent an entire day with us demonstrating and making sure that we were comfortable with our new Wirtgen machine.”

Anrak also relies on Nixon-Egli for all of their Wirtgen parts needs. “Randy Davis is the parts manager at Nixon-Egli and he gets us the parts we need at any time of the day or night,” says Anderson.

“We appreciate the relationship we have with Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. and it is their tremendous team service that will keep us coming back in the future.”

California’s Largest General Line Construction and Municipal Equipment Dealer.

So. California: 2044 S. Vineyard Ave., Ontario, CA 91761 • (909) 930-1822 No. California: 800 E. Grant Line Rd., Tracy, CA 95304 • (209) 830-8600 www.nixon-egli.com