California $490M Rail Extension Won by Bechtel

The project will expand rail access in Silicon Valley.

Source : Wikidata

July 17, 2024

Author : Alex Bustillos

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has awarded a significant construction management contract for a major rail expansion in California. 

Bechtel, a construction company headquartered in Reston, Virginia, secured the contract valued at $490 million. This project represents the largest single investment in public infrastructure ever undertaken by Santa Clara County.

Bechtel’s responsibilities will involve overseeing construction of a brand new six-mile rail extension for the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system. This extension, known as BART’s Silicon Valley Phase II, will greatly improve connectivity within the region. The project will include the construction of four new stations along the six-mile stretch, with a significant portion of the line running underground through nearly six miles of tunnels.

This critical infrastructure project is expected to take ten years to complete, with Bechtel commencing work and assuming oversight of construction activities later in 2024. Upon completion, the new rail line will establish a vital connection between Santa Clara and North San Jose to the existing BART network, offering a convenient and efficient transportation option for residents throughout the Bay Area.

This expansion comes with a hefty price tag. The project’s total cost is estimated at $12.8 billion, a substantial increase from the initial projections of $4.7 billion in 2014.

Interestingly, this isn’t Bechtel’s first involvement with the BART system. Back in the 1960s, Bechtel played a leading role in the design and construction of the original BART system as part of a collaborative effort known as Parsons-Brinkerhoff-Tudor-Bechtel. This consortium also included Parsons-Brinckerhoff-Quade & Douglas, a New York City-based firm responsible for the original BART transportation plan, and Tudor Engineering Co. from San Francisco.

Bechtel’s previous experience with BART’s Silicon Valley Line Phase I, which opened its doors to passengers in 2020, positions them well for this latest project. The company anticipates the completed rail system to serve a substantial ridership, transporting an estimated 55,000 passengers daily by 2040.

This  expansion in Santa Clara County represents just one example of the numerous large-scale infrastructure projects currently underway across the United States. Despite a recent decline in spending on certain transit projects, construction firms remain optimistic about the future of the industry, particularly with a renewed focus on passenger and light rail initiatives. 

As Marsia Geldert-Murphey, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, pointed out earlier this year, “Passenger rail and light rail is something that has not [historically] seen significant funding, so we are seeing those projects move forward.”

Category : Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Investment in Infrastructure Local Government State Government Railroads

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