Parsons announced that the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Oakland International Airport (OAK) Connector — designed and constructed by Parsons in a joint venture — was named the 2014 Construction Project of the Year by the California Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). This $361 million design-build project is a 3.2-mile-long automated guideway transit system that links the existing Coliseum BART Station to OAK.
“Parsons is honored that the BART Oakland International Airport Connector has received this top recognition from the California Chapter of ASCE,” said Todd Wager, Parsons Group president. “The project now brings the Oakland International Airport into the elite list of international airports with automated people movers.”
Elevated over traffic, the driverless automated people mover spans the length of the Hegenberger Road business corridor and uses cable propulsion technology. Four 3-car trains depart every 4 minutes, making the station-to-airport trip in 10.5 minutes during peak hours. An estimated 2,745 passengers are expected to ride the new system each day in the first year of service, with this number projected to increase by about 500 riders in the second year.
The system includes two passenger stations, a Coliseum Station, an Airport Station, and the Doolittle Maintenance and Storage Facility. A pedestrian bridge provides a direct connection for BART patrons arriving at the Coliseum Station and heading to the airport. The Airport Station is conveniently located between Terminals 1 and 2, providing easy access for those traveling between the airport and BART. Both the Coliseum Station and the Airport Station are designed to showcase a glimpse of the cable propulsion system equipment through perforated metal panels.
