The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) in the US has awarded a $1.6bn contract to a joint venture comprising Skanska, Traylor Bros and J F Shea for the construction of Metro Purple Line extension.

The contract covers the design and construction of a 3.9-mile long extension of the Metro Purple Line subway from Wilshire and Western to Wilshire and La Cienega, where new stations will be constructed.

The contract also includes the installation of train control and signals, communications, traction power supply and distribution, as well as new fare collection systems on the existing Metro Rail system.

Construction work will begin later this year and it is expected to be completed in October 2024.

Phase I of the project is being funded by federal grants and low-interest loans, funds from Measure R and the City of Los Angeles, as well as other existing local and federal funds.

Two other contracts will also be awarded to extend the Purple Line subway westward for approximately nine miles with a total of seven new stations.

“Construction work will begin later this year and it is expected to be completed in October 2024.”

Skanska is currently building the extension of the Expo light rail project from Culver City to Santa Monica, which is scheduled to open in early 2016, while Skanska and Traylor Bros are building a 1.9-mile underground light rail project in downtown Los Angeles that will connect the Metro Blue, Gold and Expo lines.

Shea is part of a joint venture building the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, which will connect the Metro Expo and Green light rail lines in the Crenshaw and Inglewood corridors.

Shea and Traylor have worked on the Los Angeles north-east interceptor sewer tunnel.

Source: www.railway-technology.com,

8 July 2014