METRO LA

---

Location: Central Los Angeles, California

Owner: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro)

Project Type: Rail Infrastructure | Yard Expansion | Utility Coordination | Civil Improvements 

Size: 16 miles

Metro’s Division 20 Portal Widening & Turnback Facility Project enhances capacity and operational flexibility on the Metro B and D Lines by expanding the Division 20 Rail Yard near downtown Los Angeles. The project supports faster, safer, and more reliable rail service through infrastructure improvements, including a widened portal tunnel, new turnback facility, and expanded storage yards.

Key project components include:

• Widening of the existing rail tunnel portal
• Construction of a high-capacity turnback facility
• Civil improvements, trackwork, and systems infrastructure
• 1st Street Viaduct improvements
• Reconfiguration of internal access roads and track alignments
• Utility protection and relocations
• New northern and southern storage yards
• Center Street improvements
   

NGCE’s Scope of Work Included:

• 3D civil design of water vaults and jack-and-bore utility crossings
• Overlaying plan sets with utility KMZ data (Keyhole Markup Language Zipped files) to visualize storm drain, water, fire lines, domestic water, telecom, electrical, and underdrain conflicts in context
• Field inspection and verification for utility conflicts and constructability risks
• Utility conflict analysis and resolution, including coordination with Metro and third-party utility providers
• Pit location analysis with suggested optimizations for constructability and cost-effectiveness
• RFIs and conflict mitigation strategies based on real-world constraints and 3D design visuals
• Cost estimating and construction phasing for utility relocations
• 3D renderings to support clearer field understanding and stakeholder communication
   

By using advanced visualization and geospatial modeling, NGCE helped reduce uncertainty in a dense urban utility environment. The use of KMZ data overlay and 3D design allowed for more informed decision-making, leading to cost and schedule efficiencies. Our proactive collaboration with Metro, the design team, and field contractors helped ensure project goals remained on track in one of LA’s most complex infrastructure zones.