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Yesterday, the city of Honolulu announced it awarded two contracts for the Honolulu Rail Transit project totaling $946 million.

Ansaldo Honolulu, a joint venture between Ansaldo STS and AnsaldoBreda Inc., won a $574 million contract to provide train vehicles (including an initial order for 80 units) and power for a system control center. Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. obtained a $372 million contract to design and build the second phase of the elevated-rail guideway from Pearl City to Aloha Stadium.

The contracts provide a total net savings of $165 million from current project estimates, city officials said in a prepared statement. Honolulu now has saved more than $300 million in construction costs from the four contracts let to date totaling about $1.6 billion, city officials estimate. Contracts previously were awarded to Kiewit Pacific Co. for the 6.5-mile first phase of the elevated-rail guideway from East Kapolei to Pearl City, and to a Kiewit/Kobayashi joint venture for a train maintenance and storage facility in Waipahu.

“We are saving taxpayers’ money by making the most of the competitive bids coming in for the project,” said Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle. “This process reinforces the city’s commitment to ensure the rail project comes in on time and on budget.”

The $5.5 billion Honolulu Rail Transit project calls for building a 20-mile, 21-station elevated-rail system connecting East Kapolei with Ala Moana Center. The first leg is scheduled to open in 2015 and entire route is slated for completion in 2019.