|
Seattle Monorail
Project
Lea+Elliott
assisted the Elevated Transportation Company (ETC, the
predecessor to the Seattle Monorail Project (SMP), since
its very inception. Initially, most of this work was
familiarizing the original ETC Board with the various
monorail technologies and operating systems, analyzing
possible routes in Seattle for alignment alternatives,
operations and rough order of magnitude costs.
When the ETC was
reconstituted after the Initiative 53 vote, Lea+Elliott
was part of the team selected by ETC to perform
preliminary planning, engineering and environmental
studies. Lea+Elliott’s role was again primarily
technology and operations based. The firm assisted in
defining and analyzing a number of possible initial
systems alternatives. A technology assessment was
performed that included the widest possible
interpretation of monorail technology. As a result,
Lea+Elliott led a tour of Japanese monorail systems and
manufacturing facilities. Alignments were developed that
would serve the major ridership areas and be technically
feasible for all potential monorail technologies.
System equipment capital
cost and O&M cost estimates were developed and the final
monorail plan was developed that was ultimately approved
by the voters to form the SMP. Lea+Elliott was
officially selected as the prime Systems Engineering
Consultant for the SMP in March 2003, following voter
approval of the Seattle Popular Transit Plan in November
2002.
Operational train
simulations were performed on numerous alignments and
variations such as single tracking over the West Seattle
Bridge. Operating plans were developed to meet ridership
estimates throughout the design day and for special
events at the stadiums. Specifically, Lea+Elliott
modeled all system elements and tested the validity of
the station platform designs. Special emphasis was
placed on the larger volume stations, including
Weller/King, the transfer point between several
transportation modes. This particular station is also
designed to serve nearby sports complexes, thus placing
huge demands on this station before and after planned
sports activities. Lea+Elliott evaluated passenger flow
both horizontally and vertically, and determined the
optimum number of fare gates. Peak hour boarding at this
station are expected to be significant multiple times a
year when a baseball event ends during the commuter peak
hour.
The firm's scope of work
included monorail system programming and planning;
preliminary engineering; fare collection; simulation
modeling; facilities interface work; system safety and
security; systems cost estimating; collaborative
preparation of the RFQ and RFP documents; implementation
phase services; community involvement; and the provision
of project management services.
Following negotiation of a contract with a system
supplier, funding for the project was repealed by the
local voters
<<
Back
|
