WSP USA projects recognized with three Calif. transportation awards

WSP USA, formerly WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, made significant contributions on three projects which recently received awards from the California Transportation Foundation (CTF).The Exposition Line Light Rail in Los Angeles received CTF’s Overall Project of the Year award. WSP was recognized for its design of the light rail extension.

The Expo Line Phase 2 extension features 6.6 miles of new light rail and seven new stations from Culver City to Santa Monica, extending the Metro Expo Line to 15.2 miles. When the Expo Line Phase 2 extension opened in May 2016, it heralded a new era of rail service to the Pacific Ocean that hasn’t been available since the closing of Pacific Electric Streetcar’s Santa Monica Air Line in 1953.

The I-80/Yerba Buena Island Westbound Ramps Improvement Project received the CTF’s Interchange Project of the Year award. WSP was recognized for its construction management services.

The I-80/Yerba Buena project is the initial step to prepare for the increased traffic that will come with the redevelopment of Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island, located in the city and county of San Francisco. With the opening of the completed ramps, much-needed safety and operations improvements were made by replacing the westbound on-ramps and off-ramps. In total, the project consisted of five new bridge structures, three of which were bridge widenings. A total of seven frames and five hinges were constructed. The new bridge structures were over 150 feet above grade, built over steep terrain. The design and construction of the falsework system presented significant challenges for the project team.  

The Safety Project of the Year award was given to the Nogales Street Grade Separation, for which WSP provided construction management services. The Nogales Street at-grade railroad crossing in Los Angeles County was recently ranked as the most dangerous rail intersection in California and the third most dangerous in the U.S. A new six-lane roadway underpass and double-track railway bridge now provides a complete grade separation between Nogales Street and the Union Pacific Railroad crossing, eliminating the potential for collisions of motorists and trains and reducing noise caused by the locomotive trains.

The CTF Transportation Awards recognize excellence in California transportation, in all modes, across the public and private sectors, and from all regions of the state.