advertisement

---

Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) recently announced it has obtained three new contracts to manage high-speed and intercity passenger-rail projects in Illinois, Ohio and Florida.

The Illinois Department of Transportation contracted the consulting, engineering and construction management firm to serve as program manager for its high-speed rail project. The state will receive $1.2 billion in federal high-speed stimulus funding, with $1.1 billion targeted for the Chicago-to-St. Louis route. The project calls for making improvements along the 284-mile corridor to enable passenger trains to operate at speeds up to 110 mph, cutting total trip time between the two cities by one hour.

PB also will provide consulting services to the Ohio DOT, which plans to use $400 million in stimulus funds to develop new intercity passenger-rail service in the Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati “3C” corridor. PB will complete environmental documents for various components of the project, as well as design the track and capacity improvements.
    
Florida DOT also has contracted a PB-led consulting team to plan and design a 230-mile high-speed rail line between Orlando and Miami. The contract calls for providing preliminary engineering and environmental analysis services, including recommending the final alignment and train technology to be used. Florida DOT received $1.25 billion in federal high-speed funds to begin work on the first leg of the state’s proposed high-speed rail system between Tampa and Orlando.   

Meanwhile, PB continues to serve as program manager for the California High Speed Rail Authority, overseeing the implementation of the state’s 800-mile high-speed rail network.

PB also has been selected as one of several consultants for the Southern High-Speed Rail Commission, a three-state authority charged with planning a high-speed rail network between Atlanta, New Orleans and Houston.