The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has broken ground on Section 2 of the Metro Purple Line Extension Project that will add 4.2km of new subway service to downtown Beverly Hills and Century City.
Metro has begun moving underground water, gas, power and telecommunications lines to make way for future subway construction. Major construction activities are slated to begin this spring when work crews create a launch area for a TBM at the planned Century City/Constellation Station. Major work at the planned Wilshire/Rodeo Station in Beverly Hills is expected to begin at the end of this year or early 2019.
“Angelenos deserve a world-class transportation system that takes the burden off their commutes, connects people with our countless sights and attractions and makes Los Angeles a more accessible and sustainable City,” said L.A. Mayor Garcetti, who serves as Metro Board Chair. “Today’s groundbreaking is a clear indication that this project to link Downtown L.A. to our region’s second-largest job center is on time and on budget.”
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Metro has already begun construction of the first 6.4km long section of subway between Wilshire/Western in Koreatown and Wilshire/La Cienega in Beverly Hills. This initial section is now 30 percent complete and is scheduled to open in 2023. Section 2 is scheduled for completion in 2025 and the third and final section from Century City to Westwood/VA Hospital is planned to open in 2026, two years prior to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Los Angeles laid out a bold vision for its future, and today’s groundbreaking marks a significant step in making that a reality,” said U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. “As we begin construction on the second phase, I remain committed to working with our local leaders and the federal government to complete the Purple Line Extension on time.”
The entire Purple Line Extension project is based on a three-phase construction schedule, which is expected to include $3.6bn in federal grants. Metro has established a $2.53bn budget for Section 2, including $1.5bn from a federal grant and loan. County sales tax proceeds from 2008’s Measure R and 2016’s Measure M voter-approved transportation measures are providing critically needed local funding to match the federal contributions and accelerate construction work.
A contractor to build Section 2 has already been selected. Metro has awarded a $1.37bn construction contract to Tutor Perini O&G, a Joint Venture, to build the second subway section.
“We now have the funding and the contractor in place to build Section 2 of this massive transit project that will greatly improve mobility for the whole L.A. region,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. “This project, along with the buildout of the final section, Purple Line Section 3, and coupled with our three additional transit lines now under construction, will create new transportation choices for our customers and move us closer to our goal of becoming the best transit system in America.”
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