An abutment wall for the bridge at Citrus Avenue in Azusa. Photo: Foothill Extension Construction Authority.

The Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority issued the following news release on Friday. In the meantime, numerous bridges are under construction throughout the alignment and particularly in Azusa and Arcadia. Ground has been broken on the first at-grade crossings (at Highland Avenue in Duarte and Dalton Avenue in Azusa) and work continues on the Duarte Station. Other work, including grading and utility relocation, continues throughout the 11.5-mile alignment between eastern Pasadena and Azusa.

Construction Authority Board Awards $48.7 Million Contract to Webcor Builders

This Design-Build Contract will Complete the Foothill Extension from Pasadena to Azusa Project

MONROVIA, Calif. – At their meeting last night [Thursday], the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority (Construction Authority) Board of Directors awarded the third and final design-build contract for the Foothill Extension light rail project from Pasadena to Azusa. The $48.7-million contract is for final design and construction of parking facilities for the future Gold Line stations, as well as enhancements at and around the stations to improve intermodal connectivity for train riders arriving by bus, foot or on bicycles.

“This was an important contract for the Authority,” said Habib F. Balian, CEO of the Construction Authority. “As the last design-build contract for the overall project, we now know that we are able to deliver the 11.5-mile light rail extension on time and on budget.”

 

The contract was awarded to Webcor Builders, a California-based construction company with more than forty years of experience building similar projects. Webcor has put together a team of experts to manage, design and construct the project; and was awarded the contract following a ten-month procurement process.  Initially, nine interested teams provided statements of qualifications to the Construction Authority. Those teams were narrowed to a pre-qualified shortlist in June 2012 and final proposals were submitted in January 2013.

“Webcor provided the best value to the Construction Authority,” added Balian. “Following the evaluation process, they received similar high marks for their experience and technical proposal as their competition; however, their price was almost $8 million less. Bottom line, we were able to get an extremely qualified team for the best price.”

With this contract awarded, the Construction Authority has now awarded all contracts needed to complete the 11.5-mile Foothill Extension project. The first contract was awarded to Skanska USA for the Gold Line Bridge in June 2010. The bridge was completed on time and on budget, and turned over to the Construction Authority in December 2012. Foothill Transit Constructors, a Kiewit Parsons Joint Venture, was awarded the $486 million Alignment design-build contract in November 2011. They have nearly completed design for the light rail project, cleared the right of way of old track and vegetation, and are under construction on numerous bridges, crossings and the first of six stations.

The Webcor team will start their efforts by working on the design for the parking facilities and station enhancements, before beginning construction of the facilities.

About the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority

The Construction Authority is an independent transportation planning and construction agency created in 1999 by the California State Legislature. Its purpose is to extend the Metro Gold Line light rail line from Union Station to Montclair, along the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley. The Construction Authority built the initial segment from Union Station to Pasadena and is underway on the Gold LineFoothill Extension. The Foothill Extension is a nearly $2 billion extension that will connect Pasadena to Montclair in two construction segments. The first segment, Pasadena to Azusa, is funded by Los Angeles County’s Measure R and currently underway. The Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation estimates that nearly 7,000 jobs and $1 billion in economic output will be generated during construction of the Pasadena to Azusa segment alone. That segment is on schedule to be completed in 2015. For more information, visit: www.foothillextension.org.