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As part of a joint venture, Traylor delivered approximately $2.3B of design-build work for Section 1 of LA Metro’s D Line (formerly Purple Line or Westside) Extension—the first of three sections extending heavy-rail subway service west from Wilshire/Western toward Westwood. The project added 3.92 miles of new subway beginning at the Wilshire/Western Station, with a twin tunnel alignment advancing beneath Wilshire Boulevard and new underground stations at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, and Wilshire/La Cienega.
Tunneling was performed using two Herrenknecht TBMs that mined a total of 35,750 linear feet of tunnel with an 18′-10″ inner diameter. The contract scope also included major rail and station systems—train control and signals, communications, traction power supply and distribution, and fare collection systems—requiring tight coordination between underground civil construction and systems installation, testing, and commissioning.
Work progressed within one of Los Angeles’ most congested corridors and in challenging subsurface conditions that included gassy environments along portions of the alignment. To meet stringent code requirements for station excavation under these conditions, Traylor’s Equipment Division retrofitted stock electric excavators, enabling safe, compliant production while sustaining schedule performance.
Major station excavations were executed in constrained urban footprints. The La Brea Station was the largest and most complex excavation—approximately 1,000 feet long, 65 feet wide, and nearly 80 feet deep—constructed in the center of busy Wilshire Boulevard.
At the Fairfax Station, near the La Brea Tar Pits, the presence of methane and hydrogen required an extra-large, robust ventilation system operating 24/7 to remove contaminated air. Because of the sensitivity of potential archaeological and paleontological finds, excavation advanced in six-inch lifts, with an on-site specialist examining each layer before proceeding.
To support TBM production and material handling, the project relied on a complex conveyor system engineered to negotiate the challenging path up and out of the south shaft. The system used four types of belts and a three-story vertical storage cassette, and it consistently moved an average of 2,000 tons of material per day from the two TBMs.
As the project nears final completion, dynamic train testing is underway and UPS battery systems are in place. The key architectural elements are now installed, with station build-out and surface restoration nearing completion. Systems testing continues to advance the project toward a safe and efficient closeout.