Metro Asks Local Students To Name Tunnel-Boring Machine

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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Before Metro begins tunneling for a subway line along Crenshaw Boulevard, the agency needs to find a name for the unusual machine that will drill the tunnel. So, Metro is asking local students to come up with ideas.

Metro is staging a contest for kids from kindergarten through high school to name the machine that will drill the tunnel to connect three Metro stations along Crenshaw Boulevard, from Exposition Boulevard to Vernon Avenue. The project is part of Metro's $2.06 billion underground and light-rail Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project.

Tunnel-boring machines have a long history of being named to give a project good luck. For good measure, Metro is holding two contests for local school kids: one to name the machine, and the other to draw a design that will be placed on a decal on the machine. Students K-5 are invited to enter the illustration contest. Students grades 6-12 are invited to enter the naming contest.

Once the tunnel-boring machine gets its name, Metro expects to begin tunneling under Crenshaw Boulevard in the winter.

To enter the contest, click on these links:

http://www.metro.net/projects/tunnel-boring-machine-tbm/art-contest-form/

http://www.metro.net/projects/tunnel-boring-machine-tbm/naming-contest-form/