The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board has awarded Flatiron JV teams two significant collaborative delivery projects valued at $800 million. These projects will improve transportation in the Los Angeles area and reinforce the Flatiron strategy focused on collaborative, low-risk-profile projects.

I-105 Express Lanes Project

Flatiron and joint-venture partner Myers & Sons Construction have been selected for the contract to deliver the I-105 ExpressLanes Project. Estimated at $507 million, this Construction Manager/ General Contractor (CM/GC) project will convert the existing HOV lane to ExpressLanes and add a second Express Lane in each direction on I-105 between I-405 and Studebaker Road in the City of Norwalk.

Proposed improvements will provide multi-modal travel options to users of the corridor. Metro transit, vanpool and high-occupancy vehicle users will be able to use lanes without a toll. Revenues from ExpressLanes are slated to be used to support transit programs, municipal agencies and local cities.

This is the first time that LA Metro is utilizing the CM/GC delivery method. With deep experience in collaborative delivery, Flatiron will work with LA Metro’s project development team during the design process to optimize the design and minimize construction risk—providing substantial benefits to the overall project. The goal is improved construction safety and quality, as well as higher certainty on final construction cost and schedule duration.

G-Line Bus Rapid Transit Improvements Project

Valley Transit Partners—a joint venture of Flatiron, Stacy and Witbeck, and Modern Railway Systems—has been selected for the contract to deliver the G-Line Bus Rapid Transit Improvements Project. Estimated at about $300 million, this Progressive Design-Build project seeks to improve operating speeds, capacity and safety of the popular G-Line busway, while enhancing service to passengers and minimizing disruption to the San Fernando Valley residents.

Proposed improvements include the construction of grade separations over Van Nuys Boulevard and Sepulveda and installation of four-quadrant gating systems at street crossings—all designed to reduce incidents between vehicles and Metro buses and to increase the speed of buses along the corridor—reducing travel times for riders.

Challenges in this project include sequencing construction with other transit improvement projects, working with multiple third-party stakeholders and adapting for emerging technology. These challenges make the Progressive Design-Build delivery method ideal for the project. A first for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, this collaborative delivery method fosters innovation, facilitates early and ongoing planning and problem solving, and enables budget and schedule certainty for LA Metro.

Flatiron believes collaboration with LA Metro and construction partners on these projects will improve transportation in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Further, these projects will provide the opportunity for Flatiron to prioritize local hiring, maximize mentorship programs and embrace LA Metro’s participation goals for Small Business Enterprise, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise firms.

These projects are consistent with Flatiron’s capabilities and its strategy to build on successful relationships in local markets and to secure contracts that offer balanced risk profiles and opportunities for enhanced collaboration with project owners. These collaborations produce award-winning projects such as the North Coast Corridor Project in San Diego and the Concourse A & B Expansion Project in Denver.