Surge in COVID-19 cases poses challenge to L.A. Metro rail projects

Due to a significant local increase in COVID-19 cases, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) says it is experiencing challenges with five rail construction projects it oversees.

These projects include the three sections of the Purple (D Line) Extension, the Regional Connector Transit Project and the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project.

The numbers tell the story. In September and October 2020, the contractors building these projects reported a total of seven positive COVID-19 cases. In November, those projects had 35 cases and in December there were 88 cases. Numbers for January are pending but L.A. Metro says it expects more of the same.

Capital construction is considered an essential activity under federal and state guidelines during the pandemic. Contractors have been following a variety of safety guidelines since last March to keep workers safe, but the projects are challenged by the same issues facing many other employers. Community transmission of COVID-19 is extremely widespread in L.A. County, with about 200,000 new positive cases so far this month.

L.A. Metro’s contractors have informed the agency that they’re doing their best to mitigate worker absences but that it’s getting increasingly difficult. At this time, L.A. Metro says it has not determined how COVID-19 will impact the projects’ schedules, if at all. The bottom line is this: If the surge in COVID-19 cases continues for much longer, the authority says it may begin to see project impacts.

This isn’t the only problem the pandemic is causing for L.A. Metro. Earlier this month, L.A. Metro also had to cancel some bus and rail trips each day because of staff absences — with many staff at home either sick, caring for sick family members or in quarantine. While L.A. Metro works to address these challenges, L.A. Metro’s Construction Relations teams are here for any project related questions.