Local News in Brief : Bechtel Unit Chosen to Study Light Rail

The Los Angeles County Transportation Commission has selected a firm to prepare a “route-refinement” study for a proposed light rail line from Torrance to El Segundo.

The study--which is preliminary to an environmental impact report--will explore possible routes for the line and determine the major concerns of cities that would be affected. South Bay cities are being asked to contribute $70,000 to pay for the study by Bechtel Civil Inc., a division of San Francisco-based Bechtel Corp.

Bechtel also was chosen to prepare an environmental impact report for a light rail line from El Segundo to Marina del Rey. That study could take up to a year to complete.

Citing mounting traffic problems, a number of South Bay political and business leaders earlier had unsuccessfully urged commissioners to allocate funds for an environmental impact report on the Torrance to El Segundo line.