The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) has selected Transit Delivery Partners, a team of STV, Jacobs and WRA, as general engineering consultants to design its Red Line light rail transit project, STV announced on 4 december
The companies will be responsible for designing roads, tracks, structures, utilities and other infrastructure associated with the planned 14-mile line between Woodlawn in Baltimore County at its western end and Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospital in East Baltimore, as well as the maintenance buildings and parking and promenade facilities. STV will also provide cost estimation services at future stages of the project.
“The Red Line will be a significant improvement to Baltimore’s connectivity, especially for communities that rely on public transit to access jobs, education and other essential services,” said Ryan Barth, director and director of STV projects, in a statement.
Other teams that submitted for the general engineer consultant contract include Transit Opportunities Partnership and JMT-AECOM Corridor GEC JV, records show.
Officials originally began the Red Line planning process in the early 2000s, but the then-governor canceled the project in 2015 and shifted funding to roads and bridges elsewhere in the state. STV, Jacobs and WRA had been involved in the project before its cancellation. Last year, Gov. West Moore (D) announced that state officials were reviving the plan, saying it was time to “take advantage of this moment in our nation’s history when the stars are aligning to invest in transportation audience”.
Moore announced in June that the Maryland Transit Administration had recommended light rail as the transit mode for the route after technical analysis and public outreach. Officials touted light rail’s greater capacity compared to bus rapid transit as an advantage in the high-density corridor.
Transit officials have said they aim to select a preferred lineup this winter. They have already narrowed it down to three alternatives.
Map courtesy of Maryland Transit AdministrationMost of the route is likely to be surfaced within Baltimore’s existing road network. The first alternative would include tunnels under downtown Baltimore and part of the western portion of the route, while the others would be built along existing highways. Parts of the line could also include dedicated “throughway” right-of-way sections.
State officials have estimated costs between $4.7 billion and up to $9 billion for the tunnel alternative.
