Phase 1 of the Expo Line, the light rail line will go from Downtown to Culver City, is now 50 percent complete, according to Expo Authority's September 3rd Board Report. While delays may have been expected, particularly given the at-grade issues, the line was originally supposed to be finished in 2010, but now Expo is looking at a partial opening in 2010, according to Expo spokesperson Gabriela G. Collins, who calls the delays "significant." “We are evaluating with the contractor right now to get more of the line open by 2010," she tells us. According the report, there is now a 50-week delay (nearly a year), an additional 6 weeks over last month. Reading through the report, one can see that there now "outstanding issues that could pose a significant risk to the budget." Those issues include: Venice/Robertson Aerial Structural Storage & Inspection Facility; Added CPUC requirements at Foshay Learning Center and Dorsey H.S.; Project Delay Costs; Blue Line Tie-In. You can download the report here: Go to September 3rd.
Specifically, looking at the issue of the Venice-Robertson station, which was added after the line had been finalized, according to Collins, one can see that at one point a 2012 opening date has been talked about.
In a September 3 memo, (download here), Richard Thorpe, CEO Expo Authority recommended authorizing funds to speed up work to finish the Venice/Robertson station: “The Contractor’s approach in completing the bridge was to progress the work in a linear manner working from the east to the west. Under this approach, the Contractor’s schedule showed the station being completed in September, 2012. Staff asked the Contractor to evaluate the costs and the schedule savings if they were to accelerate the Venice/Robertson Aerial Structure work using two crews and constructing the bridge from each end. The Contractor has determined that after acceleration, the station could be completed 12 months earlier in September 2011.”
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