Another big step was taken today in the process of bringing the Gold Line through Arcadia and to Azusa when the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority awarded $486 million design-build contract to Foothill Transit Constructors: A Kiewit Parsons Joint Venture. The board of directors were unanimous in agreeing on the award of the 11.5-mile extension, with the exception of the (already underway) I-210 Foothill Freeway bridge and future station parking facilities.
Kiewit Parsons was the team recommended for the award by Authority CEO Habib F. Balian after a demanding procurement process ended earlier this month. Instead of awarding the contract to the lowest bidder of the three short-listed teams, the Authority chose to use a “best value” approach, where the technical evaluations and price are judged equally. The Kiewit Parsons team was recommended for award because of their outstanding technical understanding of the project, management plan and overall best value for the Authority.
Kiewit Parsons scored above the other two teams on every category, as well as having the lowest bid price. The Kiewit Parsons proposal was $72 million less than the next highest proposer and $123 million less than the highest price proposal. Kiewit was the lead team member on Phase 1 of the Gold Line from Los Angeles to Pasadena (with Parsons as the lead design subcontractor), which was completed in 2003 on time and under budget. Kiewit also recently oversaw demolition of the Mulholland Bridge (part of the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvement Project). Coined by the media as “Carmageddon” for its potential impacts to Los Angeles’ heavily congested traffic corridor, the demolition was completed by Kiewit Pacific 17 hours ahead of schedule.
This first project to come from Measure R funds is scheduled for completion in 2015.
— By Scott Hettrick