The Skanska-Rados Joint Venture discovered the secret to a successful, innovative and safe project: Quality partnerships. by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor Photos courtesy of The Expo Line Construction Authority
NRC Large Project of the Year:
LA Metro Exposition Light Rail Phase 2
T
he National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association awarded its 2016 Large Project of the Year to the LA Metro Exposition Light Rail Transit Phase 2 Design-Build (Expo 2) project by Skanska-Rados Joint Venture based on the project’s complexity, the JV’s ability to stay flexible in the face of challenges and project team’s commitment to safety. The Skanska-Rados team was responsible for the construction of 6.6 miles of urban light rail including seven stations that connected Santa Monica to Culver City and Downtown Los Angeles for the first time in 60 years. Systems and electrical work included a low-profile overhead catenary system (OCS), train control and signals, crossing protection, traction power and communications. Three park-and-ride lots and bike facilities rounded out the project. The project’s urban location required extensive maintenance of traffic planning for vehicles, public transit commuters, pedestrians and cyclists. 24 Railway Track & Structures
May 2017
Additionally, area residents, high profile theaters and recording studios expressed worries about noise levels. “From the start, it was important that Skanska-Rados JV was aligned with the owner, the Exposition Construction Authority. Because we had the same goals, we developed a partnership that steered the project in a cooperative direction. Together, we recognized the community as a major stakeholder in a project like Expo 2. This light-rail line transforms the way the community travels, changes the way that local businesses can draw customers, improves access to the neighborhoods, reduces air pollution from vehicles and, thereby, improves community health and sustainability,” explained Patrick Bifone, senior project engineer. Promoting good partnership practices and executing meaningful communication throughout the project didn’t just contribute to its overall success, as Bifone details, this approach reinforced safety, encouraged innovation and enhanced trust between the various stakeholders.
“We stressed open, transparent communication and collaboration from the beginning. Initial partnering sessions established partnering goals, and ongoing sessions kept JV, owner and stakeholder goals in alignment,” said Bifone.
Innovations
“Our early partnering and open collaboration efforts laid the foundation to overcome challenges by establishing positive working relationships among the team, owner and stakeholders based on mutual respect. As partners, we made choices to best advance the project and finish this complex design-build early and within budget,” said Bifone. The urban setting made verifying and rearranging utilities and structures particularly challenging to the project. The JV utilized 3-D modeling in the western-most miles of the project to visualize the relocation of utilities. “Because this section was street running (as opposed to a dedicated rightof-way), we had to relocate almost all utilities under the street, but outside the www.rtands.com