The four shortlisted design-build teams vying for the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority’s (Construction Authority) 12.3-mile, six-station Foothill Gold Line light rail extension design-build contract submitted proposals in response to tens of thousands of pages of engineering and project information provided to each team over the last several months.
The proposals received include each team’s technical approach to completing the design and construction of the project, their management method, proposed key personnel, financial bid, and more. Over the next several weeks, six committees of transportation and industry experts, attorneys, financial professionals, and partner agencies will review different elements of the proposals and then come together to provide their overall ratings and recommendations.
"The Construction Authority will once again use a ‘best value’ approach to evaluating the proposals," explained Construction Authority CEO Habib F. Balian. "Best value allows us to judge the team’s technical merits and approach, as well as their bid price, and judge both critical evaluation factors as approximately equally important; ensuring we are able to hire a highly qualified team at the right price.”
Procurement for the Alignment Design-Build Contract began in November 2017, when a Request for Qualifications was issued to the industry. Seven teams submitted Statements of Qualification, and the following four teams were deemed most qualified and shortlisted to compete for the work (in alphabetical order): AECOM | Stacy and Witbeck JV; Herzog Rados Lane, a Joint Venture; Kiewit-Parsons, a Joint Venture; and the San Gabriel Valley Transit Partners (STP), a Joint Venture of Fluor and Ames.
The Alignment Contract is expected to be awarded in the coming months and be responsible for all elements of the 12.3-mile light rail extension, with the exception of parking. Major construction is expected to begin in early 2020 and consist of two construction phrases. First, they will rebuild and relocate the freight and Metrolink systems that currently operate in the middle of the rail corridor. Once the relocation is done, crews will build the light rail system.
Completion is expected in 2026. It is expected that during construction alone, the Glendora to Montclair project will generate nearly 17,000 jobs, more than $2.6 billion in economic output, more than $1 billion in labor income and nearly $40 million in tax revenues.
The announcement highlights the long-standing partnership between the Class I railroad and the commuter rail system, dating back to Metra's creation in 1983.
Crews completed a significant portion of the testing required before commissioning the new, digital signaling system, which will bring important upgrades that strengthen Red Line service reliability for riders and provide Red Line Operations the ability to route trains more quickly, turn trains around faster, and recover from unplanned disruptions more efficiently, said MBTA officials.
In addition to new projects, progress continues on a multiyear effort to upgrade track, electrical, and signal systems on the Metra Electric Line to accommodate the expansion of service on the South Shore Line.
The Maryland Transit Administration is advancing the nearly $1.4 billion Light Rail Modernization Program, which modernizes the Baltimore Central Light Rail Line from Hunt Valley to BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport with new, low-floor vehicles and upgrades to all light rail stations, systems, and maintenance facilities.
The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board recently met for a budget workshop, during which staff outlined the significant service reductions Caltrain could be forced to make without new external funding.
Funding for the purchase of the railcars comes from the nearly $220 million in additional capital dollars Gov. Josh Shapiro allocated in November 2025 to support urgent safety upgrades and infrastructure improvements.
With major events and increased travel expected across the state this summer, the Administration is focused on making sure people have a reliable, affordable alternative to driving so we can reduce congestion, support daily commuters, and keep Massachusetts moving.
