The OHL Group, through OHL USA and Judlau, has won two contracts worth $136M in Texas and New Jersey.OHL USA has bagged a $79M contract from the Texas Department of Transportation to build IH 35 from Stassney Lane to William Cannon Drive in Austin, Texas.The company will be responsible for reconstructing bridge structures along the roadway, new U-turns at Stassney Lane and William Cannon Drive, as well as the frontage road bridges over Williamson Creek.In addition, the project will include the widening of the mainlanes to include shoulders, the extension of entrance and exit lanes, the reconfiguration of ramps, the enhancement of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and the addition of new safety and high mast lighting. The total scope of the work for OHL covers 5km.Meanwhile, Judlau has won a $57M contract from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to restore the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge.The project will include the replacement of the deck, superstructure and substructures and on-grade approaches of the Palisades Interstate Parkway Helix, and construction of a temporary detour structure to maintain traffic.Judlau will also install detour bridge structures, temporary barriers and traffic impact attenuators on median barriers, as well as temporary storage facilities to replace those affected by the alignment of the temporary detour.
Vinci Construction Grands Projets in a joint venture with EMCC and Jan de Nul has secured a $147M contract to extend the port of Kingston in Jamaica.Under the contract, awarded by shipping group CMA CGM, the JV will be responsible for the refurbishment, reinforcement and upgrade of 1,200m of quays to seismic standards.Furthermore, dredging work in the access channel will be carried out. The project is expected to increase the alongside depth of the quays to enable them to handle container ships of larger capacity. According to Vinci, the port of Kingston — located near the Panama Canal at the crossroads between the North/South and East/West sea lanes — will become one of the three main container terminals in the Caribbean.Work on the project will be completed in 25 months.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission has awarded a $755M contract to Dragados Team joint venture for the construction of a new parallel tunnel at the Thimble Shoal Channel.The new tunnel will be around one mile in length, and will have an outer diameter of 42ft. Construction work is set to commence in late 2017, with the renovation of the Island 1 fishing pier.
US-based Granite Construction has secured a $128M contract from the California Department of Transportation for the State Route 99 realignment project in Fresno, California. Under the contract, Granite will act as construction manager and general contractor for the project, which includes the construction of a reconfigured interchange, overhead structures and infrastructure, to accommodate the high-speed rail system between the existing freeway and the Union Pacific Railroad.The project also includes the re-routing of local streets to accommodate the realigned freeway and relocation of utilities to support the project. The California High Speed Rail Authority has provided financing for the project, which is scheduled to be complete by September 2018.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has approved a total of $600M of funding for the construction of a new terminal to replace Terminals C and D for Delta Air Lines at LaGuardia Airport. The Port Authority plans to contribute $200M towards the Delta terminal for new concourses and ramp work and $185M for the construction of an electrical substation and the expansion of the East Garage, along with any necessary temporary parking solutions during construction. Furthermore, $215M will go towards roadways and other supporting infrastructure. Delta Air Lines will be responsible for performing and managing the construction work, with full responsibility for any cost over-runs. The development, which represents the second phase of the airport’s redevelopment and modernisation program, will help unify the airport through the interconnection of Terminal B with the new 37-gate Terminal C&D facility which will house Delta. The second phase of the project is expected to cost about $4bn. Work on the Delta phase of the project is expected to start in 2017 — subject to approval from the Federal Aviation Administration — and is scheduled to be complete in 2024. The main head house of the new terminal is anticipated to open in 2020.
A joint venture (JV) of Shimmick Construction, Traylor Bros., and Granite Construction has won an $875M contract from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) to build the elevated guideway and stations around the Honolulu International Airport.The JV will be responsible for the design and construction of 8.4km of elevated guideway and four stations from the airport to Middle Street.All the participants in the JV are mainland-based construction companies. HART’s executive director and CEO Dan Grabauskas said the group’s final proposal of $875M was the “best value” of the three analysed by HART.Construction on the airport’s part of the guideway is set to commence in six months.
The governments of Canada and Alberta have signed an agreement to provide funding for the construction of the southwest portion of the Calgary Ring Road.The Southwest Calgary Ring Road project involves the construction of 49 bridges, including three river crossings and one roadway flyover.It will also include 31km of six- and eight-lane divided roadway, 14 interchanges, one railway overpass, and the reconstruction of Glenmore Trail from Sarcee Road to east of 37 Street Southwest.Mountain View Partners has been selected as the preferred proponent, with a commercial close date expected in September 2016.The project will be executed using a design, finance, build and operate procurement approach, in which the contractor will design, build, operate and maintain the asset on behalf of the government of Alberta for the contract period of 30 years.The government of Canada will contribute up to $582.9M to the project, while the remainder of the financing will be provided by the Province of Alberta.The Southwest section is anticipated to be complete by 2021.
US-based infrastructure firm Aecom has won a new $100M contract to provide programme management and construction management (PM/CM) services at the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport in Texas, USA.Aecom will be responsible for the provision of life cycle services to DFW’s Design, Code and Construction Department.The scope of the contract will include programme, project, design and construction management; contract administration; programme and project controls; public outreach and technical, third-party support.The five-year contract also covers a variety of potential projects, including both federally and non-federally funded airfield improvements, building projects and landside improvements.The company will continue to lead a joint venture team responsible for design and design management services for the refurbishments currently underway at DFW Terminal B and Terminal E, as part of the airport’s $2.7bn Terminal Renewal and Improvement Program.Aecom’s chairman and CEO Michael Burke said: “We are very proud of our long history of working with the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and being a part of their most important and iconic programs.“The confidence shown by DFW in selecting Aecom as their PM/CM partner for the next five years reflects the collaborative relationship we’ve worked hard to build together and Aecom’s in-house strengths in aviation architecture and engineering.”Aecom has served as a consultant to DFW for over 30 years.
Virginia’s proposed Atlantic Gateway project has received a $165M grant from the US Department of Transportation.The grant, allocated under the DOT’s FASTLANE program, will be combined with $565M in private investments and $710M in other transportation funds.The project is part of the $1.4bn state effort to ease traffic congestion on the I-95 corridor in Northern Virginia.The development will include the construction of 23km of new rail track, the extension of 95 express lanes for 11km north to the Potomac River and the extension of the 95 express lanes 16km south to Fredericksburg.Work will also involve the construction of a new southbound bridge on I-95 across the Rappahannock River, as well as new commuter parking, technology upgrades and new truck parking.Governor Terry McAuliffe said: “Winning this significant federal grant will allow Virginia to move forward on a project that will transform travel conditions and stimulate economic growth across our Commonwealth. Our administration worked with federal, state, local and private sector parties to submit a package of transportation improvements that will have far-reaching benefits for everyone who travels the Commonwealth, whether by car, bus or train.”Construction work will be carried out in phases, and portions will start as early as 2017.
Royal Caribbean Cruises has signed an agreement with Miami-Dade County to build and operate a new cruise terminal at PortMiami, Florida.The new terminal will support PortMiami and will serve as homeport to Royal Caribbean International ships, including a 5,400-passenger Oasis-class ship — the world’s largest cruise ships.The 16,000sq m terminal, designed by Broadway Malyan, is nicknamed the ‘Crown of Miami’ due to its distinctive shape and will be built on land leased from the county. The company will also add a 2,000sq m Innovation Lab to its corporate PortMiami’s headquarters.Miami-Dade County mayor Carlos Gimenez said: “Miami-Dade County is happy to welcome Royal Caribbean’s expansion at PortMiami, and all the economic benefits that come along with it.“This public-private partnership will have an estimated economic impact of $500M and generate approximately 4,000 jobs. “Royal Caribbean has been an important part of our world-class community for almost 50 years, and this expansion will once again make PortMiami Royal Caribbean’s largest cruise port in the world. I thank them for their continued investment in and commitment to Miami-Dade.”The agreement will come before the Miami-Dade County board of county commissioners on 6 July 2016.
Ontario Province has announced the construction of three new GO train stations as part of Metrolinx’s GO Regional Express Rail (RER) expansion project in Canada.The stations, along the Barrie GO Transit line, will be built in Vaugham, Newmarket and Simcoe County. GO RER’s project will improve transit service across Greater Toronto and Hamilton area and includes electrification of core segments of the network by 2024. Through the Moving Ontario Forward plan, Ontario is investing $31.5bn over 10 years for transit, transportation and other priority infrastructure projects across the province.Bruce McCuaig, Metrolinx’s president and CEO, said: “We are moving forward with the single-largest addition of new stations along the GO rail network since we started service nearly 50 years ago. “These new stations will bring improved transportation options closer to home to help everyone get where they need to go, faster and more efficiently.”
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is set to break ground on a $2.4bn project to renovate the airport’s Terminal 1 (T1).Upon completion, the project is expected to meet or exceed the standards of Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 Boarding Area E.The project, expected to receive a LEED Gold certification, will include the design and construction of T1’s north, south and central areas, a new Boarding Area B with enhanced passenger circulation and access to its 24 gates, new passenger loading bridges and new concessions and an improved Boarding Area C.It will also involve a new central area and a mezzanine with connections to the AirTrain and the Central Parking Garage.Work is set to commence in June 2016 and the terminal is scheduled to be completed in 2020.
Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP) have achieved financial closure to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Purple Line project in Maryland, USA. The $5.6bn project, which includes a $2bn design-build contract, includes the construction of 21 stations along a 16.2-mile alignment extending from Bethesda, in Montgomery County to New Carrollton, in Prince George’s county.The closure includes $313M in ‘Green Bonds’ from Private Activity Bonds underwritten by JP Morgan and RBC Capital Markets and follows approval of a $874.6M Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan from the United States Department of Transportation last week.Herb Morgan, Purple Line Transit Partners CEO, said: “Purple Line Transit Partners is pleased to reach financial close on this important project.“This milestone, plus the recent Board of Works action approving the P3 contract, solidifies Maryland’s leadership in protecting and enhancing the state's fiscal integrity by advancing a public-private partnership project that will transfer construction, operation, maintenance and performance risks to the private partners all while ensuring riders and stakeholders receive improved mobility, environmental compliance and safety. “Our team is looking forward to working with Maryland communities to start construction later this year and deliver this innovative project at a fixed-price and on schedule."The Purple Line Transit Constructors team has began initial design and survey work with construction expected to start later this year and passenger service scheduled for early 2022. Following construction, Purple Line Transit Operators will provide 30 years of operations and maintenance services.
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has approved a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan of $874.6M to Purple Line Transit Partners for the implementation of the Maryland Purple Line project. The 16.2-mile project includes 21 stations and connects many communities in Maryland, from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County.The project, owned by the Maryland Department of Transportation, will be implemented on a design-build-finance-operate-maintain basis.The project was procured as a public-private partnership under a concession agreement that was executed in April 2016, and expires about 30 years after substantial completion, which is expected in March 2022.
LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP) consortium has started construction on a new 130,000sq m Terminal B building at LaGuardia Airport in New York, USA.The consortium includes Vantage Airport Group, Skanska and Meridiam, together with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.The $4.2bn project will involve the construction of a 35-gate terminal, along with a new west parking garage and other supporting facilities.Work will commence with a roadway network and a new 3,000-space parking garage that will minimise congestion at the airport. The project design reflects the recommendations from the Governor’s Airport Advisory Panel, which includes the new light-filled central hall where passengers arrive, set to connect Terminals B and C.LGP and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey have recently secured financing for the project.The new airport, expected to achieve LEED Gold certification, is set to open in 2018, with all portions of the redesigned Terminal B scheduled to open by the end of 2021. The project is expected to create 8,000 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has started construction on a new air traffic control tower and radar approach control at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina.The new 370ft-tall air traffic control tower will be equipped with NextGen technology and will provide air traffic controllers with a bird’s-eye view of the airfield, and will accommodate current operations and future growth.The 80sq m tower cab has enough space to accommodate additional future air traffic control positions. The 3,900sq m base building will accommodate an expanded terminal radar approach control (TRACON), with space for future growth.It will also include training rooms, administrative offices, and a power distribution supply system along with the latest aviation security and air traffic simulation capabilities.In January 2016, the FAA awarded a $60M contract to Archer Western Construction to build the new facility. The total project cost, including equipment, installation, training costs, and demolition of the old tower, is estimated at $112M.Construction on the tower and TRACON base building is expected to be complete in 2018, and the facility is scheduled to be operational in 2020.
Skanska, as part of LaGuardia Gateway Partners consortium, has reached financial closure and signed a lease agreement with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) for LaGuardia Project in New York.With a lease term through 2050, the public private partnership (PPP) includes finance, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the LaGuardia Airport Central Terminal B.The design-build contract is valued at about SEK33bn ($4bn). Swedish company Skanska has a 70% stake in the contract, worth nearly $2.8bn.The deal also involves the construction work for supporting infrastructure and a new central entrance hall.Terminal B, opened in 1964, serves over 14m passengers per year. The new LaGuardia Central Terminal B, which will be constructed next to the existing terminal, has been designed to attain LEED Silver certification.Skanska’s CEO and president Johan Karlström said: “This is Skanska’s largest project ever. We are proud to invest in and lead construction of this project that will improve the quality of air travel for millions of people.“The LaGuardia Airport Central Terminal B project is a perfect example of how we, through Public Private Partnership, can expedite delivery of critical infrastructure, bringing together Skanska’s construction and investment capabilities. We have a strong position in the growing US market for PPP projects.”LaGuardia Gateway Partners includes Skanska Infrastructure Development, Vantage Airport Group and Meridiam as project sponsors and co-investors, with Vantage Airport Group managing operations.New facilities will start opening in 2018, with scheduled substantial completion in 2022.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has started construction on a $172M maintenance and administrative facility for light-rail vehicles serving the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor Project and the Metro Green Line.The 11,000sq m facility, named ‘Southwest Yard’, is located near Los Angeles International Airport and will be constructed by a Hensel Phelps/Herzog joint venture.The project will feature a main shop, a washing facility, a cleaning platform, a material storage building and a wheel truing shop. It will also have the capacity to store 70 light rail vehicles, with the possibility of being expanded in the future.The building has been designed to achieve LEED Silver certification and will include sustainable features such as bicycle parking, designated parking for low-emitting, fuel-efficient and carpool/vanpool vehicles and electric vehicle charging.Metro’s CEO Phillip Washington said: "The 200 people to be employed here will be working in a state-of-the art facility designed to keep our new system in a state of good repair."
The regional transit authority serving the Greater Seattle Area Sound Transit has inaugurated the University Link Light Rail Extension in Seattle.CH2M, serving as the lead in a construction management joint venture, announced that the rail project has been delivered six months ahead of schedule and about $200M under its $1.6bn budget.The 2.5km extension runs through twin-bored tunnels from downtown Seattle north to the University of Washington, with stations at Capitol Hill and on the university’s campus near Husky Stadium.The project involved nine separate contracts for the demolition, utilities, site preparations, two underground stations, 2.5km of twin-bore tunnel with precast placed liner, 21 hand-mined cross passages and expansion of the pre-existing rail yard. CH2M provided overall programme management, resident engineering, inspection, project controls, cost estimating, constructability reviews and contract administration for the project that lasted eight years.The project is estimated to nearly double weekday ridership on the existing light rail line to more than 70,000 riders by 2020.
Plenary Roads Winnipeg has been selected as the preferred bidder to construct the Southwest Rapid Transitway (Stage 2) & Pembina Highway Underpass project in Canada.Estimated to cost $587.3M, the project is a public-private partnership with a design-build-finance-operate-maintain model — the private partner will design, construct, finance, operate and maintain the project.The project comprises significant infrastructure components in the southwest quadrant of the city including: the completion of Stage 2 of the Southwest Transitway; the addition of active transportation infrastructure; the renewal and expansion of the Pembina Underpass; and connections to the University of Manitoba and Investors Group Field.A request for proposals (RFP) was also issued seeking proposals to undertake a functional study to determine the most effective route for a rapid transit line from downtown Winnipeg to eastern Winnipeg. The move represents the initial step toward implementing the next rapid transit corridor.Construction work is expected to commence in mid-2016, with completion scheduled for 2019. Transit operations on the new transitway are anticipated to start in April 2020.