COST RISES FOR DRAINAGE STUDY\Caltrans says $8.2 million needed to inspect Century Freeway problems.

Byline: Mark Katches Daily News Sacramento Bureau

Less than 30 months after a ceremonial ribbon cutting, transportation officials said Tuesday that they need to spend $8.2 million to find out what's wrong with drainage on the $2.25 billion Century Freeway.

A preliminary review has found the storm drains underneath the shoulder along about 3.5 miles of freeway are cracking in a number of places.

Although freeway lanes aren't flooding now, officials say that could come later if the problems aren't solved. At worst, the structural integrity of the freeway could be threatened, although Caltrans officials say they won't let the problems get that far and will make whatever repairs are necessary.

Study findings will be used by the California Department of Transportation to determine how many storm drains need to be replaced. Replacement could cost tens of millions of dollars, according to officials in Gov. Pete Wilson's administration.

Engineers discovered the drainage problems last month. The 17-mile freeway - also called the Glenn Anderson Freeway - runs from Norwalk to El Segundo.

"I wouldn't say we're embarrassed but we certainly dislike what we've found," said Caltrans Director James van Loben Sels. "Now we're going to go find out what happened and fix it."

The study is expensive, because it involves a series of on-site testing, including use of a robotic machine to photograph the insides of the pipes, state officials said.

The new work is not expected to result in any lane closures, but engineers will be tearing up the shoulder to remove storm drain pipes so they can be checked.

Initially, the drainage problem was thought to be isolated in a 600-foot stretch, but Caltrans engineer Doug Failing said other problems have been discovered in about 15 to 20 other spots.

"We have to see the scope of this work so we can fix it," Caltrans spokeswoman Margie Tiritilli said.

After conducting a series of their own tests, agency engineers decided this past weekend to hire an outside contractor to conduct an extensive analysis of storm drains in the section between the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers.

Caltrans officials said they still don't know who is to blame for the cracking pipes. Part of the goal of the new study will be to determine whether it was caused by a design flaw or shoddy construction.

The pipes in the affected area were installed by two companies - Kasler Corp., a Riverside County firm, and MCM Construction Co. of Sacramento. Neither company returned phone calls seeking comment Tuesday.

Kasler was paid $7 million to install its share of the pipes while MCM was paid $1.9 million, Failing said.

"We have nothing to indicate that it was a construction problem," Failing said. "But we certainly have an obligation to the public to try to recoup costs if there is a fault in any outside party."

Bids on the study will be accepted today with an emergency contract to be awarded later in the afternoon.

The Daily News first reported the problem Saturday after the agency awarded a $700,000 contract to repair other storm drains along 600 feet of the 17-mile freeway. That contract already has increased to $1.2 million, due to additional problems.

Wilson spokesman Sean Walsh declined to comment until the agency finishes its evaluation.

When it opened in October 1993, the Century Freeway was hailed for its high-tech video monitors instantly directing the Highway Patrol and tow trucks to freeway incidents, its car pool lanes and the tracks of the Metro Green Line running down the center median.

The section to be tested is of particular concern to Caltrans because it is below-grade and situated between two rivers. If the storm drains fail, flooding could result, Failing said.