Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor, Utilities and Roadway — D R Consultants & Designers, Inc

Part of a multidiscipline team, DRC is providing utilities engineering and coordination to construct the Los Angeles Metro Crenshaw / LAX Transit Corridor Project. It is located in a densely populated area in which virtually every type of utility exists, from water to electricity to telecommunications. Now under construction, the project is adding 8.5 miles of track and eight stations to the Metro Rail system in the vicinity of Los Angeles International Airport. Identifying and relocating utilities, accurately and timely, has kept the work on schedule. Before construction commenced on one section of track, preliminary utilities work had to be performed, sometimes necessitating 12-hour weekdays and work on Saturdays to stay ahead of construction. Performing utilities work required smooth coordination with multiple stakeholders, from Southern California Edison to the City of Los Angeles. The agencies impacted must approve utility designs. Adding to the job’s complexity is the Corridor’s route, which travels above and below ground. DRC has been responsible for utilities around the track segment, from 48th Street at Crenshaw to the Crenshaw Corridor’s terminus at the Exposition Line. This section has three underground stations: Vernon, Martin Luther King, and Expo. DRC has guided a team assembling utilities packages for Metro. The packages serve as look-aheads, pinpointing potential problems such as massive structures too large to move. They contain project plans for specific areas, indicating every utility present, from overhead power lines to storm drains large enough to drive a truck through. Each package has a profile and an elevation. All utilities posing potential problems are identified. The prime consultant must submit these packages for review before drilling can start. Proactive communication and coordination were essential to working effectively with consultants, Metro architects and engineers. DRC has met continually with Metro and the prime contractor to provide status updates and forecasts of upcoming utilities work.