On 1 June a huge extension to the Los Angeles Metro Gold Line got the go ahead when the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) gave funding approval to the tune of US$490.7M. This 9.65km stretch is dubbed the Eastside Light Rail Transit (LRT) and features a short underground section and two underground stations.
The total cost of the scheme is estimated at US$898.8M and will extend the Metro Gold Line from Union Station to Little Tokyo, Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles. A federal Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) was implemented following a 60 day congressional review of the project.
This allowed the CEO of client Metro, Roger Snoble, to sign the construction contract for the project with the contractor Eastside LRT Constructors, which comprises a joint venture of Washington Group International, Obayashi Corporation and Shimmick Construction Company.
The Eastside LRT is designed to serve areas where 20% of the residents use public transport to commute to work, compared to 6.5% for Los Angeles as a whole. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board approved the final environmental reports in February 2002 and the FFGA has marked the end of an intensive study and approval process.
The line will run mainly above ground from downtown to eastside Los Angeles. In Boyle Heights, a 2.74km tunnel will take the track below 1st Street.
Only Boyle and Soto stations will be underground; the remaining six stations will be on surface.
The journey time from the last station in East Los Angeles to Union Station is expected to be approximately 17 minutes.
The Eastside Extension is Metro’s highest priority rail construction project and is expected to be operational in 2009.
