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Post by Gokhan on Sept 10, 2009 0:15:03 GMT -8
I don't know if Malcolm is drilling the shafts there and what size shafts are being drilled. I think the company that drilled the La Brea and La Cienega shafts was different. Here is a blow-up of the drill rig: It doesn't seem to be blue, which Malcolm rigs usually are. If you ever go to an Expo community meeting or just stop by the work area, Malcolm's construction supervisor Rob is very enthusiastic, friendly, and informative.
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 10, 2009 12:40:09 GMT -8
Well, folks, you are now invited to the "very" final meetings of the Expo Line project. These meetings have been going on -- since 1990? And no more meetings thank God! FEIR is now virtually finished and will be discussed at these meetings. The Expo board will approve the FEIR, hence the project, at their board meeting in early January. Then construction will start immediately with utility relocation. Of course, there will be community meetings during the construction, as they are having with Phase 1. I should be at the first meeting held at Vista Del Mar in Cheviot Hills, which is around the corner from where I live. JOIN US FOR A PROGRESS UPDATE ON THE EXPO PHASE 2 FEIRThe Exposition Construction Authority (Expo) invites you to a community meeting to provide an update on the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for Phase 2 of the Expo Line project.
In February, Expo held three Public Hearings to obtain community input and receive comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). Over the past six months, the Phase 2 team has been working with agencies and stakeholders to address issues raised during the DEIR process. This meeting will provide an opportunity to share the latest findings and answer questions before the FEIR is finalized.
Planned Agenda for Community Meetings Open House: 6:00 to 6:30 pm Progress Update Presentation: 6:30 to 7:00 pm Question and Answer Session: 7:00 to 8:30 pm *Please note that there will be a time limit per speaker
The format and information presented at these meetings will be identical, so interested individuals, organizations and public agencies are welcome to attend on any of the following days:Date and Location
Monday, October 5, 2009 Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services, Gymnasium 3200 Motor Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Nolte Hall 11555 National Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90064
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, East Wing Meeting Rm 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401[/b] Click here to view flyer.
For more information please visit the project website at BuildExpo.org or call the Expo Hotline at 213-922-EXPO(3976).
Kind regards,
Gabriela G. Collins
Government/Community Relations Manager Exposition Construction Authority 707 Wilshire Blvd., 34th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90017 Tel. 213-243-5535 Fax 213-243-5553
www.buildexpo.org
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Post by darrell on Sept 10, 2009 13:57:09 GMT -8
Looking back to October 1998, here are two photos of the Exposition right-of-way, the first west of Vermont, the second west of Crenshaw. In the latter you see the mulch and small trees that had recently landscaped the right-of-way - because nothing more than a bike path was expected any time soon.
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 11, 2009 8:42:46 GMT -8
In addition to the La Brea sewer encasement, this is the last remaining utility relocation/improvement for the Expo Line, other than minor work. The Ballona Creek bridge cannot be built before this is completed. It looks like it will only take about a month. By the end of October, most utility work along the line will have been completed, USC trench will have been completed, and we will finally see interesting ballasted-track installation, which will turn the right-of-way into a rail line.
Construction crews will be working to stabilize the existing sewer line at Ballona Creek by performing a pressure grouting process that will include drilling a series of columns to strengthen the area surrounding the sewer line. This work is necessary for the construction of the Ballona aerial overcrossing for the Expo Light Rail Line. The work is being managed and performed by the design-build contractor FCI/Fluor/ Parsons (FFP, a joint venture) and its subcontractors.
What: Mini-Jet grout columns to stabilize sewer line at Ballona Creek When: Monday, September 14, 2009 through Friday, October 23, 2009 Daytime Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Nighttime Hours: 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Crews will work in two shifts for the duration of this construction activity. Where: Exposition Right-of-Way at Ballona Creek between Jefferson Boulevard and National Boulevard
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Post by darrell on Sept 11, 2009 10:40:16 GMT -8
pressure grouting process that will include drilling a series of columns to strengthen the area surrounding the sewer line. You think that's what the drilling rig in your photo is doing?
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 11, 2009 11:50:09 GMT -8
pressure grouting process that will include drilling a series of columns to strengthen the area surrounding the sewer line. You think that's what the drilling rig in your photo is doing? I think so. The story is that this sewer line is one of the oldest sewer lines in LA and in poor condition. The City originally said that they would reinforce it themselves. But then they changed their minds. As a result the Expo Authority had to go back to the contractor and spend quite a bit money to have the work done. I don't think they can even install the CIDH (cast-in-drilled-hole) piles before the reinforcement. The sewer would very likely crack under the load of the Ballona Creek LRT bridge if they didn't do any reinforcement.
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Post by Jason Saunders on Sept 11, 2009 13:04:01 GMT -8
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Post by masonite on Sept 11, 2009 13:36:39 GMT -8
This all but confirms what I believe most everyone already knew that we are looking at until at least 2011 for the full Phase I line to open. As I said before, it would be a good victory if the line to Crenshaw could open next year as Expo Park, Coliseum, and USC would be linked into the system among other areas. Wouldn't it be great to see the line showcased for Coliseum events like SC football in 2010. Also, it won't be so much of a PR hit if at least some of the line is open in 2010. Best to concentrate construction resources on the East end of the line. At least by next year we will have all sections of the line including Phase II in some sort of construction with Phase 1A hopefully in the concluding sections, Phase 1B (west of Crenshaw) in the more mature stages and Phase II in utility relocation or the beginning stages of construction
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 11, 2009 13:42:03 GMT -8
Well, by 2010, they mean December 2010, which is basically 2011 -- and that's to Crenshaw only.
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Post by wad on Sept 12, 2009 4:50:16 GMT -8
Well, by 2010, they mean December 2010, which is basically 2011 -- and that's to Crenshaw only. At this point, just hold off until all of Phase I can be completed. It saves Metro on operating costs, and opening to Crenshaw would not be much of an improvement over Line 740.
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Post by darrell on Sept 12, 2009 16:44:20 GMT -8
Here are three photos this afternoon showing progress on the Flower Street bridge over the Harbor Freeway. The plywood forms for its bottom and sides are complete and bundles of rebar are ready for installation. A detail of the previous photo shows the rebar from the center pier sticking up, three purple rebar ends of the CIDH piles on the north abutment, and the big falsework I-beams on the left that support the smaller I-beams under the plywood. Turning to the right, some rebar for widening the Adams Blvd. bridge and partly supporting the south end of the Flower bridge is in place, and you can see on the far right where the concrete deck of the Adams bridge has been jackhammered to expose its old rebar.
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 12, 2009 20:31:00 GMT -8
I don't usually follow the work north of USC but today I took some pictures there. Here is the 23rd St Station. It's between 23rd St and Adams Blvd: These are my additions to Darrell's very nice pictures of the Flower St bridge. It looks like this bridge will be the first that will be finished along the line. Forms are already ready, with rebar work going on. Note the oblique shape for the LRT guideway. The good news today is that the sewer encasement at La Brea is now finished and they are ready to put falsework across the street. Here is a photo looking east, showing the K rails in the middle of the street, in between which there will be supports for falsework. Here is where the sewer encasement took place. It's now finished and covered. Compare this to my old photo: Here is the west abutment at La Brea, looking east: Here is the La Cienega bridge, looking east and west, respectively. Note the curvature: Sewer reinforcement at Ballona Creek: View of the old Ballona Creek railroad bridge looking west: And here is a teaser photo of a humongous Pacific Electric Red Car I photographed at OERM today. Being bigger and heavier it looked like a monster compared to modern LRVs, especially with the round windows on the front. It's not articulated yet 74-ft-long and almost 15-ft-high, weighing 126,000 lb, a very manly light-rail train indeed. It speaks stay out of my way. Unfortunately they weren't running it today. Coming back to the Expo Line, it looks like the contractor has now got the message and got its act together, after the board approved only half of what they asked for speeding up the project. They know that they are going to lose the contract if they don't get up to significantly more speed. Hence, we are now seeing apparently faster progress at Flower St, La Brea, and La Cienega and in Culver City.
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Post by Jason Saunders on Sept 13, 2009 15:48:41 GMT -8
I took these Sept 11. Portions of horizontal members of the La Brea Grade Seperation have been cast. That's a lot of load on the that falsework. Large sections of wall have been placed around Crenshaw. S.C. Trench Partially assembled falsework along edge of 110 Freeway south of Adams Blvd. Asphalt removed adjacent to existing rail along Flower north of Washington till just south of tunnel. Anyone know why?
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 13, 2009 16:04:37 GMT -8
Thanks for the nice pics, SAUNDERS.
The work on Flower north of Washington is rail booting (putting a U-shaped rubber boot straddling the rail from the bottom and sides, as well as a second boot for the groove for the lip of the wheels). It's being done all the way to the 7th St/Metro Center.
Now that all the utility relocations for La Brea and La Cienega completed and the preparation for falsework done in the middle of these streets, we should see these bridges being built very fast. The only remaining major utility work now is the Ballona sewer reinforcement. There are no other things any more holding the project back, other than Farmdale. Unfortunately the Farmdale CPUC process may take several months now, given that Expo has applied for additional options. We no longer want to see this circus -- the desperate NIMBY attempts to delay the project as much as possible, as if delaying the inevitable does any good for them.
October and November will be interesting months for Expo construction. We may finally see some ballasted track installation, as well as catenary- and overhead-wire installation. Hopefully they want get bogged down by the winter rains though.
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 14, 2009 12:33:46 GMT -8
Here is an Expo Phase 2 development. Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles, a private high school, just opened today immediately adjacent to the Expo Line tracks. It's at Vinton and Motor Avenues. Note the colored panels on the front for the French flag. This is the oldest tree in Palms, therefore probably the entire Westside, Palms being the oldest settlement on the Westside. Note the driveway going behind the high school. The Palms Depot was immediately behind the corner of the storage building there, up the driveway and just to the right. Of course, back then, there were different buildings. The storage facility was the Great Depot Grounds. Incidentally this location is where I currently live in Palms. Immediately behind the high school are the railroad tracks and then the Santa Monica freeway. Here is a parcel map for Palms Depot. Here is a shot on the railroad right-of-way, behind the high school. The freeway is on the left. It's strategically taken from the same position as Alan Week's historical photo. Compare it to Alan Week's historical 1953 photo with Palms Depot in the view. Note that the low-lying building with the gray roof with its entrance on National Blvd, Great Depot Grounds, was torn down a few years ago and the beige storage facility took its place. Before the storage facility, this building was being used as a used-furniture store, and there was a trapped box car on the spur behind the building, which was scrapped when they built the storage facility. Before the high school, there was the West LA Recycling Facility at its location, and various other industrial establishments before that. Another photo strategically taken from the same location as Alan's other 1953 photo, from in front of where Palms Depot was. Note that Palms Depot is now in Heritage Square Museum. Compare it to Alan's photo: Note that in Alan's photo, tracks curve north. This is because when the freeway was built, the tracks were realigned there and now go under the freeway past Motor Ave. Originally they crossed Motor Ave at the location of the freeway. The new and old rights-of-way merge together once past the freeway tunnel. Heading toward the Motor Ave bridge. Further heading toward the Motor Ave bridge. The Motor Ave bridge. View from the Motor Ave bridge. The easement next to the freeway on the west side of Motor is where the Expo bike path is going to be. The old bridge used to be immediately south of this easement, near the northern edge of the freeway. Note Vista Del Mar on the right side, where the October 5 Expo FEIR meeting will take place. Compare it to this photo, with the old Motor Ave bridge. Note Vista Del Mar in the old photo. Two other photos of the old Motor Ave bridge. The name for this stop at Motor Ave was Winship. The stop at Vinton Ave, one block east, was Palms. The stop at Palms and National, a few blocks further east was Winslow. Then there was a stop at Bagley called Reed. The stop at the location of the Venice/Robertson Station was called Ivy, and the Culver Junction was called the Ivy Junction.
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Post by Jason Saunders on Sept 14, 2009 14:17:17 GMT -8
Gokhan said "Another photo strategically taken from the same location as Alan's other 1953 photo, from in front of where Palms Depot was. Note that Palms Depot is now in Heritage Square Museum. " The building looses so much of it's historical context, sense of place, and utility as a historical learning tool separate from the rail alignment it was built for. It would be nice if the Palms Depot could be returned to it's original or near it's original setting as a historical monument and converted into a small Santa Monica Airline / Pacific Electric museum. The site would be a great location for a side spur with a Pacific Electric car stationed there. The museum could inform tens of thousands of Expo riders about Los Angeles's great rail history and be a nice addition to the new Palms station. From Heritage Square website: "The cluster of low hills that laid about midway between Los Angeles and Santa Monica at first prevented the construction of a railroad line between the two cities. However by 1887, a new train depot stood overlooking a newly laid out grid of streets from the new subdivision called the Palms. This town was the only sign of urbanization between Los Angeles and the sea. A few years later Palms Depot soon became part of the Southern Pacific rail system, and then in 1908 became electrified. The Palms Depot provided passenger and freight service until 1933 when the agency was transferred to Culver Junction, a mile to the east. "The Big Red (trolley) Cars" continued to stop at Palms until the line was discontinued in 1953. The station also served as a backdrop for many films, including shorts by Laurel and Hardy and The Little Rascals, and served for a time as a Boy Scout clubhouse. The Palms Depot was declared an historical monument in 1963; nevertheless, it fell into disrepair and was finally condemned. In 1975, S.O.S. (Save Our Station), a grass roots organization, succeeded in moving the depot to the museum, thus saving it from demolition. The exterior and interior have been restored to their original Eastlake style. Today the depot serves as the Museum's Visitor Center and Store. Tours begin on the station platform. "
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Post by John Ryan on Sept 14, 2009 22:34:40 GMT -8
Another delay pushes Expo Line opening to late 2011
Though the Expo Line light-rail system from downtown Los Angeles to Culver City is about half finished, construction problems have pushed back completion of the project by another six weeks to almost a year. Expo officials said they had planned to open the 8.6-mile line in 2010, but parts of the route would not be completed until the latter part of 2011. Earlier this year, the estimated delay was 44 weeks, a figure that has been revised to 50 weeks in a September report to the Expo Line Construction Authority board. fficials attribute the additional six weeks of delay to the late completion of a bridge at National Boulevard, which set back construction of a bridge at Ballona Creek. Expo Chief Executive Richard Thorpe said there also have been complications involving sewer lines where the route crosses Jefferson Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. The bulk of the delay has been attributed to the addition of a third aerial station that eliminated the need for an interim station and a controversy over pedestrian safety at Dorsey High School and the Foshay Learning Center. The California Public Utilities Commission eventually required improvements to a pedestrian tunnel at Foshay and a pedestrian bridge at Dorsey. Thorpe said further delays have been caused by problems trying to lower power lines at La Brea and La Cienega Boulevard. Rest of article: www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-delay15-2009sep15,0,2793789.story
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Post by metrocenter on Sept 15, 2009 8:18:59 GMT -8
The part about skipping the 'interim' station in Culver City and instead building it as a permanent aerial station is important. Remember, originally the Phase I terminus was originally going to be at-grade until Phase II was built.
This is not to make light of a 50-week delay. But at least we're getting a proper aerial station out of the deal.
Hopefully Phase II construction will be relatively independent of Phase I, so that Phase II will not be delayed by this.
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 15, 2009 10:52:58 GMT -8
The local-jobs program that capped the number of workers to perhaps half that is needed, poor construction management by the contractor, and the greedy and manipulative contractor is the reason behind the delays, not DWP.
Expect opening to Crenshaw in December 2010, to La Cienega in Summer 2011, to Venice/Robertson in December 2011 or hopefully earlier, concurrent with La Cienega. Phase 2 is totally independent of Phase 1 and it should be smoother, and it will hopefully open to 4th St in 2014.
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Post by John Ryan on Sept 15, 2009 11:10:50 GMT -8
I certainly hope so. I am curious, why do you think that Phase II will be easier--less utility relocation? less grade separation/bridges? more support (outside of Cheviot Hills?)
I am worried about the Cheviot Hills Homeowner's Association and other like minded groups causing trouble over the Overland crossing, parking at Westwood, and the Sepulveda crossing. What could they do to delay the process? At the hearings there were threats of lawsuit...do those threats hold any weight?
Also, is the Palms station really going to be placed between the Lycee/public storage and the freeway? Wouldn't a better location be on Motor?
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Post by losangeles2319 on Sept 15, 2009 11:24:37 GMT -8
You know even if the whole of phase one doesn't open until 2011 im not to phased. Two lines in two years. Its pretty good IMO
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 15, 2009 11:31:24 GMT -8
I certainly hope so. I am curious, why do you think that Phase II will be easier--less utility relocation? less grade separation/bridges? more support (outside of Cheviot Hills?) I am worried about the Cheviot Hills Homeowner's Association and other like minded groups causing trouble over the Overland crossing, parking at Westwood, and the Sepulveda crossing. What could they do to delay the process? At the hearings there were threats of lawsuit...do those threats hold any weight? Also, is the Palms station really going to be placed between the Lycee/public storage and the freeway? Wouldn't a better location be on Motor? Basically because of lessons learned from Phase 1. They will have a completely different design - build process now. The design will be entirely done by the design - builder, instead of copying the preliminary engineering done by DMJM/Harris - AECOM from the FEIR, which will give more flexibility. They will also be more careful with the contractor selection. They will especially be careful with the CPUC this time. They have been sitting with them and discussing the crossings and there is agreement between LADOT, CPUC, and Expo. Also CPUC itself has learned lessons from Phase 1. NFSR might sue after the adoption of FEIR. They will not get anywhere and just waste the money they have been collecting. If they don't, it's better for them as well so that they don't waste money and their time. Expo is working with the affected neighborhood on parking and tree removal on Westwood, collecting opinions and looking for the optimal solution. Coordination of the project with Casden Properties is the only potential source of delay I can think of. Casden hasn't finished their EIR for Exposition/Sepulveda (cement plan) and it's not certain what they are going to build or if it's going to be built. If they ask for a driveway on Exposition, that requires grade separation and they would have to pay the cost difference of $13 million between at-grade and elevated. The initial locally preferred alternative will be at-grade; so, Casden should make their offer soon in order not to delay the light-rail project. In fact, when I first found out about this, I criticized the Expo executives for not learning lessons from Venice/Robertson (putting the elevated station as an option if funds are identified, which delayed the project substantially). Motor was the station location during the very initial study known as major-investment study (MIS). It's hard to fit a station there, since the right-of-way is very narrow because of freeway realignment. Also, Motor Ave is a little bit hard to access. I had suggested midway between Palms/National and Motor and midway between Overland and Westwood as a compromise. They picked just east of Westwood and just west of Palms and National. I think this is good for bus transfers and still doesn't make access to Motor or Overland too difficult. It would be nice if there was access to the west end of the platform as well at the Palms/National Station, but this is difficult with the center-platform arrangement. Ideally I would also like the bike path on the right-of-way. But they aren't doing that and there will be storage tracks behind the storage facility. Bike path on the right-of-way would require bike bridges and that's something they aren't investing in.
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Post by Jason Saunders on Sept 15, 2009 12:07:40 GMT -8
(revised about half hour after I posted this first time)
I'm really glad L.A. Times picked up the story about the Expo Light Rail line being behind schedule. I think however the story could use a lot more depth. Maybe I'm a little naive but I can't help but believe something is off.
I can say,that blaming the bulk of delay on the Venice/Robertson station is bull. The authority board/staff knew the Venice Robertson station was going to add time. The official completion date should have been adjusted.(wasn't it?) Mr. Thorpe's quote made it sound like something completely new and unexpected was plopped in his lap and he wasn't allowed to adjust the schedule or plan for it which of course is not true.
Second, a budget increase was a lotted for this station when it was added to phase one. I remember distinctly millions of dollars were added to include this station as a part of phase 1 last year. I drive/ride/walk by this area three times a week and I rarely see any activity there. They are simply devoting very little manpower to this station. I understand they're considering opening a shorter segment to Crenshaw and thus are concentrating on the east end but you can't blame the delay on a station your not working on and that the schedule should have been adjusted for.
In 2006 we were looking at a fall/winter 2009 completion with an opening in early 2010. At some point the schedule was pushed to 2011.(Perhaps for Venice/Robertson station?) They are admittedly a year behind the 2011 revised date. Mr. Thorpe's memo to the Expo board posted on buildexpo.org talked of a 2012 completion unless there was additional funding to accelerate the schedule and hire another drill team. By my math that is a full 3 years behind schedule, not 1.
Then there are the cost increases. Yes, they are technically "on budget" but that's only because they have revised it several times. The construction contract was for $420 million in 2006. The current budget is $862.3 million. Did only one additional aerial station and two ped crossings more then double the budget? I know a few years ago the price of steel, concrete and fuel had grown tremendously but they've all come back down to earth. In addition the Expo Authority has dropped the bikeway/path from the project to be built by a unnamed future agency. This too should have lowered the price.
I'm sure I'm missing a bunch of important facts but on the "surface" it seems things are not quite right.
I look forward to reading everyone's reply to this. I'm sure you guys have information that I've forgotten about or just wasn't aware of.
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Post by Justin Walker on Sept 15, 2009 12:21:13 GMT -8
Construction mini-update from my end of the world: Several plinth pads (i.e. the raised concrete pads the rail is fastened to) have been cast and a short section of rail has been permanently fixed in the Flower-Expo trench. (I may have better pictures later):
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Post by kenalpern on Sept 15, 2009 15:38:30 GMT -8
I agree with most, if not all, of Saunders' sentiments. Inasmuch as we have an Expo Construction Authority to expedite the line, it doesn't look like the Authority had the foresight and smarts to really expedite it like we thought it would.
Certainly, the Farmdale/Dorsey lawsuits were a surprise, but I don't understand why the DWP and the contractors weren't more aggressively dealt with years earlier than they were.
Perhaps I'm speaking out of ignorance, and perhaps Metro could have done no better had there been no Authority...but right now I'm not too impressed with the Authority's track record (and, ultimately, it was their job to make sure this didn't happen).
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 15, 2009 16:31:56 GMT -8
(revised about half hour after I posted this first time) I'm really glad L.A. Times picked up the story about the Expo Light Rail line being behind schedule. I think however the story could use a lot more depth. Maybe I'm a little naive but I can't help but believe something is off. I can say,that blaming the bulk of delay on the Venice/Robertson station is bull. The authority board/staff knew the Venice Robertson station was going to add time. The official completion date should have been adjusted.(wasn't it?) Mr. Thorpe's quote made it sound like something completely new and unexpected was plopped in his lap and he wasn't allowed to adjust the schedule or plan for it which of course is not true. Second, a budget increase was a lotted for this station when it was added to phase one. I remember distinctly millions of dollars were added to include this station as a part of phase 1 last year. I drive/ride/walk by this area three times a week and I rarely see any activity there. They are simply devoting very little manpower to this station. I understand they're considering opening a shorter segment to Crenshaw and thus are concentrating on the east end but you can't blame the delay on a station your not working on and that the schedule should have been adjusted for. In 2006 we were looking at a fall/winter 2009 completion with an opening in early 2010. At some point the schedule was pushed to 2011.(Perhaps for Venice/Robertson station?) They are admittedly a year behind the 2011 revised date. Mr. Thorpe's memo to the Expo board posted on buildexpo.org talked of a 2012 completion unless there was additional funding to accelerate the schedule and hire another drill team. By my math that is a full 3 years behind schedule, not 1. Then there are the cost increases. Yes, they are technically "on budget" but that's only because they have revised it several times. The construction contract was for $420 million in 2006. The current budget is $862.3 million. Did only one additional aerial station and two ped crossings more then double the budget? I know a few years ago the price of steel, concrete and fuel had grown tremendously but they've all come back down to earth. In addition the Expo Authority has dropped the bikeway/path from the project to be built by a unnamed future agency. This too should have lowered the price. I'm sure I'm missing a bunch of important facts but on the "surface" it seems things are not quite right. I look forward to reading everyone's reply to this. I'm sure you guys have information that I've forgotten about or just wasn't aware of. There was never a schedule for Venice/Robertson. The completion date for Venice/Robertson has always been and still is up in the air. The 2010 completion date was for the at-grade Washington/National Station. The construction contract ($420 M) is only about half of the total cost of the project. The remainder is many many other things, including the purchase of LRVs, which cost $3 million a piece, purchase of property, services, salaries, etc. There is a breakdown that shows where the $440 M of nonconstruction expenses go to but I don't have it in front of me. When the project got started, the construction couldn't start immediately because it's design - build. That is the first years went into design, not build. I think the 50-week delay estimate, and the Summer 2011 completion to La Cienega is honest. Since we've never had a schedule for Venice/Robertson, we can't really talk about a delay for that. So, Phase 1 should be finished in Summer 2011, and Phase 1.5 --Venice/Robertson -- perhaps late 2011.
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 15, 2009 16:39:11 GMT -8
Construction mini-update from my end of the world: Several plinth pads (i.e. the raised concrete pads the rail is fastened to) have been cast and a short section of rail has been permanently fixed in the Flower-Expo trench. (I may have better pictures later): Very nice! I wonder if the concrete tie slabs are precast. I also wonder if the bolts that go through the rail clamps with rubber insulation under them also anchor the ties on the concrete invert slab of the trench. It's interesting that they used longitudinal ties/slabs instead of transverse ones. I would like to find out if they are precast or cast-in-place and how they are secured on the invert. Wikipedia on ballastless track
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Post by Justin Walker on Sept 15, 2009 18:03:40 GMT -8
Several plinth pads (i.e. the raised concrete pads the rail is fastened to) have been cast and a short section of rail has been permanently fixed in the Flower-Expo trench. (I may have better pictures later): It's interesting that they used longitudinal ties/slabs instead of transverse ones. I would like to find out if they are precast or cast-in-place and how they are secured on the invert. Plinth pads are generally the standard for underground rail lines (I was surprised to see the Eastside Gold Line didn't use plinth pads) and they fill the role of ballast, setting the track in its final vertical alignment and superelevation. Blue and Red Line examples below: I wonder if the concrete tie slabs are precast. I also wonder if the bolts that go through the rail clamps with rubber insulation under them also anchor the ties on the concrete invert slab of the trench. The plinth pads were cast-in-place and judging from the following Red Line diagram, I don't believe the bolt goes through to the invert slab.
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Post by Jason Saunders on Sept 15, 2009 21:01:17 GMT -8
Thanks Gokhan, I appreciate your knowledge. There was never a schedule for Venice/Robertson. The completion date for Venice/Robertson has always been and still is up in the air. The 2010 completion date was for the at-grade Washington/National Station. www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-delay15-2009sep15,0,2793789.story The article states: "The bulk of the delay has been attributed to the addition of a third aerial station that eliminated the need for an interim station and a controversy over pedestrian safety at Dorsey High School and the Foshay Learning Center." Mr. Thorpe, staff or the author is saying that Venice/Robertson is being counted as a part of the timeline. The construction contract ($420 M) is only about half of the total cost of the project. The remainder is many many other things, including the purchase of LRVs, which cost $3 million a piece, purchase of property, services, salaries, etc. There is a breakdown that shows where the $440 M of nonconstruction expenses go to but I don't have it in front of me. I would be very interested in knowing how much the budget has increased and what the extra 51% is for. I'm pretty sure the overall budget was not $832 in 2006 when the, then three year contract, was awarded. I think the 50-week delay estimate, and the Summer 2011 completion to La Cienega is honest. Since we've never had a schedule for Venice/Robertson, we can't really talk about a delay for that. So, Phase 1 should be finished in Summer 2011, and Phase 1.5 --Venice/Robertson -- perhaps late 2011. ....with additional funding to accelerate construction, else late 2012. with respect, (BTW: I'm not trying to be negative on Expo. I am genuinely interested in understanding what's going on with my favorite rail project.)
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Post by Gokhan on Sept 15, 2009 21:41:04 GMT -8
I have modified this post.
It looks like the original price tag was $640 M for Washington/National and $670 M for Venice/Robertson. So, it went up by $200 million because of claims of inflation in steel and concrete, which I find hard to believe, given that steel and concrete is usually a small part of the cost, about a few million dollars for a bridge.
I don't have in front of me the budget breakdown of how $860 million goes into various things, other than the cost of construction itself. Darrell might have it handy.
It's a little frustrating how the cost of these projects is out of control and we have little auditing on what's going on. Then they cut important betterments such as better bike paths, which cost only a few million dollars. On top of that the contractor keeps delaying the project.
Here is a thought: Could it be that the contractor is deliberately delaying the project so that when they are audited, they have a way of justifying the additional $200 million in cost (through inflation and other overheads etc.)? I'm sorry but I've lost my faith in these guys.
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