[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 17, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1000-S1001]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          THE 1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, a year ago yesterday, an earthquake 
measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale wreaked havoc on the southern 
California counties of Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura. The Northridge 
temblor brought about the collapse of apartment buildings, hospitals, 
and schools, and destroyed major portions of that area's transportation 
infrastructure.
  Within hours of the earthquake, our former Senate colleague Gov. Pete 
Wilson proclaimed a state of emergency in those counties, and set in 
motion the implementation of what is now widely viewed as an 
extraordinary recovery from the earthquake's crippling impact on the 
movement of people and goods in one of the most populous areas of the 
country.
  In addition to executing the necessary recovery measures to protect 
public safety and ensure for the food and housing of earthquake 
victims, Governor Wilson signed a series of innovative Executive orders 
that cut through the redtape of State bureaucracy and either 
streamlined or eliminated statutes and regulations governing everything 
from highway contracts to mobile schools.
  As a result, California's recovery from the Northridge earthquake has 
proceeded at a record pace. Among the most impressive of the recovery 
efforts was the opening of the world's busiest freeway, the Santa 
Monica Freeway, in less than 3 months, and 74 days ahead of schedule, 
after it was destroyed by the quake. Governor Wilson heralded this 
accomplishment by proclaiming it the most stirring symbol yet of 
California's endurance. I would add that it is also a symbol of what 
can happen when government gets out of the way and is willing to break 
old molds and explore new and innovative approaches to challenges.
  There is no doubt as to the resiliency of spirit of the people of 
California. Over the course of the past 4 years, they have endured more 
than their fair share as a result of natural disasters, but they 
continue to emerge victorious time and time again from the ashes of 
destruction wrought by earthquakes, fires, droughts, and floods. I 
might add that Governor Wilson is already taking similar steps in the 
face of the current California floods, using emergency authorities to 
speed rebuilding in flood areas. Moreover, he has asked the President 
to suspend operation of the Endangered Species Act for the purposes of 
repairing and replacing flood damaged facilities.
  It is with respect for this indomitable California spirit, and with 
admiration for a State and its Governor who together forged a better, 
smarter avenue to disaster recovery, that I mark the first year 
anniversary of the Northridge earthquake. I ask unanimous consent that 
the materials detailing the Northridge disaster and recovery efforts, 
which have been prepared by Governor Wilson's staff, be reprinted in 
the Record immediately after my remarks.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

   The Wilson Administration's Response to the Northridge Earthquake

       On January 17, 1994, at 4:31 a.m. (PST) southern California 
     experienced a major earthquake (6.8 Richter) in the 
     Northridge area of Los Angeles.
       Within hours of the earthquake, Governor Pete Wilson issued 
     a Proclamation directing all agencies of state government to 
     utilize available resources in responding to the emergency.
       Jim van Loben Sels, Director of the California Department 
     of Transportation (Caltrans), delegated authority and 
     accountability to the Director of Caltrans, District Seven 
     for all restoration and repair work estimated to cost less 
     than $4 million.
       Seven Caltrans Director's Orders were approved and 
     subsequent force account contracts were let to remove damaged 
     structures, construct detours and install shoring to insure 
     the safety of existing, standing structures.
       Within minutes of the tremblor, Caltrans staff began 
     inspecting the freeway system throughout Los Angeles and 
     Ventura counties. More than 1,000 structures were checked--
     that day alone.
       Tuesday, January 18, Director van Loben Sels called 
     together representatives of the Los Angeles County 
     Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), Los Angeles 
     Department of Transportation (LADOT), the Federal Highway 
     Administration (FHWA), and Caltrans to discuss emergency 
     response strategies and to identify earthquake-related damage 
     to local transportation facilities.
       January 19, Governor Wilson appointed Dean R. Dunphy, 
     Secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, 
     as Chairman of the Emergency Transportation Task Force. This 
     group included the California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, Los 
     Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority 
     (LACMTA), Metrolink, Los Angeles Department of Transportation 
     (LADOT), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and 
     eventually numerous other local transportation agencies. The 
     group originally met daily and became a control point of 
     information about damage, detours, cost estimates, and other 
     emergency transportation control measures.
       On January 23, Governor Wilson issued a further 
     Proclamation which suspended the operation of all statutes, 
     rules and regulations which apply to Caltrans contracts that 
     would hinder or delay the restoration of facilities and 
     services as a result of the Northridge earthquake.
       The Governor's emergency proclamation modified contracting 
     procedures and enabled 
     [[Page S1001]] Caltrans to respond more effectively and 
     efficiently to the emergency. Innovative emergency contract 
     procedures allowed the Department to put contractors to work 
     immediately. The informal and streamlined bid process
      initiated by the Governor's emergency proclamation cut the 
     time for advertising, awarding and approving contracts 
     from a standard time frame of four to five months to as 
     little as three days.
       On January 24, Governor Wilson issued an emergency 
     proclamation suspending certain limitations on hours that 
     commercial vehicle operators could drive and work. This 
     allowed greater flexibility for commercial truck traffic that 
     was critical for maintaining the economic stability of the 
     region and delivering rebuilding materials.
       On January 24, at the behest of Director van Loben Sels, a 
     draft Memo of Understanding (MOU) was finalized between 
     Caltrans and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This 
     MOU outlined the contractual process and established criteria 
     for issuing emergency contracts.
       Pursuant to the Governor's executive order and following 
     FHWA approval on critical projects, Caltrans limited the 
     number of contractors bidding on the five major 
     reconstruction projects to firms that were experienced bridge 
     builders with a record of working in Los Angeles and the 
     ability to meet the ambitious minority and disadvantaged 
     business participation goals. At least three bidders were 
     asked to complete for each project. Companies were restricted 
     to receiving the contract for only one of the emergency jobs. 
     Emergency contracting procedures for repair and construction 
     also included a commitment to obtain a 20%-40% goal of 
     participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs). 
     Governor Wilson challenged Caltrans to meet the 40% 
     participation goal.
       Caltrans suggested and obtained FHWA support to utilize the 
     A+B bid process on selected projects. This process combines 
     the contractor's proposal for construction costs (A) with the 
     cost per day of loss in use multiplied by the number of days 
     bid (B). This process empowers the innovative contractor to 
     use a combination of construction costs and construction days 
     to achieve the lowest possible bid. The benefit to the State 
     is a reduction in total cost and the potential of reopening 
     the facility to the public's use in the shortest amount of 
     time.
       For the first time in the history of the Department, 
     Caltrans contractual timelines required contractors to work 
     24 hours a day, seven days a week, without allowances for bad 
     weather or holidays.
       Caltrans also initiated incentives and disincentives on 
     selected projects, with FHWA concurrence, to provide bonuses 
     to contractors who completed construction early and to 
     penalize contractors who could not meet their anticipated 
     deadline. These assigned incentives and disincentives ranged 
     from $8,500 to $200,000 per day and represent the highest 
     ever used nationwide. Providing bonuses and penalties further 
     encourages contractors to complete
      their projects early and return the facility to the 
     traveling public in the shortest time possible.
       Within days of the earthquake, Caltrans engineers hand-
     delivered bid packages and contract plans to selected 
     contractors at the nearest airport to their home office.
       In the initial week following the earthquake, Caltrans 
     worked with the FHWA to develop an accelerated funding 
     procedure that provided the Department with an initial 
     funding allocation of $15 million on January 19, 1994. Two 
     additional requests were approved on January 21, and January 
     27, for $30 million and $55 million respectively. Within ten 
     days of the earthquake, Caltrans received $100 million in 
     Emergency Relief funds. Once Congress approved the additional 
     funding and the funds were allocated to FHWA, Caltrans 
     requested that FHWA make an additional $250 million available 
     for obligation. This $250 million was based upon Caltrans' 
     estimate for additional funding needed through the end of its 
     current fiscal year.
       On January 27, pursuant to Governor Wilson's Emergency 
     Proclamation, Caltrans Director van Loben Sels issued 
     guidelines to suspend usual contracting procedures. These 
     guidelines included provisions to protect the public welfare, 
     for example--ensuring ample competition, compliance with OSHA 
     regulation, licensing, and participation by DBE firms.
       Saturday, January 29, the first A+B contract was opened, 
     awarded, executed and approved for Interstate 5. This process 
     was completed in one day instead of the standard five to 
     seven weeks. On January 29, Caltrans also opened a newly 
     paved, four-lane detour for the traffic on Interstate 5. This 
     reopened a vital bypass both to and from Los Angeles.
       Sunday, January 30, less than two weeks after the 
     earthquake, construction began on the bridge replacement at 
     Interstate 5.
       As of February 17, 1994, 30 days after the earthquake, 
     Caltrans had successfully acted upon the emergency 
     contracting powers that were granted by Governor Wilson's 
     executive orders. With the concurrence of PHWA, Caltrans 
     awarded: 35 Emergency Contracts worth $9.6 million, (these 
     are Force Account contracts for small demolition and debris 
     clean-up); 5 Informal Bid contracts, worth $47.3 million, 
     (for major construction and some demolition); and
      2 Architectural and Engineering contracts worth $18.5 
     million, (for private consultants to assist in design of 
     structural repairs and to manage traffic around the 
     damaged parts of the transportation system).
       As of April 7, 1994 Caltrans had approved a total of 
     twenty-two informal Bid contracts worth $113 million, for the 
     restoration and repair of transportation facilities damaged 
     in the Northridge Earthquake.
       Construction was completed on the busiest freeway in the 
     Nation, the I-10 Santa Monica Freeway, on Tuesday, April 12. 
     The I-10 is the busiest roadway in the Nation. This vital 
     artery was reconstructed in 66 days, a total of 74 days prior 
     to the anticipated completion date, resulting in a bonus 
     payment of 13.8 million for the contractor, C.C. Meyers of 
     Rancho Cordova. By opening the I-10 Freeway earlier than 
     anticipated, Caltrans saved the Los Angeles economy 
     approximately $1 million a day.
       Construction was completed on the I-5 Golden State Freeway 
     at Gavin Canyon on May 17, 1994, 33 days ahead of schedule. 
     By opening the I-5 earlier than anticipated Gavin Canyon, 
     Caltrans saved the Los Angeles economy approximately $400,000 
     a day.
       Construction was completed on the first phase of the I-5/
     Route 14 Interchange on July 8, 1994, 20 days ahead of 
     schedule. By opening the Interchange earlier than 
     anticipated, Caltrans saved the Los Angeles economy 
     approximately $1.6 million each day.
       The Simi Valley Freeway (State Route 118) in Granada Hills 
     was partially restored to original traffic patterns on 
     September 3, 1994. By September 7, total access to the entire 
     10-lane facility was complete.
       Construction was completed on the second phase of the I-5/
     Route 14 Interchange (the southbound to northbound connector 
     ramps) on November 4, 1994. This opening of this arterial was 
     the last major project in the Northridge Earthquake response 
     effort. The entire response was amazingly completed in less 
     than 10 months.


                               conclusion

       Governor Wilson's proactive leadership to empower Caltrans 
     with the tools necessary to get Los Angeles moving again has 
     brought great success, Los Angeles recovered in record time. 
     While the initial goal for completing the earthquake recovery 
     was the end of 1994, many of the vital structures damaged or 
     destroyed by the quake were returned to service in less than 
     six months.
       The Wilson Administration's emergency response to the 
     Northridge Earthquake not only streamlined, but reinvented 
     the contracting process at Caltrans. This enabled the 
     Department to respond to the restoration and reconstruction 
     efforts of Los Angeles in an unprecedented, accelerated 
     fashion.
       By cutting red tape, Governor Wilson moved bureaucracy out 
     of the way and empowered Caltrans, in coordination with the 
     private sector, to respond effectively to the Northridge 
     Earthquake. Now it is our challenge to ensure that the 
     lessons learned from this tragic disaster are implemented 
     into every day business at Caltrans.

  Mr. SPECTER addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania.

                          ____________________