Retired Metro scheduler Alan Weeks was gracious enough to send along the above photos that he has taken recently of construction along the six-mile alignment of the second phase of the Expo Line between Culver City and downtown Santa Monica.
The project is funded by Measure R and at this time is forecast to open in early 2016.
The Expo Line Construction Authority — an independent agency — is building the project. Metro will take ownership of the line when it is complete and operate it. The Authority estimates that it will be a 46-minute ride between downtown Santa Monica and 7th/Metro Center.
Metro currently has three rail projects under construction: the Crenshaw/LAX Line, the second phase of the Expo Line and the Gold Line Foothill Extension. Utility relocations on two more rail projects, the Regional Connector and Purple Line, are underway and heavy construction is expected to begin later this year on both. All are funded in part by Measure R, the half-cent sales tax increase approved by L.A. County voters in 2008. In addition, Metro has begun receiving the first of 550 new state-of-the-art buses and is spending $1.2 billion to overhaul the Metro Blue Line, including the purchase of new light rail vehicles.
Categories: Measure R, Policy & Funding, Projects
How much longer are they going to be dumping all the excess dirt, busted up asphalt and other junk from other areas in the Exposition/Barrington residential area? This possible hazardous material is piled up well above the flimsy fence and the dust and debris blows into all the homes.
here’s a diagram:
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo325/esirgen/Palms%20Overhead/palms_overhead_cpuc.jpg
derek — there is a diagram somewhere in one of the expo line phase 2 presentations that shows the clearance in the tunnel under the freeway; taking into account the possible side-to-side range of motion of the trains on the track, there are inches to spare, if two trains are going through the tunnel at once.
protip – if one happens to be walking through the tunnel when two trains are coming (illegal *and* unsafe), your only hope of survival is to drop to the ground.
Two Comments
First) Venice Blvd all work must be approved by CALTRANS as this is a State Route and once they gave the word the Street Reconstruction Has Started
Sectond) The Tunnel under the I-10 is Going to Be Used as Is and there will be room for two trans to pass
I’m definitely interested to know the plan for Venice Blvd too. Palms traffic has been rough. However I’m not about to compare it to hundreds of girls being kidnapped, tortured and sold. #responsiblehastagging
Steve, do they have to widen the tunnel under I-10, or do both trains fit at once?
Hi Derek:
I don’t believe the tunnel needed to be widened.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
Hans Laetz:
I believe that the problem is due to the really massive pillar in the center lane that supports the almost-completed bridge? I reckon that the street-construction folks are still trying to figure out how to best configure the reduced-lane dilemma on Venice Blvd..
The tracks in the trench look great! It’s so wonderful to see the historic Red Car route move forward towards use again! I can’t wait to ride from Santa Monica to Downtown LA – keep building this as swiftly (and safely) as possible! Great work Metro!
The overpass at Venice Blvd has been substantially completed for two months. Yet the bridge-related lane closures on Venice Boulevard remain, causing major traffic james on Venice and spillover jams on National, Washington and Jefferson. Cut-thru traffic filters through Cheviot Hills and other residential streets as a direct result. Metro is damn ham-handed on this project, it seems to ignore its construction impacts on a micro-scale as it concentrates on the macro-scale stuff. #bring back our westside streets, Metro!