Phoenix Light Rail Construction Project Achieves Major Milestone

 |  Civil & Transportation, Self-perform
NW Extension final photo-resized
Sundt crews pre-building and bolting up fittings with a 45-degree bend at a major intersection along the route where the tie-in is located for the new transmission main. The solid end cap was installed with a test port for the water sampling before crews cut into the new system and converted over the new line.

Sundt and joint venture partner Stacey and Witbeck have achieved a major milestone in their 3.2-mile expansion of the existing Valley Metro Light Rail transit system in Phoenix, Ariz. A new water transmission main (ranging from 16 to 36 inches in diameter) has been installed along the entire route and crews are nearly finished testing and connecting it to the existing system. Installation of several other underground utilities (and removal of old infrastructure) is also progressing throughout the corridor, known as the Northwest Extension.

In addition to managing the utility relocations and widening the roadway to accommodate the 40-foot-wide track alignment, the team’s scope of work includes self-performing the concrete paving to support the new double tracks along the route. They will also install the tracks, construct three new train stations with passenger platforms, build a Park-and-Ride lot, construct three traction power substations (which supply electricity to the trains), install new intersection signals and crossovers, and construct the concrete foundations for the overhead catenary system that will feed electricity to the trains. 

The $158.7 million transportation construction project will be complete in April of 2016.