The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) has selected Jacobs as the prime consultant to deliver general engineering consulting services for passenger rail initiatives under its Transforming Rail in Virginia infrastructure program, which will connect communities and enhance mobility in Virginia.
VPRA estimates the contract value at up to $10 million per year for a one-year contract, with the option to renew for an additional three years. The scope includes, but is not limited to,
- Supporting the planning, design, construction and overall maintenance of projects in connection to the Transforming Rail in Virginia program
- Aiming to double the Amtrak state-supported service
- Increasing the Virginia Railway Express service during the next decade
Through solutions like market analysis and travel demand forecasting, Jacobs will provide comprehensive support for the improvement and expansion of the existing Amtrak service and restoration of Amtrak's Roanoke to the New River Valley service, enabling efforts to establish high-speed passenger rail in the state and increasing resilient and equitable connectivity to Amtrak's Northeast corridor and the rest of the nation.
"This contract is an opportunity to help futureproof Virginia's rail systems in an affordable and equitable way," said Jacobs Americas North Region Senior Vice President and General Manager Chrissy Thom. "We are modernizing critical infrastructure to create more connected and sustainable communities where we live and work."
Jacobs will also support general planning and consulting services for the program under another contract, which VPRA also estimates to be up to $10 million per year, with the option to renew for an additional four years. During the past 10 years, Jacobs has shaped the future of rail and transportation in the state of Virginia through the delivery for the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, which partners with the newly formed VPRA.
