MIC-EARLINGTON HEIGHT CONNECTOR

We’re Helping to Create Nearly 90 Miles of Rapid Transit Rail

A 22.4-mile-long heavy rail transit line in Miami Dade County began service in 1984 and includes 22 stations. Now, the Miami Dade County People’s Transportation Plan 2030 has identified up to 88.9 miles of new countywide rapid transit lines. Subject to federal funding, a variety of extensions are planned.

Orange Line Phase I, the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC)-Earlington Heights (EH) Connector, funded by local and state dollars, is a 2.4-mile segment extension between the existing Earlington Heights Metrorail station and the MIC, a proposed regional transportation hub that will serve Miami International Airport (MIA). The segment is scheduled for completion in late 2011.

Orange Line Phase II, the North Corridor (9.5 miles), is scheduled for completion in 2014; and Orange Line Phase III, the East-West Corridor (10-12 miles), is tentatively scheduled for completion in 2016.

Lea+Elliott, as a subconsultant to URS Corporation, is responsible for preliminary design and procurement documents for the Orange Line Phase I operating system. The scope of work includes train control, communications, power supply and distribution, and modifications to the control center. We are also responsible for providing operating system elements interface requirements for the fixed facilities design. The construction procurement includes a conventional design-bid-build approach for the Metrorail stations, guideway and other fixed facilities, and a design-build procurement for the operating system elements, all in one single construction contract. The design work has been completed.

DULLES RAIL EXTENSION

We're Helping to Bring a $5 Billion Investment Online

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) is managing the 23-mile extension of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) rapid transit system, Metrorail,  to and beyond Washington Dulles International Airport in Northern Virginia.  The first phase, 11.7 miles and 5 stations, is valued at $3.2 billion and is scheduled to open in 2013.  The second phase, 11.4 miles and 6 stations, is scheduled to open in 2016.  In a major subconsultant role, Lea+Elliott is supporting the Program Management team in the areas of planning, interface with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and systems design and construction.

With primary responsibility for oversight of systems engineering issues, Lea+Elliott performed a technical review and assessment of preliminary engineering documents and identified design refinements to improve the project's chances of implementation.  Lea+Elliott is working with WMATA to ensure the new extension is compatible with the railcar fleet and WMATA design criteria.  Lea+Elliott also applied their extensive experience with Design-Build procurements to assist the project team with contractor negotiations and development of the Design-Build contract.

In the area of Planning Management, Lea+Elliott is managing the areas of risk assessment and mitigation, environmental reviews, agency coordination, transportation management, permitting, right-of-way acquisition, and value engineering.  As a subset of planning management, Lea+Elliott supported the efforts required for MWAA to receive federal New Starts funding. Lea+Elliott has prepared project management plans; applied to FTA to enter into final design; prepared the application for a full funding grant agreement (FFGA); submitted the New Starts update material to FTA; prepared monthly and quarterly reports; participated in the risk assessment process; and assisted with other FTA requirements.

In March 2009, the final funding piece fell into place when FTA approved the $900 million full funding grant agreement for the project and a full notice-to-proceed was issued to the contractor to begin construction.

NEW YORK MTA INDEPENDENT CHECKING ENGINEER

We Became the Trusted Advisors for a Decade of New York Rail Projects

Lea+Elliott provided project management oversight to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) as their independent engineering consultant for capital programs. Our role was to provide oversight of all vehicle procurement and signal modernization projects. Reporting through the MTA’s Office of Capital Program Oversight to the Capital Program Oversight Committee, we advised the MTA on all projects aspects including: technology, management, schedule, resource allocation, funding/cost, risk, quality, and interface issues. Our staff monitors these projects on a continuous basis and conducts reviews of policy/practice/procedure issues on an agency-wide programmatic scale.

We also provided technical support and project management oversight for the design, manufacture and commissioning of 1,550 R142 subway cars built by Bombardier and Kawasaki for NYCT, 212 R143 subway cars built by Kawasaki, and 660 R160 cars built by Alstom.

In addition, we provided these same services in the oversight of the M7 project, where replacement commuter coaches were procured for the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro North Railroad. This project involved 1,266 cars.

Lea+Elliott provided further technical support and project management oversight for the design, manufacture, installation and testing of signal system modernization projects including the Sea Beach, Pelham and Brighton Lines in Brooklyn, and the White Plains Road and Pelham lines in the Bronx. We also provided monitoring of the communication-based train control (CBTC) program for NYCT. This is a pilot program to design, install and test a CBTC system in the Canarsie Line. This project is the largest CBTC project to date and serves as a pilot program for the industry beyond NYCT. Ultimately, NYCT plans to extend the use of this technology for their full system after successfully deploying on the Canarsie Line.

Lea+Elliott performed these services for over a decade in coordination with three different prime contractors/consultants.

AMTRAK NORTHEAST CORRIDOR HIGH SPEED RAIL

Our Independent Audits and Reviews Kept Project Delays in Check

Lea+Elliott supported the implementation of the first high-speed rail system in the United States. In 1994, Amtrak hired us to conduct a review of its procurement documents for the acquisition of electric and dual-mode train sets, maintenance services and three maintenance facilities. The electric train sets provide service between Boston and New York at a top speed of 150 miles per hour.

Once we completed the initial review of their procurement and contracting documents, Amtrak awarded us another contract to assist in evaluating the resultant proposals. We performed an independent evaluation of proposals, audited the evaluation process, and provided documentation to verify that the proposals complied with Amtrak procurement standards. After the award of the high-speed train set contract in 1996, our responsibilities increased to include oversight for the right-of-way and fixed facilities upgrades for the entire Northeast Corridor, including: electrification and re-signaling of the North End from New Haven to Boston, construction of new maintenance facilities in Washington, New York and Boston, and contract maintenance services.
    
In 1999, the car builder consortium informed Amtrak that additional schedule delays would extend delivery and conditional acceptance of high-speed train sets. Amtrak asked us to perform an independent evaluation of the consortium’s readiness to achieve the new production and testing plan. Our evaluation team reviewed their production facilities, interviewed key management personnel, and evaluated the status of recovery plans presented by the consortium. We then provided recommendations to Amtrak to address impediments to achieving the production and testing/acceptance activities proposed by the consortium.

In late 1999, Lea+Elliott performed on-site auditing of the testing and retrofit of high-speed train sets and locomotives.