Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority Approves Design/Build Contract for Start of Exposition Light Rail Project
• Project Receives Record of Decision from FTA

Having reached a major milestone earlier this week when the Federal Transit Administration issued the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Exposition Light Rail Transit Project from the federal government, the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority’s Board of Directors has approved a $420.2 million design/build contract marking the official start of the project.

Construction on the line is expected to start this summer. The 8.5-mile light rail line, beginning in downtown Los Angeles, will share two stations (7th Street/Metro Center and Pico/Chick Hearn) with the existing Metro Blue Line. Just south of downtown the line will proceed west on the Metro-owned right-of-way on Exposition Boulevard, which parallels the heavily congested I-10 Freeway, with a terminus at Washington/National in Culver City.

The federal government in issuing the Record of Decision has determined that this project has satisfied all requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act thereby completing the environmental clearance for this light rail project.

The Board of the construction authority authorized their Chief Executive Officer Rick Thorpe to award and execute a design/build contract to the joint venture construction and design group of FCI/Fluor/Parsons in the amount not to exceed $420,207,000.

“We believe that we truly have brought on board the best joint venture construction and design team that will ensure that this transportation project is built on time and within budget,” said Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority CEO Rick Thorpe. “We look forward to officially breaking ground on the Expo Light Rail Transit Project and getting this important project started.”

In addition, the authority’s Board gave their CEO authority to issue a Notice to Proceed (NTP) for the design and professional services scope of work once plans have been submitted and approved in an amount not to exceed $77,757,000.

“This is a vital transportation project that will help increase mobility and reduce congestion along this corridor,” said Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority Chair Yvonne Burke. “The Record of Decision and the Board’s action to authorize the award of this contract are important milestones in moving forward with this much needed project.”

Metro, responsible for planning and preparing the environmental impact report on the project, now will hand off construction of the project to the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority. The Authority will be responsible for the final design and construction of the light rail line.

Eight new stations will be constructed for a total project cost estimated at $640 million. A future second phase would extend the Exposition line to the City of Santa Monica.

For additional information on the Exposition Light Rail Project visit their Web site at www.buildexpo.org.

Metro-032



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o man... If only they can extend it juuuuuust a lil bit more to Venice/Overland :-D

wow this is getting interesting, so now this line will parallel the red? and eventually both will lead to santa monica? most excellent

Any maps? Are the two downtown stations the only ones underground? Great news!

maps are on the site linked in the original post.

7th/Metro is the only underground station. It comes back up to ground-level by Pico. The stops @ La Cienega and La Brea are above ground.

Finally more choices in light rail. What I really don't understand is why do both the Expo/Red Line have to go to Santa Monica. Anyhow, this is still great news over all. I also read an article that one of the stations would be elevated???

"Let's get on the Train" :cucumber: :banana:

Thats cool. More great news for L.A.

That's really awesome. Congrats!

Finally more choices in light rail. What I really don't understand is why do both the Expo/Red Line have to go to Santa Monica. Anyhow, this is still great news over all. I also read an article that one of the stations would be elevated???

"Let's get on the Train" :cucumber: :banana:


Two of the stations will be elevated, and the Red line will probably nver get to santa monica. these two corridors, although parallel to each other, serve very different areas and both lines are very necessary. The Expo line will have ridership matching the blue line (75,000 - 80,000 daily) when it reaches santa Monica in 2013 or so, and the red line will have tremendous amounts of ridership. Ideally, the red line will get extended to UCLA and then another line will be roughly parallel the 405 from LAX connecting with Expo and the Red in westwood, and then heading to the valley. that would really tie together the system.

Next few lines that we desperatly need...

1) Downtown Connector Subway that will tie together Gold, Expo and Blue lines, very necessary and will bump ridership on all lines tremendously, also increase compatability of the line and willa dd destination stops all around Downtown LA.

2) LAX to Union Station direct express,

3) Connector from Gold in Pasadena through Glendale, Burbank to North Hollywood Red/Orange

4) many many more

^^GO NUMBER 3!!!!

Hey (Sportsfan) that's pretty interesting, that the Red Line might not go all the way to the beach. I might be the least informed transit person on this board. So excuse my stupid questions????

So do you think that the Red Line will eventually curve somewhere around UCLA and head either towards LAX or The Valley, right? If this is the case the much needed 405 line (LAX~SFV) might just never happen.

I do have to agree that #2 is like music to my ears. Although I'm eventually moving back to the valley, sometime soon. Not sure just when yet, but it's going to happen.

Returning back to Expo, I kind of wanted this line to travel to thru the Fig Corridor. Then connect to Exposition going west. Flower St. between Washington and Exposition is dead as a door nail. I personally think Fig would better suit the Expo Line.

o man... If only they can extend it juuuuuust a lil bit more to Venice/Overland :-D

I think so.

This is great, but Los Angeles also needs some more north-south routes as well.

Hey (Sportsfan) that's pretty interesting, that the Red Line might not go all the way to the beach. I might be the least informed transit person on this board. So excuse my stupid questions????

So do you think that the Red Line will eventually curve somewhere around UCLA and head either towards LAX or The Valley, right? If this is the case the much needed 405 line (LAX~SFV) might just never happen. .

Not to take the question away from "sportsfan" but I'm sure we both agree that the Red Line realistically is too expensive to go all the way to the ocean, though Tony has been a miracle worker by just getting people talking about it again, but who knows. Really, it doesn't need to go all the way to SM to be effective. It could stop in Westwood, hook up with the 405 north/south line which also connects to Expo and it would be a wrap. Though, it would be more than terrific if it did reach SM. The other question you had was why do they all terminate in SM. I say, why not? This is a very good idea. "Sportsfan" said this before, that from downtown to SM and from the Hollywood Hills to around I10 is LA's "Manhattan". It is the densest square miles in the city and county and where much of the activity that goes on anywhere in LA really happens. So having 2 or maybe even 3 lines stretching this strip of land will mentally help people tie LA together.
Fun Facts: From downtown to SM is 15 miles. From Hollywood to the I10 is approx. 5. In comparison from the tip of Manhattan to the end is 13 miles and its width is 3 and 1/2 across.

(K) I know I could always count on you, when it comes to transit issues.........

Getting back to the topic, I would like to see the Expo Line extend to the Venice boardwalk instead of SM. Then you will service to westside communities not too close to each other. So when the "Central Subway" is ready to be built. No one is going to see two routes that start and end in the same city. This will not give anyone another reason to opposed.

All I can say is----Give us our subways and light rails NOW! A few months ago I e-mailed the MTA, every member of the LA City Council and LA County Board of Supervisors regarding this matter. Here's a copy for whatever its worth: "Everyone knows that sometime in the near future, if nothing is done about our dire traffic problems, the Greater Los Angeles Area will choke itself to death. Countless studies had been made as to how much financial waste and related health problems gridlock causes. This was not a political issue a few decades ago but today it's a different story. Only your collective political will, insight and vision to support the Wilshire Blvd. subway can save our beloved Los Angeles! If taxes need to be raised for such an endeavor then I am more than willing to contribute. I would rather give my money in the pursuit of projects that would benefit the public good than pay for gasoline that would only enrich the Oil Barons of the world. Angelenos have had enough of this romantic relationship witih cars---a relationship that has gone sour, so it's about time we started a new one."

"I would rather give my money in the pursuit of projects that would benefit the public good than pay for gasoline that would only enrich the Oil Barons of the world. Angelenos have had enough of this romantic relationship witih cars---a relationship that has gone sour, so it's about time we started a new one."

Subway uses electricity to move ... a lot of it. Lucky for us, we use nuclear reactor to produce that humongous electricity that we need. Some countries need to go to the Oil Barons to get their generator moving to get that much needed electricity.

Since were in a roll to built Light Rail In Los Angeles. Way to go Expo & Gold Line extension. I would like to know if anyone has any updates on the proposed Silver & Yellow Line ???? :?

http://www.yellowline.org/

will this help?

Well their def seems to be momentum building as far as light and heavy rail construction is concerned. Don't shoot me, but I'm hoping that with Tony talking up Red line extension it will table the Gold line Pasadena extension. The MTA intentions it seems to me, is to have multiple projects going on at any given time i.e both E. Gold and Expo will be built concurrently. I don't see this slowing down. If Tony can get Arnold's bond money to pay for more mass transit and less freeway expansion all of the top 5 projects could realistically be built in the next 10 - 15 years or sooner with the right funding.
My top 5:
Red Line ext. to SM
Downtown Connector
Silver Line!!
Crenshaw Line
Eastside Red Line ext.
oh.....
405 Line
Green Line to San Pedro and Venice

This is excellent. I hope to see construction photos in the future.

http://www.yellowline.org/

will this help?



It very informative but nothing is concrete? Thankx (Crash2010)!!!!

How do you think the areas around the expo will develop in the future?

How do you think the areas around the expo will develop in the future?


Hopefully they make it into a very nice Ave between Vermont & Arlington. They really need to get rid of all those ugly duplexes and run down shacks.

Assistance please,
Is it true that the Expo Line is "NOT" going to be to be called the Aqua Line???

Anything but Expo line would be better.

Based on the what has happened since the start of the 21st century, is LA currently the US leader in the amount of new rapid transit construction?

Yes! Yes! And more Yes! Although Dallas and Denver are on the ball as well, but those are exclusively light rail systems. LA will optimistically end up with a web of both light and heavy rail (subway) all over the county. And remember LA's project is much much more ambitious. The system is not just attempting to cover Los Angeles the city (465 sq miles) but also Los Angeles the county with 88 cities ( I believe) and thousands of square miles.

...and if only there were a masstransite light switch that could be flicked on and instantly they would all be built. so until then everyone talks about how great that day will be

^^I would think so. Good for LA and the other cities ambitiously expanding their transit.

What kind of development will go up around the expo? I think it will really transform the NE DWNT part of Culver City.