Parsons Brinckerhoff to prepare Environmental Impact Statement for Detroit light rail transit system

DETROIT — The Detroit Department of Transportation has awarded a contract to Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) for preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a new light rail transit (LRT) system.

The approximately $400 million project is a proposed 9.3-mile LRT system along Woodward Avenue from downtown Detroit to 8 Mile Road and is expected to be operating by 2016. The project is being structured as an innovative public-private partnership, with a private group, M1 Rail, providing funding and participating in the development of a portion of the LRT system.

Under its contract, PB will manage the EIS process, which includes public input on the environmental impacts in evaluation of the alternatives, along with the assembly of the final study and submission to the Federal Transit Administration. PB has already completed socio-economic, traffic and noise studies, and preliminary cultural resources investigations for the project.

Completion of the EIS marked by the FTA Record of Decision is slated for July 2011.

For more information, visit www.pbworld.com.