Metro - File #: 2021-0222

• File #: 2021-0222
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Filed
• File created: 4/8/2021
• In control: Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
• On agenda: 5/27/2021
• Final action: 5/27/2021
• Title: CONSIDER: AMENDING the Life-of-Project (LOP) budget by $150,000,000 for the Westside Purple Line Extension Section 1 Project (Project) from $2,978,879,593 to $3,128,879,593 using the fund sources as summarized in Attachment A, consistent with the provisions of the Board-adopted Measure R and Measure M Unified Cost Management Policy (Attachment B).
• Sponsors: Construction Committee
• Indexes: Alignment, Budget, Budgeting, City of Los Angeles, Construction, Construction management, Contractors, Contracts, Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor Project, Design build, Division 20, Federal Transit Administration, Funding plan, Informational Report, Intersections, Maintenance of way, Measure M, Measure R, Measure R and Measure M Unified Cost Management Policy, Metro Rail B Line, Metro Rail C Line, Metro Rail D Line, Metro Rail E Line, Metro Rail K Line, Metro Vision 2028 Plan, Non-revenue Vehicles, Plan, Policy, Policy analysis, Project, Project management, Proposition A, Safety, Twenty-eight by '28 Initiative, Westside Subway Ext (Project), Westside Subway Extension/Purple Line Extension Phase 1, Westside Subway Extension/Purple Line Extension Phase 2, Wilshire/Western Station, Zoning
• Related files: 2021-0440

Date	Action By	Action	Result
5/27/2021	Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
5/20/2021	Construction Committee

Meeting_Body
CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE
MAY 20, 2021

Subject
SUBJECT: WESTSIDE PURPLE LINE EXTENSION SECTION 1 PROJECT

Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS

Heading
RECOMMENDATION

Title
CONSIDER:

AMENDING the Life-of-Project (LOP) budget by $150,000,000 for the Westside Purple Line Extension Section 1 Project (Project) from $2,978,879,593 to $3,128,879,593 using the fund sources as summarized in Attachment A, consistent with the provisions of the Board-adopted Measure R and Measure M Unified Cost Management Policy (Attachment B).

Issue
ISSUE

As outlined at the August 2020 Board meeting, Section 1 is being constructed in complex and extremely challenging geologic conditions that include subsurface gases (methane and hydrogen sulfide) and asphalt saturated ground, or "tar sands" in the areas surrounding the La Brea Tar Pits. The presence of these soil conditions previously prevented tunneling in this area until more technological advanced tunneling methods were developed. Metro tunneling specialists worked with federal representatives to have legislation changed in 2006, so that subway alternatives could be considered.

In addition to the above natural geologic challenges, Section 1 also faced man made underground obstacles. Old, abandoned oil wells were located along the alignment. Since their precise locations were not known, additional investigations and efforts were implemented to insure there were no incidents involving the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) and these wells. Such an incident could cause damage to the TBMs or an unplanned release from the oil wells. Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) in combination with the use of a Magnetometer (a first of its kind of operation) was implemented to search for the abandoned oil wells and any other metal objects (anomalies) that may be in or very close to the tunnel alignment. Section 1 did find both abandoned oil wells and other metal objects that would have impacted the tunneling operation...