The tunnel boring machine (TBM) that will be used to dig twin underground tunnels for the Regional Connector Transit Project has arrived in downtown Los Angeles. After several months of refurbishing and testing, the 22-foot-tall machine was loaded on a barge in Tacoma, Washington, and set sail for the Port of Long Beach earlier this month. Segments of the machine have now arrived and have been transported at night to a construction holding area near Little Tokyo.
The yet-to-be-named machine will sit in storage until the TBM launch pit is fully excavated this summer. Once tunneling begins, the TBM will begin digging the tunnel for the northbound tracks in Little Tokyo, be retrieved from under Flower Street and then re-launched in Little Tokyo to dig the tunnel for the southbound tracks.
Metro is inviting students from kindergarten through-12th grade to participate in a naming and illustration contest for the TBM.
Naming of the TBM is a mining tradition that dates back to early times. Since the 14th Century, Saint Barbara has been the patron of miners protecting them when they are working underground. This homage evolved into the commemorative naming of tunneling machines with a female name before the digging begins.
The Tunnel Boring Art & Naming Contest is divided into two categories:
- Students from Pre-K through 12th grade will compete to illustrate the new Regional Connector in their communities.
- Students from Pre-K through 12th grade will compete to choose a name.
To participate in the illustration contest, students need to submit their drawings. For the naming contest, students must submit a 200-word essay or a two minute video. The prizes for both categories will be Metro TAP cards loaded with fare value of $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place. Contest finalists will be chosen by a selection committee consisting of representatives from Metro, Regional Connector Constructors (RCC), local elected officials and the Regional Connector Community Leadership Council (RCCLC). The public also will be invited to vote amongst the contest finalists.
The winning name and illustration will be displayed on the side of the huge TBM machine during the lowering ceremony which is anticipated to happen in September 2016.
For further information on the naming and art contest visit metro.net/regionalconnector. Students will have until June 1 to submit entries by e-mail to [email protected] or by mail to Regional Connector Project Office, Attn: TBM Contest, 432 E. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.
The TBM was manufactured in Germany by Herrenknecht AG. It weighs 1000 tons, is 400 feet long and 21.5 feet in diameter. It will advance about 60 feet per day when digging and take about one year to excavate the two one-mile tunnels.
The Regional Connector Transit Project is a 1.9-mile underground tunnel that will connect the Blue, Expo and Gold Lines in downtown Los Angeles and will include three new stations at 1st Street/Central Avenue, 2nd Street/Broadway and 2nd Place/Hope Street. The rail line is expected to serve 88,000 riders daily – including 17,000 new riders – and save commuters up to 20 minutes by reducing the need to transfer. The Connector will provide a one-seat, one fare ride for commuters from Azusa to Long Beach and from East Los Angeles to Santa Monica.
The new Metro Rail extension will offer an alternative transportation option to congested roadways, provide significant environmental benefits and spur economic development throughout the County. Through improved connectivity, riders will be better able to use the entire Metro Rail system, municipal bus lines and other regional transportation services.
