What brought you to this project? 

I’m proud to count the Crenshaw-LAX transit corridor among many signature projects I’ve worked on throughout my 44-year career, which also includes leadership roles on the World Trade Center reconstruction, the 1984, 1996, 2000 Olympics, and the Red Line.

Title: L.A. area manager

Company: Walsh Group, Chicago

Project:Walsh/Shea Corridor Constructors is a partnership of Walsh, J.F. Shea Construction, HNTB Corp., L.K. Comstock National Transit Inc., and ARUP. The team is building the 8.5-mile Crenshaw-LAX light-rail line running through Inglewood and ending at Los Angeles International Airport.

What projects prepared you to take on the Crenshaw-LAX line?

Working with (the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority) has prepared me for the dense urban environments, working along city streets and with residents, businesses, and other community stakeholders – as well as tying into existing light-rail lines, which we’re doing here with the Green Line. My familiarity working with LAX (specifically the upper-level roadway) also prepared me.

What design features are most noteworthy?

This line is unique in that it has a combination of underground tunneling, at-grade work, and above-ground stations. Underground tunneling is underway with major completion of one of the tunnel segments set for late September/early October.

What are your biggest challenges?

As with any major civil project, the challenges include minimizing the impacts to residents and businesses while ensuring that the project is delivered on time and on budget.

What kind of impact will the Metro line have on Inglewood?

It shows confidence in the community and stimulates additional investments. The new line will provide better access to jobs for Inglewood residents and more transportation options. The confluence of the Rams and Hollywood Park investment, the strong housing market, and the arrival of light rail should all point to a real opportunity for development in Inglewood. The city has taken advantage of Metro’s grant program to create a new station-area specific plan that modernizes land-use controls to encourage transit-oriented investment. Should the city follow up this action with investments in first-/last-mile improvements to create a strong connection from the station through the downtown, it can expect to see significant development interest.