RTD presents final list of Southeast Rail Extension bidders

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD) staff presented a final list of four teams to its board of directors to bid on building out the Southeast Rail Extension Feb. 3.

 

The extension, which is part of RTD’s 2004 voter-approved FasTracks plan, will add 2.3 miles from Lincoln Station to RidgeGate Parkway. Seven construction teams had initially responded to the Request for Qualifications. The final four teams selected to bid on the project are Balfour Beatty Infrastructure with Parson Brinkerhoff (serving as prime contractor and performing systems and design work); Graham – Kraemer Joint Venture (prime contractor) with Modern Railway Systems (systems) and Stantec (design); Kiewit (prime contractor) with Mass Electric (systems) and Hatch Mott McDonald (design) and Stacy Witbeck – Herzog – Wadsworth Joint Venture (prime contractor) with Modern Railway Systems (systems) and STV (design).

The final four teams will receive a Request for Proposal by February 27 with proposals due to RTD in May. After a finalist is selected and the RTD Board awards a contract, the Notice to Proceed (NTP) for design work is expected to be granted later this year while the NTP for construction is expected in 2016.

Last July, the RTD Board authorized a $207-million extension of the existing Southeast Light Rail Line farther south into Lone Tree. RTD has applied for $92 million in federal funds and has been accepted into the first phase of the Federal Transit Administration New Starts Capital Investment Program.

Additionally, local business associations and businesses in the southeast metro Denver area have committed to contributing $25 million in cash and $15 million in right-of-way, permits and other in-kind contributions to get the light-rail extension project completed. This local match would comprise 16.5 percent of the project cost and far exceeds the 2.5 percent match RTD has asked of its local partners. Of the project’s total $207 million cost, RTD’s investment would be $66 million or about 32 percent.

When the extension is completed in 2019, residents will be able to travel from the RidgeGate station on the new R Line through Aurora to Peoria Station and connect to the commuter train to Denver International Airport or travel to Union Station in downtown Denver.

 

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