CHICAGO, Feb. 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arcadis (EURONEXT: ARCAD), the leading global Design & Consultancy for natural and built assets, today announced it has been selected as managing partner of Elevated Solution Partners — a joint venture with Jacobs and Ardmore Roderick — to serve as Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) owner’s representative for the first phase of the Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) program. It will be the largest capital improvement project in CTA history.
As owner’s representative, under a $102 million contract, the Elevated Solution Partners team will serve as an extension of CTA’s staff and help oversee all aspects of the project.
“This project will improve rider experience, reduce overcrowding and help CTA meet rapidly growing demand for transit service in Chicago,” said LeeAnn Tomas-Foster, Arcadis City Executive in Chicago. “We are honored to work with CTA to improve quality of life for Chicagoans.”
The project corridor is a 9.6-mile stretch of track that was built nearly a century ago. The aging infrastructure requires frequent maintenance, which is costly and hinders service.
The Red Line is the busiest in Chicago’s ‘L’ rapid transit system and serves some of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the U.S. Red Line ridership has increased by almost 40 percent over a five-year period and CTA needs the Red Line to serve more riders.
The RPM program aims to meet this need.
The program will be completed in phases, allowing CTA to maximize improvements while minimizing impacts on riders and the community. Construction on the first phase is set to begin in the second half of 2019 and finish in 2025. It will include:
- Red-Purple Bypass: A bypass will be built north of the Belmont station to address significant capacity constraints caused by a 112-year-old track junction where the Brown Line intersects with the Red and Purple lines. It will carry northbound Brown Line trains up and over Red and Purple Line tracks, allowing for more train service to reduce overcrowding and delays.
- Lawrence-Bryn Mawr Modernization: Four aging stations (Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr), along with the existing four-track alignment will be rebuilt. The new stations will include modern amenities and elevators to make them accessible to riders with disabilities. The new track structure will provide better clearance over the existing streets, and wider station platforms will improve train speeds and service reliability.
The project will also include a new high capacity signal system from Belmont Station to Howard Yard. New interlockings will provide operational flexibility along the alignment.
“We’re excited to be CTA’s owner’s representative for the first phase of this transformative program,” said George Cussen, Arcadis project manager. “The different elements of this project will enhance service, introduce cutting-edge technology and bring transit in Chicago into the 21st century.”
The work comes on the heels of the Wilson Station project in 2018, which transformed a century-old station into a vibrant, modern hub. As construction manager, Arcadis oversaw the demolition of existing structures, as well as construction of the new station, trackwork and facilities.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
ARCADIS CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
Monika Grabek
Mobile: + 31 6 11 40 36 96
E-mail: monika.grabek@arcadis.com
ARCADIS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
Jimmy Luthye
Mobile: 303-947-5925
Email: james.luthye@arcadis.com
ABOUT ARCADIS
Arcadis is the leading global Design & Consultancy for natural and built assets. Applying our deep market sector insights and collective design, consultancy, engineering, project and management services we work in partnership with our clients to deliver exceptional and sustainable outcomes throughout the lifecycle of their natural and built assets. We are 27,000 people, active in over 70 countries that generate €3.3 billion in revenues. We support UN-Habitat with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. www.arcadis.com
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