Photo: Foothill Gold Line staff and board, along with representatives from SSH Joint Venture, celebrate award of construction manager contract for Pomona to Claremont project.

At their May meeting this week, the Construction Authority board of directors voted unanimously to award the construction manager contract for the 2.3-mile Pomona to Claremont A Line Extension to SSH Joint Venture (SSH), a team made up of Skanska USA Civil West California District Inc., Stacy and Witbeck, Inc. and Herzog Contracting Corp. The construction manager contract is the second of two major contracts now awarded to deliver the Pomona to Claremont A Line Extension using the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method adopted by the board last year. The first, for design/engineering services, was awarded to Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. (Parsons) in January.

The award of the construction manager contract, which includes an initial authorization of $6.3 million for preconstruction activities, was the outcome of a competitive procurement process that saw bids from four well-qualified teams. SSH ranked the highest overall of the four teams competing for the contract, following review of the written proposals, in-person interviews and evaluation of their cost.

Each team was rated on management approach; experience, personnel and performance; interview performance; approach to working in a complex right-of-way corridor with Metrolink/SCRRA; and approach to light rail systems. Because the full cost of constructing the project won’t be determined until after the project design reaches about 85% (expected in Fall 2027), the procurement process used a formula that compared the four teams based on their preconstruction phase cost proposals and profit and overhead figures. Ultimately, the teams were ranked on a “best value” approach, in which technical scores and interview performance were weighted significantly heavier than the results of the price formula. SSH was ranked highest overall and determined to be the team providing the “best value.”

As SSH comes on board in the weeks ahead, their initial contracted work will involve supporting the design/engineering effort. During this preconstruction phase, SSH will be responsible for providing constructability reviews, value engineering, third-party coordination and cost estimating – all of which will inform the design efforts underway by Parsons. Following the project design reaching approximately 85%, SSH will have the possibility of building the project if the team successfully negotiates a construction services contract with an acceptable price.

Assuming a successful negotiation of the construction services contract, the Pomona to Claremont A Line Extension, which will include a new Metro A Line station in the City of Claremont and take about four years to build, would be ready to start major construction as early as late 2027.

Parsons Continues to Ready Design/Engineering for Pomona to Claremont A Line Extension

Photos: Construction Authority and Parsons design staff meet in May as the design effort for Pomona to Claremont project continues

As reported earlier this year, and mentioned above, Parsons was awarded a six-year, $60 million design and engineering services contract this past January after a competitive procurement that resulted in Parsons being the top ranked team. Since the award, Parsons has been working alongside the Construction Authority to advance elements of the 2.3-mile light rail extension from approximately 30% design to 60% (the design will then be advanced to 85%, 100% and finally “Approved for Construction” drawings). The design effort will take approximately 18-24 months, and then Parsons will remain on the project to support the construction effort with any additional design services needed.

Master Cooperative Agreement Amendment Approved by Construction Authority and Metro

In another key decision this week, the boards of directors of both the Construction Authority and Metro voted to approve an amendment to the ongoing Master Cooperative Agreement (MCA) between the agencies. The MCA lays out the roles and responsibilities of each agency as they work together over the course of the project’s design, construction and testing, with the Construction Authority turning the completed project over to Metro for operations. The MCA was amended to clarify how the agreement would apply to a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method, which is being used to deliver the Pomona to Claremont segment.

As a reminder, the Pomona to Claremont A Line Extension received $798 million in funding from Metro in late 2024 through SB 125.