Leighton was commended by its peers for work performed on the – Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension. The Honorable Mention was one of just six awards presented at the CalGeo Annual Conference.

Named after Boyle Heights resident and long-time Los Angeles political activist, City Councilman and US Congressman, the Edward R. Roybal Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension (MGLEE) opened to great fanfare in November of 2009. The alignment runs through City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles jurisdictions, from Union Station through eastern downtown Los Angeles, and the densely populated areas of Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles, extending Metro service to one of the heaviest transit dependent areas in Los Angeles County.

The MGLEE was a challenging project for all disciplines including geotechnical engineering. Traces of active folding were identified near one of the underground stations that required a fault investigation to quantity the magnitude of folding and tilting for incorporation in the structural design. Existing improvements, including active utility lines and historical structures, are present along the alignment presenting a challenging issue during the field exploration, design and construction of the project.  Deep excavations for the underground stations and tunnel portals were performed through alluvium and bedrock, extending 40 feet below the groundwater table and near historical structures. Excavation for the east portal of the tunnels encountered an unexpected burial that not only required special study and handling, but extensive community outreach as well.