Building Transportation
for a World Class City
Houston METRORail Light-Rail Starter Line
Houston, the fourth most populated city in the United States, is home to more than 3 million people.
Its central business district is served by 144,000 workers and the city is visited by more than 50 million tourists annually. In an effort to alleviate commuter traffic, Houstonians approved a light rail system serving the Downtown, Midtown, Museum District, Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park areas. In January 2000, a team of Texas CEC-member firms, under contract to the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), began the final environmental assessment and preliminary engineering plans for the METRORail project.
A primary goal of this team was to maintain traffic flow throughout the construction process to ensure easy access to hospital emergency rooms and other institutions. Also, the engineering team was responsible for responding on a daily basis to conditions in the field, such as unexpected utility relocations, contractor conflicts and schedule impediments, in a manner that would not compromise the construction quality, budget or project timeline.
To meet demands of this complex, fast-tracked project, an integrated project management team was organized, consisting of both consultant personnel and METRO staff, to facilitate
communications, ease the decision making process and improve worker efficiency. One of the more significant facets was the integration of the design and construction components
into a single system, where they overlapped and proceeded concurrently. By January 2004, 10 months ahead of schedule, the 7.5-mile METRORail line was fully operational, providing
travelers with new mobility options while helping to alleviate the city’s vehicular congestion and air pollution problems.
This is another case study of a Texas CEC member applying its expertise and judgment to the specialized need of an individual client to assure a finished project reflecting quality and value.
*The engineering services expense of a construction project typically is one of its
least costly components. Yet that independent disciple is critical in controlling
overall cost and quality. Trust (Look to) the engineering company professionals
to assure quality and true bottom line value in construction.