PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

Los Angeles once boasted an extensive rail transit network, but the modern LA Metro system only began service in 1990. Since then, it has steadily grown into a network of four light rail and two heavy rail lines, serving more than 100 stations—including over 20 miles of tunnels. Today, LA Metro is completing roughly 10 miles of tunnels and seven new underground stations as part of the Westside Purple (D) Line Extension. Building these tunnels in one of the nation’s largest and most complex urban environments presents significant challenges: dense development, existing buried infrastructure, earthquakes, active faults, legacy oil wells, and naturally occurring gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide. This presentation will examine how these obstacles have been addressed over time, highlighting the engineering strategies and innovations that enable safe, efficient tunnel construction and long-term operation in Los Angeles.

SPEAKER BIOS

Matthew Crow, LA Metro

For the…