Next week’s Greenbuild Conference & Expo in Los Angeles will include its first-ever program specifically for an infrastructure project, the Expo Light Rail Phase 2, which completes the public transit connection between L.A. and Santa Monica, Calif.
The 6.6-mile project is an extension of the existing 80-station Metro Rail system across L.A. County. The extension adds seven at-grade stations between Culver City and Santa Monica.
Phase 2 has been designed to minimize their environmental impact. This is the first transit project—and, at more than $700 million, the largest project at contract value—to achieve Envision Platinum certification from the Institute of Sustainable Infrastructure.
Administered by ISI, Envision consists of a broad range of criteria that address a project’s impact on the surrounding community and environment, technical considerations regarding materials and processes, and other critical choices spanning the project’s lifecycle.
A joint venture between Skanska and Steve P. Rados Construction started this project in 2012. The extension opened on May 20, 2016. The rail line now connects the city of Los Angeles to its beaches in approximately 46 minutes. The system also integrates with other means of transit, such as buses and nearly five miles of parallel bike paths.
Skanska USA Civil has committed that, by 2020, all of its projects will seek Envision certification.
Greenbuild attendees will be able to tour the project at 8 a.m. on Monday, October 3.
The total cost of Expo Light Rail Phase 2 was $1.6 billion, funded in large part by Measure R, passed in 2008, a 30-year, half-cent sales tax increase that kickstarted a public transit construction boom. When the Metro’s Regional Connector subway is completed, around 2021, Expo will link East Los Angeles to downtown Santa Monica.
Related Stories
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Construction Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Structure Tone, Turner, and Gilbane top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction contractor and construction management firms in the U.S.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Engineering Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, URS, and Wiss, Janney, Elstner top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Stantec, HDR, and HOK top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
| Jul 23, 2014
Architecture Billings Index up nearly a point in June
AIA reported the June ABI score was 53.5, up from a mark of 52.6 in May.
| Jul 21, 2014
Economists ponder uneven recovery, weigh benefits of big infrastructure [2014 Giants 300 Report]
According to expert forecasters, multifamily projects, the Panama Canal expansion, and the petroleum industry’s “shale gale” could be saving graces for commercial AEC firms seeking growth opportunities in an economy that’s provided its share of recent disappointments.
| Jul 18, 2014
Contractors warm up to new technologies, invent new management schemes [2014 Giants 300 Report]
“UAV.” “LATISTA.” “CMST.” If BD+C Giants 300 contractors have anything to say about it, these new terms may someday be as well known as “BIM” or “LEED.” Here’s a sampling of what Giant GCs and CMs are doing by way of technological and managerial innovation.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Construction Management Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, Barton Malow, Hill International top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest construction management and project management firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Contractors [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Turner, Whiting-Turner, Skanska top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest contractors in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Engineering firms look to bolster growth through new services, technology [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Following solid revenue growth in 2013, the majority of U.S.-based engineering and engineering/architecture firms expect more of the same this year, according to BD+C’s 2014 Giants 300 report.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Engineering/Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, AECOM, Parsons Brinckerhoff top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest engineering/architecture firms in the United States.