Skanska-Stacy Witbeck JV signs $1.9bn LA Metro contract for East San Fernando Valley light rail

A joint venture between Skanska and Stacy Witbeck signed a $1.9bn construction contract with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority on 14 August 2026 for the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project in Van Nuys, California.^[1] Including earlier preconstruction and early-works agreements, the total value of the JV's work reaches $2.43bn.

Scope and structure of the award

Skanska's share of the $1.9bn construction contract is $957m (approximately SEK 8.9bn), reflecting a roughly even split with Alameda, California-based Stacy Witbeck.^[1] The Stockholm-headquartered builder will book its portion in US order bookings for the third quarter of 2026.

The two firms are delivering the project as San Fernando Transit Constructors (SFTC), with AECOM serving as engineer of record and a joint venture of Arcadis and Mott MacDonald providing construction management support for LA Metro.

The construction scope covers:

• 6.7 miles (10.8 km) of at-grade light rail running in the median of Van Nuys Boulevard^[1]
• 11 new stations with shade structures and utility improvements
• A 26-acre rail and maintenance facility
• Ten traction power substations and an overhead contact system

The line will run through Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta, and Pacoima, connecting with the Metro G Line bus rapid transit route as well as Metrolink and Amtrak services at the northern end.

Progressive design-build delivery

LA Metro procured the project using a progressive design-build (PDB) method, under which the owner, designer, and contractor collaborate during the design phase to refine scope, schedule, and cost before full construction begins. The approach allowed SFTC to work alongside Metro and community stakeholders from the outset.

Skanska USA Civil West Coast operations executive vice-president James Bailey noted that the PDB method "enabled us to collaborate closely with LA Metro from day one, bringing designers, builders, stakeholders, and community members together to make informed decisions."

Work began in July 2026, with revenue service targeted for December 2031. LA Metro anticipates the line will accommodate 30,000 boardings per day once open.

Context: Skanska's Southern California rail track record

The award deepens Skanska's footprint in Los Angeles County transit. In May 2026, a separate Skanska-led JV completed the $2.2bn D Line Subway Extension, adding three stations along Wilshire Boulevard. That project required extensive tunneling through seismically active ground and around pockets of hazardous gas and ice-age fossils - a markedly different challenge from the at-grade Van Nuys build.

Stacy Witbeck brings its own California rail experience to the partnership, having delivered the SMART Commuter Rail station in Petaluma in 2025, a project that included six miles of adjacent pedestrian pathway.^[1]

The overall East San Fernando Valley project carries an approved budget of $3.573bn and is backed by an $893m federal grant executed in late 2024. A northern segment study is also underway; in late 2025, officials recommended a $200m alternative alignment that would add roughly 2.5 miles and three stations along San Fernando Road toward Sylmar.

Whether the northern segment advances to construction - and how LA Metro funds it - will be the next milestone to watch as Phase 1 moves through utility relocation and toward track installation later in 2026.