Construction of a six-mile extension to the Metro Gold light rail system in Los Angeles is set to begin in August following the award of a $600.4 million design/build contract to a joint venture led by the Washington Group

Railway Age, July, 2004

Construction of a six-mile extension to the Metro Gold light rail system in Los Angeles is set to begin in August following the award of a $600.4 million design/build contract to a joint venture led by the Washington Group (50%). Other members of the Eastside LRT Constructors joint venture are Obayashi, Inc.

(35%) and Shimmick Construction Co. (15%).The Federal Railroad Administration recently approved a full-funding grant of $490.7 million to help pay for the project. The total cost is estimated at $898.8 million. Scheduled to open in mid-2009, the eight-station light rail extension will serve a densely populated area that includes Little Tokyo and Boyle Heights.