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Post by Gokhan on Apr 29, 2011 13:31:26 GMT -8
Hey Gokhan, how far west did the Expo test train make it during testing? Any word on continuation of testing? They did go at least as far as Crenshaw during the two days of testing. After two days, testing stopped and there was no testing as of early this week. I haven't checked it in the last few days though and it may have restarted. There is a lot of electrical work currently testing place; therefore, they can't test much. Also, the crossing gates and signals aren't completed yet for testing without flagsmen. After the substantial completion on June 15, full testing will begin. |
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Post by Gokhan on Apr 29, 2011 13:36:59 GMT -8
At this very moment, they are installing station art at Expo Park/USC, just in time for the Festival of Books. I didn't have my real camera with me; therefore, the pictures were taken with my cell phone:    Tents are set up throughout Trousdale Parkway and in Alumni Park. There is a stage in the middle of the campus. |
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Post by James Fujita on Apr 29, 2011 14:39:02 GMT -8
I love those "Expo Park/ USC" station signs.  Especially because that's the first picture I've seen which officially shows the blue-green aqua color dots on a sign. Nothing says "Metro Rail has arrived in a neighborhood" than a good station sign acknowledging the name. |
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Post by metrocenter on May 2, 2011 5:54:30 GMT -8
Saturday was a beautiful day to visit USC for the Festival of Books. Would've been great to take Expo to/from the festival, though. I snapped lots of pictures, but the only ones showing anything new happening were of the artwork being installed at Expo/Vermont.    |
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K 22
Full Member
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Post by K 22 on May 2, 2011 7:14:40 GMT -8
This one is so very great. All that's missing are some people and/or the train itself. I guess they're putting the "Expo" on the in-station signage only. |
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Post by metrocenter on May 2, 2011 9:45:20 GMT -8
The Source posted an even better picture, this of the panel/sign at Expo Park/USC station:  I really hope the contractors speed up their work on the Flower Street stations. These two stations (23rd Street and Jefferson/USC) have consistently lagged behind those on Exposition Boulevard, in terms of completeness. In particular, 23rd Street looks like it's at least three months behind Expo Park/USC. |
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Post by Alexis Kasperavičius on May 2, 2011 11:31:19 GMT -8
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Post by metrocenter on May 2, 2011 16:00:46 GMT -8
Big Expo Phase 1 News ( link to agenda item) Pending approval by the Board, the Expo Authority has chosen Balfour Beatty to complete the following critical items for Expo Phase 1: - Farmdale station
- Culver City station
- Storage facility
This decision was based on the Authority's inability to get bids from FFP for these work items within budgeted amounts. The Authority decided to go with the joint venture BBII/BBRI (Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc/Balfour Beatty Rail Inc) to complete these project work items because the costs proposed by FFP "exceeded the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority’s (Authority) engineering estimates, and no satisfactory agreements regarding price and work schedules could be reached."
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Post by Gokhan on May 2, 2011 16:09:23 GMT -8
Pending approval by the Board, the Expo Authority has chosen Balfour Beatty to complete the following critical items on Expo Phase 1: - Farmdale station
- Culver City station
- Storage facility
This decision was based on the Authority's inability to get bids from FFP for these work items within budgeted amounts. Ah, you posted this just before I did. This is great news indeed. Farmdale, Culver City Station, and storage facility are the only remaining elements of Phase 1 and with FFP they wouldn't be finished before 2013 and they would cost three times as much as they should. Both the Balfour Beatty Rail (BBR) and Infrastructure (BBI) are highly competent in technical expertise as well as price and we should have the remaining elements finished by the BBI/BBR joint venture in no time at little cost. This also means that they will demolish the pink-painted Expo Inn at Farmdale soon. |
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Post by metrocenter on May 2, 2011 16:14:17 GMT -8
This is a big relief, because given the looming revenue date in November (and Culver City next spring), these work items were not progressing as I would have hoped.
Of the three major pieces listed, completing the Culver City station and area is the most critical. They still need to install track, power and comm lines, plus build two parking structures.
Thankfully, Expo Phase 2 will be design-built by Skanska/Rados: hopefully they won't be as big a pain in the "neck" as FFP has been.
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Post by roadtrainer on May 2, 2011 20:43:55 GMT -8
Where can I get me a t-ee shirt that says "I love Balfour-Beatty", I think everyone who loves this great rail contractor should wear one!  |
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Post by metrocenter on May 3, 2011 7:56:13 GMT -8
Per the agenda item, the Authority is going with "design-bid-build" for these three items. And it hired Patterson and Associates last November to do the design. Now they are taking bids from Balfour Beatty, after failing to come to terms with FFP.
So this most likely means that the design for the three items is complete, and all there is left to do for each item is finish the bid process and build.
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Post by Gokhan on May 3, 2011 9:19:36 GMT -8
Per the agenda item, the Authority is going with "design-bid-build" for these three items. And it hired Patterson and Associates last November to do the design. Now they are taking bids from Balfour Beatty, after failing to come to terms with FFP. So this most likely means that the design for the three items is complete, and all there is left to do for each item is finish the bid process and build. Yes, this is traditional design - bid - build, with the design already completed. But there is actually no bidding. They are using a sole-source approach instead, with the BBI/BBR joint venture being the sole source. They are in the process of negotiating the price with this sole source, having skipped the bidding process, which means getting the price from two or more companies. |
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Post by Gokhan on May 3, 2011 12:04:09 GMT -8
They were preparing to film a movie near Hayden Avenue. Perhaps they are already making use of the new Expo tracks? Landscaping is starting to look really good. Beautiful flowers are being planted. Pedestrian gates are now appearing. More signs are being placed at crossings, such as this light-rail "Look both ways" sign at 7th Ave:  Station art is looking really good. With the art in place, stations are now looking really sleek. Expo/Western:   Expo/Vermont:   |
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Post by jamesinclair on May 3, 2011 20:04:25 GMT -8
The location of the art caught me off guard. I always thought those would be station signage.
Metro Expo Line
To Santa Monica
Also, in the last picture....is that an ADA violation? The new "train" flashing sign and pole blocks pedestrian access to the beginning of the handrail.
Did nobody teach metro that putting poles in the pedestrian right of way is not only uncool, but sometimes illegal?
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Post by metrocenter on May 4, 2011 5:41:41 GMT -8
^^ Good point. And even if it isn't a legal violation it still seems like bad design.
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Post by Gokhan on May 5, 2011 12:08:49 GMT -8
Per the agenda item, the Authority is going with "design-bid-build" for these three items. And it hired Patterson and Associates last November to do the design. Now they are taking bids from Balfour Beatty, after failing to come to terms with FFP. So this most likely means that the design for the three items is complete, and all there is left to do for each item is finish the bid process and build. Yes, this is traditional design - bid - build, with the design already completed. But there is actually no bidding. They are using a sole-source approach instead, with the BBI/BBR joint venture being the sole source. They are in the process of negotiating the price with this sole source, having skipped the bidding process, which means getting the price from two or more companies. Negotiations with BBI/BBR are now completed and they have agreed on $3.9 million. (Authority's price was $2.4 million and the contractor's price was $5.6 million.) The work on Farmdale/Culver City/storage facility should now start in no time. |
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Post by metrocenter on May 5, 2011 12:21:52 GMT -8
Thumbs up! The Expo Authority board meeting is in an hour, approval should just be a formality.
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Post by Gokhan on May 5, 2011 14:49:11 GMT -8
BREAKING NEWS -- Expo Phase 1 completion of construction delayed for at least more than two months, opening might be delayed to 2012Today FCI/Fluor/Parsons sent a notice to Expo Authority stating that the projected substantial completion was delayed more than two months to August 23, 2011. Delaying of the substantial completion by more than two months now makes a November opening for the Expo Line less likely. If everything goes very well and if the testing is sped up, it might still be possible to open the line to La Cienega in November, but given the history of new delays appearing on almost a monthly basis and likelyhood of encountering some problems during testing, it's now very optimistic for the Expo Line to open in November. Since the Culver City Station is being built by a different contractor (Balfour Beatty Infrastructure and Balfour Beatty Rail) and it's ahead of schedule, it's now a possibility that it might be more practical to open the line to Culver City as a whole, instead of having two openings within a month or two. This was discussed during the board meeting. Personally this was no surprise to me. The line is far from being complete and there was no way they could finish the work within a month from now, especially given their pace. Project-status presentation, which discusses the new Expo Line delays announced by the contractor today, starts at 13:40: Expo board-meeting audio -- 2011/05/05
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Post by metrocenter on May 5, 2011 14:58:58 GMT -8
Thanks for posting this Gokhan.
Evidence of the delays are all over the place, but nowhere as clear as at 23rd Street station. Frankly I would be shocked to see that station completed five weeks from now. Even August seems optimistic to me.
Almost makes me think FFP is intentionally dragging their feet on things.
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Post by metrocenter on May 5, 2011 15:08:33 GMT -8
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Post by John Ryan on May 5, 2011 15:24:53 GMT -8
Very disappointing. Can they levy any fines for these delays?
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Post by metrocenter on May 5, 2011 15:28:44 GMT -8
Keep in mind, the agreed-to substantial completion date was June 15. On the recording we hear from Mr. Thorpe that after one month past this date (July 15), Expo is allowed to begin collecting $30,000 from FFP for each day of delay. He said that this levying of fines would almost certainly be challenged by the contractor, and if not resolved, this could lead to litigation.
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Post by Gokhan on May 5, 2011 15:37:45 GMT -8
, which was crucial for a timely opening to Culver City. |
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Post by mattapoisett on May 5, 2011 17:01:06 GMT -8
So what's Left to do? Is there an Official List? BREAKING NEWS -- Expo Phase 1 completion of construction delayed for at least two months, opening might be delayed to 2012Personally this was no surprise to me. The line is far from being complete and there was no way they could finish the work within a month from now, especially given their pace. |
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Post by LAofAnaheim on May 5, 2011 17:01:38 GMT -8
Great......another LA Weekly story coming up soon?
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Post by Gokhan on May 5, 2011 17:16:27 GMT -8
So what's Left to do? Is there an Official List? Many little things. Aerial-station plazas are still far from being completed. There is a lot of electrical work that needs to be done. Traffic signals and crossing gates aren't installed yet. Train control circuits aren't put in yet. Bike lanes still have to appear. And a lot of little things remain throughout the line, including unfinished utility relocations. metrocenter also pointed out that the stations on Flower are lagging behind. |
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Post by bluelineshawn on May 5, 2011 17:41:58 GMT -8
Well that sucks.
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Post by Gokhan on May 5, 2011 18:37:41 GMT -8
If the line could open to Culver City in January or February, it will be great and no one will care that the Expo Line was delayed for a couple of months or so and couldn't make it to the UCLA game. Of course, if Culver City opening is also delayed, then it's another story. That's what Expo should concentrate on now -- finishing the Culver City Station as soon as possible so that the delays actually turn into a good thing -- opening the line all at once instead of a half-  opening. |
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Post by jamesinclair on May 6, 2011 0:36:54 GMT -8
Is it inappropriate to call the contractor incompetent fools? I hope they get fined to bankruptcy. Such blatant disregard for timeliness must be punished. If you're going to bid low, then you better deliver. If not, there must be consequences. Municipalities all over this country regularly give out contracts and then simply shrug their shoulders when the winning bidder breaks all the agreements (time and cost). It's inexcusable. The original opening date was summer 2010 right? it will be great and no one will care that the Expo Line was delayed I actually know two car-free people (USC students) that planned on going car-free their entire time at USC, but decided to buy cars because of the constant delays of the expo line. And once you buy a car, might as well make the most of it. |
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Especially because that's the first picture I've seen which officially shows the blue-green aqua color dots on a sign.
