[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.
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