Award: Two California infrastructure projects
Value: $17.5 million for preconstruction; total project costs estimated at $900 million
Location: Los Angeles County
Client: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority
Infrastructure builder FlatironDragados won two preconstruction contracts from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority, according to an Aug. 28 news release. The company has estimated that the combined cost of the projects will be $900 million, Alex Medyn, FlatironDragados vice president and district manager, told Construction Dive via email.
The first job centers on the preconstruction services phase of the Link Union Station project, which will result in the modernization of Los Angeles Union Station, Southern California’s busiest multimodal transit hub, according to the news release. The $7 million preconstruction contract supports current collaboration with LA Metro on project design and construction planning.
The overall project will create “run-through tracks” on an elevated rail yard to increase the station’s capacity by up to 200%, improve transit connectivity, accommodate Amtrak and Metrolink service and prepare the corridor for future high-speed rail service, according to the news release. The improvements will allow trains to enter and exit from both ends of the station, which will reduce congestion and enhance operational flexibility.
As the Link Union Station project has advanced, the cost and timeline of the work has been in flux, according to Railway Age. An LA Metro estimate from April 2025 pinned the total cost at around $1.6 billion.
In addition to the Union Station work, FlatironDragados and joint venture partner Herzog were selected for the preconstruction services phase of Metro’s Southeast Gateway Line Enabling project. The job will relocate heavy freight rail lines and conflicting utilities in preparation for the Southeast Gateway Line, a new light rail transit line that will connect downtown Los Angeles to southeast Los Angeles County.
The $10.5 million preconstruction contract supports early design coordination and construction planning that is currently underway. The overall construction cost, which is expected to exceed $500 million, will include utility relocations, rail installation, one new light rail and freight bridge and a new Metro station at the I-105 freeway.
Medyn told Construction Dive it will be estimating the cost of the projects at three different levels of design — 30%, 60% and 90%. After that, the company will negotiate with LA Metro to agree to a firm fixed-price contract.
“If we cannot agree with Metro on a price, they reserve the right to off-ramp us,” Medyn said. “Fortunately, we have a good track record of successfully negotiating these contracts.”
Since Flatiron and Dragados merged in July 2024 to create an infrastructure behemoth on the back of high demand in the U.S., the firm has been busy. In July, the builder won a $1 billion contract to build the Long Bridge North project in Washington, D.C. alongside Skanska, and nabbed the $414 million Franconia-Springfield Bypass job, a Virginia Passenger Rail Authority project, with JV partner Herzog.
