Location Phoenix, AZ
Client Valley Metro Rail, Inc.
Services Construction Management, Program Management
Project Value $6.9 Billion
Hill provided program management and construction management services to support Valley Metro’s $6.9 billion expansion program. The program has delivered a variety of improvements to and expansions of Valley Metro’s system, including multiple light rail extensions, new transit facilities, a new streetcar in Tempe, and more. Specific projects the Hill team has supported include:
South Central Extension/Downtown Hub: This 5.5-mile light rail extension connects Downtown Phoenix with South Phoenix along Central and 1st Avenues. Featuring 8 stations, a 110-space park-and-ride facility at Baseline Road, more than 550 new trees and desert plantings, 18 art installations, and comprehensive utility upgrades, the project transforms a historically underserved area of the city and connects the community to the educational, economic, and cultural opportunities of Downtown Phoenix. Other details of the project included 22 flared intersections, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 408 permit support for major bridge work over the Salt River, multiple rail roundabouts, and 5 perpendicular light rail crossings.
Over the course of delivery, the $1.34 billion extension faced numerous challenges the Hill team worked to mitigate. These challenges ranged from the impacts of COVID-19, unknowns related to utility work, blackout windows related to Super Bowl LVII, stakeholder concerns along the route, significant change orders, and technical issues such as the installation and integration of the perpendicular light rail crossings with an overhead catenary system.
The Hill team worked with Valley Metro, the contractor, and local stakeholders and utilities to address these challenges. Our solutions included leveraging relationships with utilities to expedite work, reaching out on behalf of stakeholders to third parties to make sure concerns were heard and documented, and supporting Valley Metro with actionable data and estimates during change order negotiations. These steps helped the project progress and eased schedule and cost impacts.
ENR Southwest has honored the project with Awards of Merit in both the Airport/Transit Category and for Excellence in Safety.
Northwest Phase II Light Rail Transit Extension: This is a 1.6-mile light rail extension running west along Dunlap Avenue and then north and west across I-17 to the former Metrocenter Mall area. The project concluded on January 27, 2024—one year ahead of its anticipated 2025 opening. The extension required close coordination with the Arizona Department of Transportation and features Valley Metro’s first aerial station facility at the terminus. Work also included the delivery of a new Transit Center, two new stations in addition to the aerial terminus station, an elevated guideway, and an integrated, four-story parking garage. Hill helped Valley Metro assemble and maintain a strong project team, develop estimates and a master schedule, manage the schedule and budget through design and construction, manage risk, promote issue resolution, manage quality control/quality assurance, and deliver the project as envisioned. In addition, Hill helped capture lessons learned to support future Valley Metro projects and managed the installation of public art along the new alignment. Major challenges included the grade separation with I-17 aerial flyover leading into the terminus station, more than a dozen utility relocations, and installation of a 48-inch water pipeline approximately a mile in length. The delivery method was construction manager-at-risk (CMAR) and construction value was $281 million.
50th Street Station Projects: Completed in 2020, this $30 million project is located just west of the bridge into Tempe. The station is currently the last light rail station within the City of Phoenix before entering Tempe. Work involved the relocation of major utility systems within the right-of-way, including a high-pressure gas line. The station was built with extra attention to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and integration with a major physical rehabilitation center adjacent to the station.
Tempe Streetcar: The Tempe Streetcar project provides a commuting solution for the City of Tempe by connecting a residential area at Apache Boulevard, across from the Arizona State University campus in Downtown Tempe, with Rio Salado Parkway at a busy commercial/business center terminus. The Streetcar also enables intermodal connection with Valley Metro’s light rail system at Mill Avenue and Apache Boulevard.
This CMAR project installed a total of 6.3 miles of rail, with 3.8 miles of single and double track segments, 7 single turnouts, and 2 crossovers. As streetcar track is shared with local traffic, the project also necessitated 19 grade crossings in downtown Tempe. In addition, the streetcar stops at 14 new stations, each featuring artwork installations by local artists. An overhead catenary system (OCS) provides power for the streetcar, delivered by three traction power substations. These substations are adorned with high-finish architectural wall panels to complement the local urban streetscape.
Notably, the City of Tempe required the project team to eliminate the OCS for streetcar operations in Downtown Tempe. The team accomplished this by providing primary power to the streetcars via a dedicated battery power supply, allowing the vehicles to travel from Mill Avenue to Tempe Beach Park without any overhead wires. This unique design feature preserves Downtown Tempe’s uncluttered character.
To help realize the project as planned, the Hill team worked in close collaboration with the City of Tempe government and the contractor to solve problems in the field, keep the project on budget, and meet schedule requirements. A highlight of the team’s work was change management support, as $14 million in contract change orders were made over the 3 year construction phase of the project. These modifications included procurement document adjustments, roundabout construction, and the Dorsey power switches—which were designed during construction to upgrade Valley Metro’s light rail system.
Hill also managed hundreds of conflicts between the OCS and underground and overhead utilities. Similarly, we helped identify and resolve conflicts between the streetcar track slab, the existing road geometry, and the local drainage system. The team’s solution encompassed additional grading and paved areas beyond the original design. Additional power connections between local providers and service entry systems were made during construction as well. In each case, the team discussed design and construction methods, with Hill providing independent cost estimates to provide clarity and increase cost certainly.
Another key area where Hill directly contributed to project success was through design evaluation support. Reviewing designs during construction, we identified modifications such as simplified traffic signals and streetlight connections, unnecessary catch basins, duct bank changes, and even contract allowance adjustments. Our work resulted in a $4 million credit to the project. The team also contributed to Integration Test Coordination for the project, as well as Safety & Security Certification.
Operations and Maintenance Center Expansion: The $93 million, design-build Operations and Maintenance Center Expansion Project (OMCEXP) delivered yard and shop facilities to accommodate 40 new vehicles along with all associated maintenance and service space requirements, including critical infrastructure upgrades. Now completed, the expansion enables Valley Metro to maintain a fleet of approximately 90 vehicles, compared to the former capacity of 50 vehicles. Hill provided project management and resident engineering support for the OMCEXP.
The project added 35,500 SF of Maintenance and Operations (MOE) space and 25,000 SF of working area to the Maintenance of Way (MOW) buildings. Using a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall and engineered fill, the project team also raised the yard to add 3 new 1,500 LF storage tracks. The facility also features 5 additional service bays in the MOE, 18,000 feet of new trackwork, and 16 new turnouts and 3 adjusted switches to maximize geometry in the yard.
The project also revamped the cooling systems in the MOW and MOE buildings, especially in the shop spaces for the benefit of light rail vehicle (LRV) mechanics. The MOE now cools 174,000 SF of shop space to 75 degrees Fahrenheit year-round with an air rotation unit (ARU) cooling tower system. The project also added an additional substation to the yard, replaced train wash equipment, improved system safety by installing a new sanding system for the LRVs, and added two new cleaning platforms. Notably, these systems needed to allow for two new dynamic vehicle envelopes to accommodate the Siemens LRVs and the Brookville streetcars, as well as the current Kinkisharyo LRVs, for clearance and safety in the shop and yard.
The project’s upgrade and repair elements included correcting the tension of the overhead catenary system (OCS) in the yard, replacing failing components, and bringing the overall facility to a state of good repair. Notably, Valley Metro delivered the project while maintaining operations and without disrupting mainline revenue service.
Capitol Extension (CAPEX): This 1.8-mile light rail project to extend light rail from downtown Phoenix through the Capitol Mall corridor has exited project development. The Hill team facilitated a value engineering/risk analysis workshop to support design. Additional Hill services included scheduling/estimating; public art coordination, including request for qualifications/request for proposals development, artist interviews/selection, coordination with the designer, and management of public art open houses; and coordination with utilities and other stakeholders.
