LACMTA completes decking for future subway station ahead of schedule

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
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Workers and officials at the Wishire/Fairfax yard
LACMTA/The Source

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) has completed construction on a station along its Purple Line extension six weeks ahead of schedule. 

 

The public transportation agency and its contractor Skanska, Traylor, Shea, (STS) announced on Oct. 17 the end of weekend street closures due to decking construction at La Brea Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard.

The project scope, funded by Measure R and a federal grant, entailed excavating a portion of Wilshire Boulevard. Crews replaced the excavated section with concrete deck panels, which will serve temporarily as a street surface while underground station excavation continues below.

Phase one of the Purple Line extension will expand the line 3.9 miles, with stations at Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Brea. Representatives say two additional construction phases are also in the works to extend the line nine miles to reach an area hospital in the years to come.

Representatives say the deck panel installation was initially set to take place throughout 22 weekends beginning in early June. LACMTA and STS instead managed to speed up the process through strategies such as close coordination with elected officials, community members and city departments and setting early lane reductions on Fridays.

Work also continues on part of the project’s first construction phase at the Wilshire/La Cienega station. STS says it is doing demolition work to make way for two construction staging yards for the station and completing utility relocation work, as well.

The Wilshire/Fairfax station is also undergoing work as the second planned subway station for the project’s first phase. Representatives say STS has begun piling operations and will need to operate with lane reductions for 18 weekends and is set to begin as early as January.

Upcoming project work at the Wilshire/La Brea site is expected to entail street restoration, station excavation and deck openings for deliveries. Officials say necessary utility work could require short-term directional closures on upcoming weekends.

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