The Regional Public Transportation Authority, known as Valley Metro, was charged with developing a regional transit plan, which sparked the Central Phoenix/East Valley Light Rail Transit Project. Five years in planning and design, the Metro is a 20-mile, $1.1-billion light rail transit system extending from Phoenix to Mesa, Arizona.

Atkins was selected to serve as the overall construction manager, responsible for overseeing and coordinating all construction operations including developing construction management plans, detailed construction schedules and sequencing, refining construction contracts, and supervising construction contractors to ensure performance, quality, and schedule adherence. For the three-and-a-half years the project was under construction, no one area will be under construction for the entire period.

The 20-mile route was divided into five construction line sections, each of which had its own construction contractor. Construction phasing consisted of five stages (utility relocation, street work, track installation, system installations and stations, and landscaping and finishes) to mitigate traffic impacts and disruption of utility service. In addition, a construction outreach plan was implemented to minimize construction impacts, develop a process to address and resolve construction issues, provide up-to-date information on construction activities and schedules, and coordinate with business activities, the public, and contractors.

• Construction services

Link to this project: