犹他州运输管理局is applying lessons learned from its first rail projects to create one of the country's largest and most aggressive rail expansions. The $2.8-billion program, dubbed "FrontLines 2015," aims to add 70 miles of light and commuter rail to UTA's existing 65-mile network in seven years.

FrontLines was conceived as a long-range plan with build-out expected by 2030. However, regional leaders suggested cutting the schedule in half, and in 2006, voters approved a sales tax increase to accelerate the plan.

The UTA rose to the challenge, managing a complex web of stakeholders that included the Utah Dept. of Transportation, the Union Pacific Railroad, multiple municipalities and property owners adjacent to rail lines. As with past projects, the UTA partnered with local governments and agencies in the planning process, practicing what it calls "construction alliancing," where those involved share the risks and benefits, according to Mike Allegra, UTA general manager.

该计划将添加新的轻轨三通线路 - 约旦,西谷城,德雷珀和盐湖国际机场线 - 以及通勤铁路领先者南线的45英里延伸到Propo。此外,该计划应在该计划的5550万美元街头汽车线上开始建设,这是犹他州自1990年代初期的第一个在盐湖城的Sugar House Business District。其他改进包括在机场的新欢迎中心以及盐湖城北神庙街沿线的行人和自行车友好的“大街”。预计到2015年底,整个计划的完成。

Now in its fifth year, the expansion is nearly 90% complete, with two of five rail lines already operational.

一支球队,一个进球

The Mid-Jordan and West Valley City lines, collectively 16 miles, opened to the public in August, a year ahead of schedule and roughly 20% under budget. If all continues as expected, the whole program should come out below budget, with total costs around $2.4 billion, Allegra says.

他说:“这个项目之所以成功,是因为参与其中的每个人都愿意和理解各自代理机构的帽子,并作为一个团队朝着一个目标而共同努力。”“通过我们的合作伙伴关系,我们能够刺激创造力,这导致了时间和金钱的大量节省。”

在一个案例中,盐湖城UTA解决了right-of-way dispute by swapping properties with a parking-lot owner. The city contributed an abandoned city-owned lot, the parking lot owner agreed to move and the UTA paved the lot for the owner. What could have been an expensive problem was resolved "for pennies," Allegra says.

Meeting the aggressive schedule was made even more challenging when the economy crumbled, leaving a $550-million loss in sales tax revenue needed for the project. While federal grants covered the majority of the costs for the Mid-Jordan line and Draper extension, the other three lines—West Valley, Airport and FrontRunner to Provo—rely on 100% local funding from the sales taxes generated by the 2006 tax increase.

较低的材料成本和竞争性投标抵消新利18备用官网登录了一些短缺,并通过允许尽可能多的工作来使工作人员忙碌,从而使昂贵的待机期限最小化。UTA首席资本开发官史蒂夫·迈耶斯(Steve Meyers)表示,完成的速度更快地降低了延长的间接费用,但这样新利18备用官网登录做就产生了其他资金挑战。

迈耶说:“我们在这个项目上遇到了巨大的现金流问题。”“这是一个团队来管理我们的资源的努力。承包商已经资助了部分成本并推迟了他们的一些付款。我们的保证金比最初预期的要多得多,并且不得不使用以前专门用于正在进行的运营的资金来管理现金流量。在项目上。新利18备用网址

迈耶补充说:“这将需要一些长期和短期借款,但我们正在使数字奏效。”

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