Central Corridor LRT Projects marks milestone with selection of engineering consultant

Contact:
Laura Baenen
Central Corridor LRT Project
Communications Manager
651-602-1797
Laura.baenen@metc.state.mn.us

St. Paul – June 13, 2007 – The Central Corridor LRT Project selected a consultant Wednesday to begin the preliminary engineering study so the largest one-time public works project in the state’s history can move forward.

The Metropolitan Council voted to give its regional administrator authorization to negotiate and execute a contract up to $35.5 million with DMJM Harris, a New York-based engineering firm that has tackled complex light rail projects nationwide. The Met Council is leading the design and construction of the line with the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

“The selection of a consultant to assist with preliminary engineering represents another important milestone for the Central Corridor LRT project,” said Peter Bell, chair of the Council. “It will enable us to continue moving forward with our efforts to improve mobility, build transit ridership and ease congestion in one of this region's most heavily traveled corridors.”

Construction would begin in 2010 on the 11-mile line linking downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis via Washington and University avenues through the state Capitol area, Midway and University of Minnesota East Bank. When the line opens in 2014, it would connect with the Hiawatha LRT at the Metrodome station.

Preliminary engineering will help the Metropolitan Council decide exactly where stations should be and how to reduce the nearly $1 billion cost by $200 million to meet the federal cost-effectiveness index so the project can receive federal approval in 2009. The federal government will pay half of the construction costs. The other half will be paid by the state (33 percent), Ramsey County (12 percent) and Hennepin County (5 percent).

The project’s potential impacts on land use and economic development in the corridor are not among factors to be considered in preliminary engineering. Instead, St. Paul and Minneapolis will address land-use questions, and chambers of commerce and the Central Corridor Partnership will address business impacts.

DMJM Harris, a leader in the transportation and infrastructure industry, has handled other light rail projects, including ones in southern New Jersey, Dallas and Los Angeles. Its history goes back to 1927 through a predecessor company, Frederic R. Harris Inc. In 1946, another predecessor company, Daniel, Mann, Johnson & Mendenhall, became the first integrated engineering/architectural firm in the western United States.

A panel representing the Central Corridor’s project partners, which include Ramsey and Hennepin counties, the state, St. Paul, Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota, evaluated the firm’s proposal, deeming it responsive and highly advantageous.

DMJM Harris’ proposal has a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise participation rate of 17 percent, which meets the goal established by the Met Council’s Office of Diversity. The contract includes many local businesses as subcontractors. The DBE program is intended to ensure nondiscrimination in the award and administration of federally funded transit-related contracts. In general, to be eligible for the DBE program, persons must own 51 percent or more of a "small business," establish that they are disadvantaged within the meaning of the regulations, and prove they control their business. They must have a personal net worth of less than $750,000.

Central Corridor LRT Project

The Central Corridor Light Rail Transit project linking downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis via Washington and University avenues would be the third in a planned network of rail and bus "transitways’" in the Twin Cities. Construction would begin in 2010 on the planned 11-mile Central Corridor line, with service beginning in 2014. The Metropolitan Council would be the grantee of federal funds, which make up 50 percent of the project’s capital cost before trimming to meet federal cost-effectiveness requirements. The regional government agency is charged with leading the design and building of the line in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The Central Corridor Management Committee, which includes the mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis and commissioners from Ramsey and Hennepin counties, provides advice and oversight.

See a presentation to the Central Corridor Management Committee describing the tasks that are included in the Preliminary Engineering phase. (pdf)

The Central Corridor LRT Project Website is www.metrocouncil.org/transportation/ccorridor/centralcorridor.htm