Los Angeles Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension
Los Angeles, California, United States
Client: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Parsons Brinckerhoff Role: Planning, Design and Construction Services
The Eastside Extension of the Los Angeles Metro Gold Line offers the residents of East Los Angeles convenient access to the employment, educational and recreational attractions of downtown Los Angeles. The 6-mile (10-kilometer) extension of the Gold Line light rail extends from Union Station to East Los Angeles and connects with the Metro Red Line and Purple Line subways, offering access to the entire 79-mile (127-kilometer) Metro Rail system. The new line also serves the Little Tokyo and Boyle Heights communities.
Over nearly 20 years, Parsons Brinckerhoff, as the lead member of the Eastside LRT Partners joint venture, provided planning, design and construction engineering services to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) for the Eastside Extension, including six at-grade stations, two underground stations and a 1.7-mile (2.7-kilometer) midsection tunnel through Boyle Heights.
Parsons Brinckerhoff brought several innovations to the project, including recommending the use of pressurized-face tunnel boring machines that resulted in virtually no ground settlement during construction, minimal disruption to the community, and no impact to existing infrastructure or buildings. Another Parsons Brinckerhoff-proposed innovation was the use of double-gasket precast concrete segmental liners to contain gas and water seepage, which saved time and expense.
The project was completed ahead of schedule and within budget in November 2009. The U.S. Transportation Secretary called the project “a model for the nation.”
Ara Najarian, Chair of Metro, added: “The Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension will become the mobility centerpiece to an already vibrant community, as well as benefit the entire region by reducing traffic and air pollution and encouraging business development near and along the alignment.”