Th contract, which was awarded by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD), is valued at over US$550m (£425m).
The contract was awarded to FH Paschen Ragnar Benson Joint Venture (FHP/RB), with Jacobs as the lead designer. Ragnar Benson - a subsidiary of IEA that provides heavy- and light-rail construction -owns an approximate 30% interest in the joint venture.
FH Paschen and Ragnar Benson will together serve as the design build construction team for the project, which will connects Northwest Indiana to Chicago and Cook County, Illinois.
The project includes the construction of an eight-mile single-track branch extension of the existing South Shore rail line and four additional rail stations to reach high-growth areas in Lake County, Indiana. Related infrastructure to be built under the contract includes 42 bridges and other structures. In addition, the joint venture team will construct a maintenance and storage facility with a layover yard and three traction power substations to power the overhead contact system.
Work is due for completion in October 2024.
“After an extensive design/build procurement, the FH Paschen Ragnar Benson Joint Venture was determined to be the best value proposer for the project,” said Mike Noland, NICTD’S president. “Through spending extensive time with their team, we have a high degree of confidence that they will be a true partner to complete this project on-time and within budget.”
“This ground breaking is over three decades in the making, and represents the start of the largest public transit investment in Indiana’s history,” said Chris Beck, NICTD’s project manager for the West Lake Corridor project. “NICTD is excited to be working with the FH Paschen Ragnar Benson Joint Venture team to build this monumental project that is so important to residents of Indiana. This team’s qualifications and experience will serve us well to overcome the many challenges we will face to design and build this project. Designing and building a commuter railroad involves many complicated civil and electrical aspects, but we are confident the FH Paschen Ragnar Benson team will deliver a successful project.”
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