Southern Coast Railway
Fall River and New Bedford, Mass.
Merit Award
Presented by AECOM Tishman
Owner: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Main design company: VHB/HNTB joint venture
General contractor: Skanska-DW White Joint Venture
Civil Engineer: HBV
MEP Engineer: IMAGE
Architect: Fennick McCredie Architecture
The $1 million project restores commuter rail service between Boston and three previously underserved cities with nearly 40 miles of new track, six new stations, 12 bridges, 28 level crossings and two new stairwells.
The simultaneous development of multiple elements of modern suburban infrastructure in an active freight corridor required close coordination and sequenced construction activities. Early action packages, including culvert upgrades and replacements, procurement of track materials, and bridge replacements, helped reduce schedule risks and ease the way toward full construction.
Photo by Andy Ryan, courtesy of HNTB
The team reused more than 300,000 cubic yards of excavated materials over the course of the project, avoiding costly transportation of surplus soil to out-of-state landfills.
In New Bedford, accelerated bridge construction techniques and precast components expedited construction of a new web-tied arch pedestrian bridge with minimal disruption to traffic on the busy freeway below. The signature structure’s integrated lighting, landscaping and ADA-compliant access provide both functional utility and a visual gateway to the new downtown station.
