Arcadis celebrates as LA Metro Regional Connector opens

Arcadis is celebrating the opening of the Regional Connector with its key client LA Metro after nine years of construction management support.

The grand opening of the new LA Regional Connector this month sparked celebrations for consultancy firm Arcadis, having worked with its key client Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) to provide construction management support services to help drive development since 2014.

The new 1.9-mile underground light-rail extension will now support riders with a seamless one-seat journey from the heart of downtown LA to the communities of Azusa, Pasadena, East Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Long Beach.

The completion of the Regional Connector improves connections by bringing together five lines at LA’s 7th Street/Metro Center Station. New A and E lines will share five downtown Los Angeles stations, giving travellers plenty of transfer options along the way. Some customers riding to and through downtown Los Angeles could save up to 20 minutes by eliminating the need to transfer.

The Regional Connector will provide residents with much-needed access to public transit options and create equitable mobility to some of LA’s key business, educational and cultural hubs.

Construction on the Regional Connector began in 2014, with Arcadis drawing on over 40 years of global experience to provide construction management support services to drive development. One of the key parts of the project was the strategic use of sequential excavation method mining, which is well-suited for tunnelling in areas prone to earthquakes such as Los Angeles and doesn’t disturb existing building foundations and utilities. Digital solutions also played an important role, including use of a digital traffic model during planning to help understand anticipated traffic patterns and help mitigate disruption during construction.

Macaria Flores, Arcadis city executive in Los Angeles, said: “Los Angeles is challenged by traffic and congestion and the Regional Connector is part of that solution. The Regional Connector will get people out of their cars, onto public transportation, and improve quality of life for so many Angelenos.”

Greg Steele, global president of mobility at Arcadis, said: “Increasingly, our clients are looking for well-connected, sustainable solutions that integrate existing infrastructure to benefit cities and communities all around the world. Drawing on decades of experience, we have been able to leverage our global knowledge from clients across Australia, Europe, and North America to deliver a project that truly sets the standard when it comes to seamless and sustainable transport options.

“The Regional Connector will not only support social equity, but also progress the sustainability agenda by helping to reduce transport emissions and drive wider economic growth.”