AUSTIN Transit Partnership (ATP) has released a Request for Information (RFI) for industry feedback on the design and construction of the city’s inaugural light rail project.
ATP is seeking input on the project’s alignment, track, systems, stations, bridges, signalling, utilities, drainage structures and streetscape ahead of awarding a multibillion-dollar design and build contract next year.
ATP says the early engagement is intended to strengthen competition for the project and support potential partners as they assemble bidding consortia. The deadline for feedback to the RFI is March 19. It will be followed by the release of a Request for Qualifications in June, with qualified firms invited to participate in a comprehensive Request for Proposals in August. ATP will then enter contract negotiations with the highest-ranked proposer.
Aecom was appointed by ATP as delivery partner for the $US 7.1bn scheme in December. The line will run for 15.8km with 15 stops, linking major destinations across the city, such as Lady Bird Lake, downtown Austin, and the University of Texas at Austin, with services operating at 5-10-minute intervals. Future phases are planned to extend north to key urban areas and south to Austin’s airport. Following the award of the design and build contracts in 2026, construction should begin in 2027 for completion in 2033.
ATP has yet to secure full funding for the scheme. It is proposing that half of the project costs will be met by federal sources, principally the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grant Programme. While the current project cost is capped at $US 7.1bn, previous estimates have ranged between $US 5.8bn and $US 10.3bn.
“Today marks an important milestone for Austin Light Rail as we begin to transition to the final design and construction phase of the project,” says ATP executive director, Greg Canally. “Working closely with ATP, the partners selected for this contract will help shape and deliver nearly every aspect of Austin’s first light rail system and play a critical role in the project’s success.”
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