If SSH and the Authority negotiate the construction services contract following the 85% design milestone in fall 2027, major construction is scheduled to begin later that year and projected to take approximately four years.

ENR correspondent Greg Aragon interviewed Christopher Burner, the authority's Chief Project and Planning Officer, about the next steps.

ENR: What will be some of the biggest challenges on the project be?

The most fascinating challenge will be that the project will be built within a shared corridor, approximately 100 feet wide, that is currently utilized by Metrolink and freight trains. The two existing commuter and freight rail tracks for Metrolink and freight will have to be relocated to within the southern half of the corridor with minimal interruptions to their services in order to make room for the new light rail system. 

When completed, the tight 100-foot right-of-way will squeeze in four parallel tracks—two overhead-powered light rail lines and two conventional heavy rail lines.

How will the CMAR process will work on this contract? 

Waiting to lock in the final construction price is a deliberate strategy to eliminate standard infrastructure contingencies.The full cost of constructing the project won't be determined until SSH JV provides us a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) bid, which will happen after the project design reaches about 85% - expected in fall 2027. The benefit of waiting until the project is nearly fully designed is that SSH will have been deeply engaged in the design process, including helping to ensure the design is as efficient and constructable as possible. Additionally, by providing a GMP bid after 85% design, the unknowns that can result in risk money being added to the bid price will be reduced or eliminated.

What are some of SSH’s initial responsibilities? 

SSH’s contract includes an initial $6.3 million to support Parsons Transportation Group, which is providing design and engineering services, through preconstruction activities like constructability reviews, value engineering, third-party coordination and cost estimating.

What's the first big challenge?

An early construction challenge involves relocating and protecting various utilities along the tight alignment, including electrical, gas, communications, sewer and water lines. Ahead of construction, some third-party utilities are already planning their own utility relocation work.

Even though LA Metro already owns most of the rail corridor, minor acquisitions will be needed to support things like new grade crossing equipment. Some larger property acquisitions will also likely be necessary along the rail corridor through downtown Claremont, as the rail corridor narrows to less than 100 feet wide; the current design effort will be critical to understanding the final property acquisitions needed.

Is the project fully funded?

While the final construction price is pending, the overall funding for the extension is already locked in. The project secured a $798-million injection from LA Metro through the state's SB 125 program. That is the full budget for the project, which includes the construction, but also the design, all Metro and Construction Authority administrative costs, third party costs, purchasing of any trains needed for the extension, etc.

What will the alignment be like?

The 2.3-mile extension will travel mostly at-grade with no tunnels, requiring the reconstruction of four at-grade crossings. The tracks will also rise up to cross three major streets on new light rail bridges.

The new Metro A Line station in Claremont will be built right where the current Metrolink station sits, requiring crews to move the Metrolink station several hundred feet east to make room. A new 539-space parking structure with EV charging and bike parking will serve both transit systems. 

Once built, the Metro system will run on the north side of the future shared corridor and the Metrolink system will run on the south side, so the relocated Metrolink station will be located along the relocated system and moved closer to the parking facility.