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The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) recently finalized an agreement with Washington Group International to begin preliminary engineering work for the first phase of the agency’s downtown Houston transit expansion project.

METRO plans to build 20 miles of light rail and bus rapid transit lines in North and Southeast Houston, Uptown and the East End, as well as construct an intermodal terminal in Houston’s downtown core. The more than $1 billion project is part of the agency’s METRO Solutions 2025 plan.

Under a $77 million contract, Washington Group will provide project development, preliminary engineering and early construction services for the expansion. Final design and construction, which will be conducted by Granite Construction, is expected to begin in early 2008.

Under separate contracts, Washington Group will procure vehicles, and operate and maintain the transit corridors and intermodal terminal.