Jacobs and its joint venture partners Arcadis and Ardmore-Roderick have secured a six-year contract to support transit line modernisation works in Chicago, US.
Awarded by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), the contract involves delivering owner’s representative services for the Red and Purple Modernization Program (RPM) Phase One project.
The $2.1bn RPM Phase One project aims to bolster the capacity of the rail corridor to accommodate increasing passenger load and improve service frequency.
Under the contract, Jacobs will provide programme and construction management services for the design-build of the project. It includes design and construction management, field support and project controls services.
Additionally, Jacobs will be responsible for quality assurance, safety and security certification oversight, and construction closeout services.
Jacobs Buildings, Infrastructure and Advanced Facilities COO and president Bob Pragada said: “This project will significantly improve transit service and support economic development initiatives in communities served by Chicago’s busiest ‘L’ line.
“With 75 million rides taken on the Red Line each year, Jacobs and our partners will help CTA modernise for the future to meet ridership demands.”
Major construction works for the project are expected to begin in the second half of this year.
The scope of RPM Phase One works includes rebuilding the Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr stations, as well as rehabilitation of rail tracks and elevated supported structures.
It also includes creating the Red-Purple Bypass north of Belmont station, allowing the northbound Brown Line trains to run over the Red and Purple line tracks. It will eliminate a key bottleneck in the rail system, thereby significantly improving travel times.
The overall Red Line and Purple Line modernisation programme will be completed in multiple phases.
In December, CTA selected a JV comprising Fluor and Walsh Construction Company as design-build partners for the RPM Phase One project.
