Structure Type: Covered walkway canopies
Project Scope:
Project Size: 19,284 sqft
Material: PTFE
Location: El Monte, CA
Completion Date: 2012
Market Segment: Infrastructure
Owner: Metro. Transit Authority
General Contractor: KPRS Construction Service
Architect: Gensler/R&O
Engineer: Athena Engineering
At the El Monte Bus Station, ETS engineered and installed over 19,000 square feet of PTFE tensile membrane canopies, creating a signature series of covered walkways that provide shade, weather protection, and a clean visual identity for one of Southern California’s busiest transit hubs. These elegant, high-performance canopies enhance commuter comfort for the 40,000 daily riders and contribute to the station’s LEED Gold certification by maximizing natural light and minimizing energy use. ETS built this project within tight site constraints and an active transit environment, showcasing our ability to deliver complex tensile systems on fast-paced, urban infrastructure projects.
ETS’ scope included engineering, design and construction for the membrane and structure of the following:
- Bus Structure Canopies: Ten (10) individual, free-standing canopies, covering 5,640 square feet of plan area with 5,950 square feet of surface area. Each canopy is 48’ long, subdivided into four 12’ bays with a depth of 11’6”. The canopies’ height varies with an alternating ridge and valley form, with a maximum height of 17’-3” tall.
- Main Structure Canopy: A symmetrical, seven-sided, cantilevered canopy with a perimeter truss comprised of pipe sections, rests atop concrete columns, and covers a footprint of 123’-9” x 110’, a plan area of 12,230 square feet, and a membrane surface area of 14,325 square feet. The overall height reaches 47.5’. A central arch provides a line of symmetry as well as hold-down clamping for the membrane along the central spine. Fabric closures over the top of the hold-down condition provide a uniformity of membrane finish.
- Concourse Canopy: Similar shape to the Main Structure, but scaled down and mirrored, occurring as a transition between the Bus Structure Canopies and the Main Structure. The Concours Canopy has a plan area of 3,070 square feet and a membrane surface area of 3,480 square feet.
LEED certification and Buy American compliance were key priorities for the project, and ETS played an active role in supporting both. Our team provided detailed documentation, including mill-specific reports on recycled content, and supplied 91.4 tons of domestically sourced steel to meet procurement standards. The tensile systems were engineered with seismic resilience in mind, addressing the region’s stringent structural requirements. All canopies were fabricated using SHEERFILL® V PTFE membrane, chosen for its durability, light transmission, and long-term performance. ETS completed installation of the structural steel and membrane systems in just three months, demonstrating not only efficiency in execution but also a deep commitment to quality and collaboration on complex public infrastructure projects.
