FIRMMarker® Adhesive Affixed Barriers Protect Bicyclists on Los Angeles' New 6th Street Viaduct
The Largest Ever Bridge Project in LA Emphasized Bike and Pedestrian Safety.
Los Angeles, CA - Bicyclists will enjoy protected passage as they pedal across the new 3,500-foot bridge that spans from Boyle Heights to the Downtown Arts District and crosses Hwy 101, the L.A. River, 18 train tracks, and a number of surface streets.1
For the historic Los Angeles viaduct redesign, architects added dedicated lanes for pedestrians and bicyclists by adding 40 feet of width. The design of the previous bridge--built in 1936--did not allow pedestrians on the bridge and even blocked pedestrians from moving freely on surface streets below. The new bridge is radically different: staircases and ADA-compliant ramps encourage pedestrians and bicycles to use the thoroughfare.2 By 2024, a 12-acre city park will open below the bridge that will include a monumental helical bike ramp.1
The pedestrian safety barriers that span the bridge were affixed using FIRMMarker® Road Marker Adhesive. The adhesive is designed for use on concrete surfaces, which the engineers and architects used to create elegant curves and a softer more flexible bridge design. The pedestrian access barriers will make bicyclists and pedestrians feel safe as they use the bridge for recreation, transportation, and movement among the communities under the bridge.
"We're happy to be one of the companies who participated in this massive infrastructure effort," said Mark Forrest, CEO of FORREST Technical Coatings. "It is wonderful to see our products making a difference in bicyclists' ability to take advantage of public architecture."
The decades-long project opened in July of this year and was the largest bridge project ever undertaken in Los Angeles with a cost of $558M dollars.1
Sources:
1. HNTB. Sixth Street Viaduct Replacemet. Posted Accessed 11/22/2022.
2. Miranda, Carolina. "More than a bridge: Michael Maltzan's 6th Street Viaduct addresses mistakes of L.A.'s past." LA Times, 06/29/2022.
Engineers in state transportation departments nationwide choose to specify FIRMMarker® Road Marker Adhesive for affixing traffic markers (RPMs), delineators, surface mount traffic indicators, and safety posts to concrete, wood, or asphalt.
It is an AASHTO M237 Type II Epoxy Adhesive passes WSDOT Spec 9-26.2. It is specified by several other Departments of Transportation nationwide.
The 2-part epoxy adhesive is available in bulk and cartridges. The cartridges can be purchased with a double-chambered, steel manual caulking gun with 1:1 or 2:1 dispensing capabilities. The caulking gun mixes the product at the moment of application. It reduces preparation time, eliminates waste, and allows half empty cartridges to be saved for future use. An electric and pneumatic caulking gun can also be ordered.
Bulk epoxy adhesive is sold in quarts, gallons, 5 gallon containers.
FIRMLine® Products for Transportation and Maintenance Professionals
FIRMline® includes general and specialty-use adhesives and epoxies designed for transportation and maintenance. Products are specified by Departments of Transportation across the country.
Create safer walking surfaces with FIRMfoot® single-component high-performance non-slip epoxy with grit. Adds extra safety while walking on walkways, steps, and ramps and in wet interior spaces such as showers and bathtubs. Part of the FIRMline® Product Line for transportation and maintenance professionals. Valued by transportation and maintenance professionals for its easy aerosol delivery and standard safety colors.
FIRMFoot® 96S Series smooth finish epoxy is a water-based, single-component epoxy with a protective finish. Has extra durability, wearability, corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, and adhesion. Maintenance workers appreciate the versitility of this product and OSHA approved colors.
