Milestone reached for the Regional Connector Transit project in Los Angeles as the construction of all the trackwork, guideway systems and station platform areas for the Grand Av/Bunker Hill Station have been completed. The entire transit project is now 90 percent complete.
Following this achievement, Metro has begun train and systems testing in preparation for revenue operations, which is anticipated this autumn. Workers will now be concentrating on finishing the station’s plaza concourse and ancillary levels, testing remaining HVAC and fire/life safety systems, and completing station artwork, elevator and escalator installations.
“This is our latest accomplishment as we continue to complete this vital transport project that will better connect the entire L.A. County region to Metro’s rail system,” the Chairman of the Metro Board Hilda Solis said.
The design and construction work on the project are performed under a USD 927.2 million contract awarded in 2014 to the Regional Connector Constructors (RCC), a joint venture cosisting of Skanska USA Civil West California District, and Traylor Brothers.
The Regional Connector Transit project will connect all Metro light rail lines in downtown Los Angeles, saving travel time by eliminating transfers and providing passengers a one-seat ride through the downtown area. Once fully completed and operational, the project is expected to serve 88,000 passengers per day, including 17,000 new passengers and will save commuters up to 20 minutes by reducing the need to transfer for those riding to and through downtown L.A. The project will offer seamless North-South and East-West rail service connecting Long Beach to Azusa and Santa Monica to East Los Angeles.
“To get more Angelenos to ride our Metro rail systems, we need a connected network that gets them where they want to go without unnecessary stops and delays,” Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board member Eric Garcetti said.
The transit project involves a 3 km long underground light-rail extension connecting the A Line (Blue), the E Line (Expo) and the L Line (Gold) in downtown Los Angeles and will include three new stations that include the Little Tokyo/Arts District station, the Historic Broadway station at and the Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill station.