Crews test soil for light rail (Source: Santa Monica Daily Press)

Link: http://www.smdp.com/Articles-c-2010-07-12-69954.113116_Crews_test_soil_for_light_rail.html#222

Crews test soil for light rail

by Daily Press Staff

July 13, 2010

CITYWIDE — As part of Phase 2 of constructing the Exposition Light Rail Transit Line, workers will be conducting field investigations of the soil along the line’s route through July 20.

The route, called the Exposition Right-of-Way, constitutes the following locations: 50 feet west of Cloverfield Boulevard, 50 feet west of Centinela Avenue, 50 feet west of Bundy Drive, 50 feet east of Pico Boulevard and 50 feet west of Sepulveda Boulevard. Work in Santa Monica will occur between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The Exposition Construction Authority Board of Directors certified the Final Environmental Impact Report on Feb. 4, allowing for construction of Phase 2 of the Expo Line project to begin. Phase 1 of construction will bring the Expo Line from Downtown Los Angeles to Culver City and is expected to be completed later this year.

Phase 2 will extend the line from Culver City to Santa Monica. The field tests are the first step in construction. Revenue service is expected to begin in 2015.

The field tests are being done by the consultant Leighton Consulting Inc. on behalf of the Metro Board of Directors with the purpose of collecting soil samples and documenting subsurface conditions.

Soil will be collected by a truck-mounted drill rig, which makes noise comparable to a garbage truck. The noise will not be continuous.

The drilling is not expected to produce dust, but the air will be continuously monitored. The soil will be sealed in containers and taken away from the site each day.

Because of the work, businesses and tenants along the route had to coordinate access to their buildings prior to the work beginning.

For questions regarding the field work, contact Gaby Collins at (213) 243-5535 or gcollins@exporail.net.

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