The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority on May 27 awarded SSH Joint Venture the construction manager’s contract for the 2.3-mile extension of the A line from Pomona to Claremont, part of a light rail segment in the San Gabriel Valley. The joint venture team consists of Skanska USA Civil West California District Inc., Stacy and Witbeck, Inc. and Herzog Contracting Corp.
Seeking tighter risk allocation and cost control in this second major contract for the project, the authority’s board adopted the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method last year.
If SSH and the Authority negotiate the construction services contract after the 85% design milestone in the fall of 2027, major construction is scheduled to begin later this year and is expected to take approximately four years.
ENR correspondent Greg Aragon interviewed Christopher Burner, the authority’s project manager atnd Planning official, about the next steps.
ENR: What will be some of the biggest challenges of the project?
The most fascinating challenge will be that the project will be built within a shared corridor, approximately 100 feet wide, currently used by Metrolink and freight trains. The two existing commuter and freight rail lines for Metrolink and freight will need to be moved to the southern half of the corridor with minimal disruption to their services in order to make way for the new light rail system.
When completed, the narrow 100-foot right-of-way will narrow into four parallel tracks: two aerial-powered light rail lines and two conventional heavy rail lines.
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How will the CMAR process work in this contract?
Waiting to set the final construction price is a deliberate strategy to eliminate standard infrastructure contingencies. The total construction cost of the project will not be determined until SSH JV provides us with a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) bid, which will occur after the project design is about 85% complete, expected in the fall of 2027. process, including helping to ensure that the design is as efficient and buildable as possible. Also, by providing a GMP bid after 85% design, the unknowns that can cause risk money to be added to the bid price will be reduced or eliminated.
What are some of SSH’s initial responsibilities?
SSH’s contract includes an initial amount of $6.3 million to support Parsons Transportation Group, which provides design and engineering services, through pre-construction activities such as constructability reviews, value engineering, third-party coordination and cost estimating.
What is the first big challenge?
One of the first construction challenges involves relocating and protecting various utilities along the narrow alignment, including electric, gas, communications, sewer and water lines. Ahead of construction, some third-party utilities are already planning their own relocation work.
Although LA Metro already owns most of the rail corridor, smaller acquisitions will be needed to support things like new level crossing equipment. Some larger property acquisitions will also be necessary along the rail corridor through downtown Claremont as the rail corridor narrows to less than 100 feet wide; the current design effort will be critical to understanding the final property acquisitions required.
Is the project fully funded?
While the final construction price is pending, overall financing for the extension is already locked in place. The project secured a $798 million injection from LA Metro through the state’s SB 125 program. This is the entire budget for the project, which includes construction, but also design, all Metro and Construction Authority administrative costs, third-party costs, the purchase of the trains needed for the extension, etc.
What will the lineup look like?
The 2.3-mile extension will travel mostly at grade without tunnels, requiring the reconstruction of four grade crossings. The tracks will also be elevated to cross three main streets on new light rail bridges.
Metro’s new A-line station in Claremont will be built right where the current Metrolink station is, so crews will have to move the Metrolink station a few hundred meters east to make room. A new 539-space parking structure with electric vehicle charging and bicycle parking will serve both transit systems.
Once built, the Metro system will run on the north side of the future shared corridor and the Metrolink system will run on the south side, so the relocated Metrolink station will be located along the relocated system and closer to the parking lot.
