The 6.6-mile Exposition Light Rail Transit Phase 2 project extends the Expo light rail line from Culver City to Santa Monica, just four blocks from the Pacific Ocean. The scope of work included 14 miles of track as well as five at-grade stations and two aerial stations. Additionally, the project included one mile of elevated transitway and added a new bicycle path adjacent to the rail line. The project was delivered on schedule and budget in May 2016.
The project team capitalized on the design-build delivery method to offer the best value to all stakeholders while also providing budget and schedule certainty. Skanska co-located with the designer to provide formal and over-the-shoulder constructability reviews, develop alternative innovative concepts and reduce costs and risk. Skanska’s team also worked closely with the designer and the owner to implement value-engineering options, analyze project risk, and draft project plans including project management, safety, quality, and subcontract planning.
Intentionally cultivated partnering relationships among Skanska, the designers, and project owner Exposition Construction Authority helped successfully achieve the project’s goals and earned Expo Phase 2 the International Partnering Project’s prestigious Partnered Project of the Year award. The project also merited two safety awards and the Innovative Transportation Solutions award from Women in Transportation’s LA chapter.
The Expo Line corridor is rich with small businesses and opportunities for outreach, and Skanska’s team distributed nearly 300,000 construction notices in addition to hosting regular community meetings and maintaining an active social media presence. Skanska was the first contractor to successfully work under Los Angeles Metro’s Construction Career’s Policy (CCP) and Project Labor Agreement (PLA). Skanska efficiently delivered craft personnel in compliance with the CCP and the PLA, dispatching over 300 workers through the CCP alone. Skanska also collaborated with more than 30 organizations to help build careers in Los Angeles County, and the Expo Phase 2 team included 302 small business enterprises (SBEs), 71 percent of them being disadvantage business enterprises (DBEs).
Measure R, a Los Angeles sales tax to specifically finance new transportation projects and programs, funded the Expo Line Phase 2 Expansion. All Measure R funds will continue to be spent in accordance with a plan approved by voters. By utilizing a design-build strategy and employing local small businesses in this project, Skanska saved the client and the City money that can now be put toward future projects and help bolster the local economy.
