In+Motion Spring 2020 Vol 27 No 1

A PUBLICATION BY LEA+ELLIOTT TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANTS

SPRING 2020

Dulles Silver Line Extension moves toward completion

Dulles Silver Line test train staged outside of Ashburn Station Image credit: L+E

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Silver Line, which will ultimately connect downtown Washington, D.C. and Maryland suburbs to Dulles International Airport, Tysons Corner and Reston (Virginia’s largest economic centers), is being designed and constructed in two phases by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). The first phase of the Silver Line stops at Wiehle Avenue and opened for service in July 2014. At present the Silver Line is showing the benefits of transit-oriented development. “Two Silver Line stations that saw the highest customer growth were surrounded by new development: McLean, which saw a nearly 30 percent surge of riders year over year, and Greensboro which saw ridership increase by 22 percent,” according to WMATA. The second phase of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail continues the westward expansion of the Silver Line through Fairfax County to Dulles Airport and two stops beyond into Loudon County. At present, construction is more than 95 percent complete. All six new stations have been constructed. continued on p 3

In this issue...

Dulles Silver Line Extension moves toward completion Innovation unfolding for New York/New Jersey AirTrains Meeting the challenges of the current pandemic In+Progress President’s Column Meet the staff

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Innovation unfolding for New York/New Jersey AirTrain Systems

NEW YORK — Replacing the aging monorail system at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) coupled with developing a new automated train at LaGuardia Airport is keeping the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (Port Authority) at the forefront of passenger transport innovation. Lea+Elliott is the prime consultant leading the planning, preliminary design, and procurement documents for the $2 billion AirTrain Newark Replacement Project. We began conceptional planning in 2011 by modeling forecasted passenger demands, future airport development phasing, and creating and evaluating replacement options for the AirTrain. Now, we are leading a diverse team developing the procurement documents for both the AirTrain facilities and systems. The

Members of the AirTrain Newark and LGA AirTrain teams Image credit: L+E

currently in planning and going through a federal Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. A Program Briefing Book was issued to the industry in December 2019. Issuance of an RFQ is expected later this year followed by the issuance of an RFP to qualified industry teams. Lea+Elliott’s role, as a subconsultant to WSP, includes preparing a train system technology assessment report; performing system capacity analyses for alternative alignments; providing input and responses to EIS questions and comments; preparing performance specifications for the vehicles, automatic train control system, testing and commissioning; and developing the operations and maintenance provisions and cost estimates. Lea+Elliott has had a long and successful history with the Port Authority; we began working with them in 1984 on what is now the AirTrain JFK. We have also been working almost continuously on the AirTrain Newark since its inception.

AirTrain Newark Program will be a Design-Build-Operate-Maintain (DBOM) contract that includes the AirTrain operating system and fixed facilities. We are refining the preliminary structural and architectural designs for the guideway infrastructure and passenger stations, cost estimates, and construction schedules, and preparing data including a ridership report, property needs analysis and documents for stakeholder coordination. The project has been moving rapidly. A Request for Industry Feedback and Program Briefing Book was issued last November and the review of the Respondents’ qualifications in response to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ), issued in January, is currently underway. The Request for Proposals (RFP) is slated to be issued to qualified industry teams. Across the river (or two), at LaGuardia Airport, we are supporting the Port Authority in the development of a 2.3-mile, elevated, dual lane/track, 3-station automated train system that will connect two new terminal buildings with a Long Island Railroad station and a New York City Transit station. The project is

Meeting the challenges of the current pandemic A message from Lea+Elliott President/CEO Jack Norton

We want to thank our clients and associates who allow us to continue working on important projects to advance their ultimate goals. We are working very hard to keep all our staff on the payroll during this difficult time. Where projects require on-site support, we closely follow the safety procedures that are in place. Nothing is more important than the safety and health of our staff and the clients and friends that we come in contact with. Fortunately, most our staff is able to work from home and to be very effective, thanks to tremendous IT resources and all the latest technology and communications tools. We are ready for the future as our offices are well suited for social distancing and we look forward to the days when this is behind us all. We wish you and yours well during these challenging days.

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Dulles Rail Extension continued from p 1

President’s Column

MWAA is working with Capital Rail Constructors and Hensel Phelps to complete the project in a timely manner. MWAA is focusing on “quality, safety and durability” in determining the date for opening. When Capital Rail Constructors completes the main line system and Hensel Phelps completes the rail yard, the project will be turned over to WMATA for additional operational testing. When WMATA is satisfied with the operational readiness of Phase Two, it will set the opening date. Lea+Elliott has a staff of nearly 20 professionals who are playing a key role in supporting MWAA. Our activities on both phases span from FTA liaison and reporting, land use planning and acquisition, and environmental assessment to design review, factory test and field test of the grounding and cathodic protection systems, the traction power systems, the communications systems, and the automatic train control systems. Our efforts have been instrumental in moving the project forward. Thomas Crone, the Director, Program Operations for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project described Lea+Elliott as a “highly professional firm. Excellent Staff with high level of expertise. Would highly recommend for any project.”

Cost and Benefit Combine to Create Better Airports Airport access fees for rideshare services are common at many airports: National, Dulles, San Francisco, Los Angeles, John F. Kennedy, Boston Logan, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty, to name a few. So, it

didn’t seem all that unusual for Phoenix’s Sky Harbor to institute a fee as well. After all, last year, Sky Harbor was named the “Best Large U.S. Airport” by The Wall Street Journal. But how is it supposed to keep that level of quality when its revenue from user fees continue to dramatically decline? We have watched this progression as Uber and Lyft have led to a decrease of about 60 percent of fees previously paid to the airport by taxicab companies. Uber and Lyft have also completely pushed Super Shuttle out of the competition, again reducing a former source of airport revenue. While air travel has increased by over 3 percent per year (prior to the pandemic) airport parking remained flat. The result? Three major funding sources have gone away. We are not opposed to the valuable rideshare company model. We just don’t want to see airports lose precious funding–money that supports future capital enhancement programs. That’s why we were in agreement when Arizona’s high court upheld an increase in rideshare fees at the airport. Previously, Uber and Lyft were charged $2.66 per curbside pickup and paid no fee for passenger drop-offs. As of May 1, they pay a $4 fee to both pick up and drop off passengers at Sky Harbor. This decision is good for the Airport. This fee will increase by 25 cents a year, until reaching $5 each way in 2024. I am proud to serve as a member of the Board of the Support Sky Harbor Coalition. This is an extremely effective advocacy organization and I believe many airports could benefit from developing a similar support mechanism. As advocates for the Airport we pool our talents, money and resources to make Sky Harbor the kind of airport that is worthy of The Wall Street Journal accolade I mentioned above. I encourage you to visit http://supportskyharbor.com/ and consider developing a similar model at other airports worldwide. I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing about these positive and proactive strategies for Sky Harbor. It helps to have a little good news in these crazy times. We, here at Lea+Elliott, are continuing to adhere to regional, state and national mandates to keep our employees–and by extension, their families–safe through this time of both economic and physical distress. My hope is that each of you remain strong and safe and healthy.

Installation of new signaling cable at Reston East/Wiehle Station Image credit: WMATA

Jack Norton

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Foundation work continues on LAX Automated People Mover

A view of the construction for the West Central Terminal Area People Mover Station from the roof of Tom Bradley International Terminal Image credit: LAWA

East Station and 10 minutes to the future Consolidated Rent-A-Car (ConRAC) facility. Earlier this year, the first APM column was constructed inside the CTA and will support the future East CTA Station that will connect to Terminals 7 and 8 and Parking Structure 1 via elevated pedestrian bridges. The APM, a 2.25-mile elevated electric train system that will transport travelers in and out of the LAX CTA, is the centerpiece of Los Angeles World Airports’s LAMP project. The APM will feature six stations: three stations inside the CTA, which connect to the terminals via elevated pedestrian walkways, and three stations outside the CTA, which will connect to new off-site parking continued on p 5 Experience LAX’s APM in Virtual Reality LAWA is offering interactive models with views of and from within the APM’s CTA stations and two Intermodal Transportation Facility (ITF) stations. The models offer a glimpse into the integrated campus design of the APM system. The new virtual reality models can be accessed by scanning a Quick Response (QR) Code with a smartphone, which will direct the viewer to one of six models of the stations. Viewers can also enhance the experience with the use of 3D glasses. Visit https:// www.lawa.org/-/media/lawa-web/connecting-lax/fact sheets/apm- in-virtual-reality.ashx

LOS ANGELES – Foundation work began in February on the site of the future West Central Terminal Area (CTA) Station at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The West CTA Station is one of six stations that make up the new Automated People Mover (APM) train system. Lea+Elliott is the APM System Consultant and Program Management Advisor on the LAX Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP) Management team, providing procurement and implementation services, including oversight of Operating System design, procurement, manufacturing, testing, and interface and installation activities. The largest of the six stations, the West CTA will be built between Parking Structures 3 and 4 and will connect to Terminals 3, 4 and 5 and Tom Bradley International Terminal via elevated pedestrian bridges . “When the Automated People Mover’s West CTA station opens, people arriving at Tom Bradley International Terminal from all over the world will make a seamless transition to enjoy all Los Angeles has to offer,” said Jake Adams, Deputy Executive Director, Landside Access Modernization Program, LAWA. “Now, anyone arriving or departing on the West side of LAX can see the monumental transformation underway.” From the West CTA Station, the last stop on the route, the approximate peak hour (between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.) travel times via the APM will be six minutes to the future Intermodal Transportation Facility (ITF)-West, eight minutes to the future ITF-

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facilities, regional light rail transportation and a ConRAC facility. Scheduled to open for passenger service in 2023, the APM is expected to relieve congestion within the CTA and in turn the surrounding thoroughfares, thereby reducing emissions and vehicle miles traveled. The LAX APM is the first people mover system to be delivered under a P3 model (Public-Private Partnership). “The APM and its stations were mindfully designed to be elegant additions to the Los Angeles skyline, balancing form with function as the system improves circulation in one of the world’s most important transportation hubs,” said Sharon Gookin, Project Director at LINXS. LINXS (LAX Integrated Express Solutions) is the developer on the project. International Airport with the procurement of 12 buses for the Airport’s Wiki Wiki shuttle bus service. The EZ-Rider buses, built by ElDorado National-California (ENC) and delivered by Soderholm Sales and Leasing (SSL), will have doors on both sides and are designed to meet the Airport’s stringent requirements for height, weight and turning radius. These low floor, air conditioned buses will be equipped with ramps for easy boarding and alighting, improving the experience for all passengers traveling through the Airport. All stainless steel frames ensure New buses for Honolulu Airport coming soon HONOLULU – Lea+Elliott is assisting Daniel K. Inouye

the buses will last for many years. The buses are expected to arrive by the end of 2020.

Daxing International Airport now open BEIJING – Beijing’s new Daxing International Airport (PKX) began passenger operation in September 2019, forming a dual-airport hub along with the existing Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) as air travel demand in the city and region continues to grow. PEK served over 100 million passengers in 2018; in its planned ultimate configuration, Daxing is anticipated to serve a similar number of passengers. Lea+Elliott has supported Daxing design and construction work as a member of the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD) team. Working with BIAD, we defined APM system spatial, connectivity, maintenance facility, and passenger service requirements to allow a future underground APM system to connect the initial main terminal area with future planned concourses/terminals, including coordination of interfaces with adjacent baggage, subway, and high speed rail systems. The eventual APM system is to serve both domestic and international departures and arrivals, with peak passenger traffic on the APM system potentially exceeding 10,000 passengers per hour per direction. This system is to be procured and installed in coordination with construction of the initial satellite concourse, which it will support as a must-ride system.

At ElDorado National’s factory in Riverside, CA, inspecting a 100% stainless-steel EZ-Rider bus frame for the State of Hawaii. From left to right: VP Sales Mike Ammann (ENC); Gus Soderholm (SSL); President Eric Soderholm (SSL); Project Manager Bill Parsley (L+E); and Nick Pugay (SSL) Image credit: L+E

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Editor:

Crystal Oczkowski Dallas/Fort Worth | 972.890.9800 Steve Perliss San Francisco | 415.908.6450 David Little Washington, D.C. | 703.968.7883 Daniel McFadden Miami | 305.500.9390

Advisors:

About Lea+Elliott Lea+Elliott is a transportation consulting firm offering a broad range of planning, engineering, program management, and construction management services for clients worldwide. These services are provided to public transit authorities, airports and private sector owners for new transit systems and the refurbishment of existing systems. We have expertise in all modes of transit, including high-speed and intercity rail, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, automated guideway transit, personal rapid transit, and conventional and advanced technology buses. The firm is especially well known for its creative structuring of procurements for a wide range of delivery options that include DBOM and P3.

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Meet Lynda Tollner, P.E., PMP

Lynda Tollner is Lea+Elliott’s Project Manager on the AirTrain Newark Replacement Project. Lynda leads our interface with the Port Authority and manages the work of our team of six sub-consultants who are assisting with the planning, preliminary design, and procurement of the AirTrain system and infrastructure work for the $2 billion project. Lynda is a registered engineer and a certified project management professional (PMP) who’s been intricately involved in the Newark AirTrain. Although she is relatively new to Lea+Elliott (celebrating her fifth year in 2020) she is not new to the world of transportation infrastructure design. For 10 years, she was an employee of the Port Authority and before that, she was a “Port Kid.” Her dad, Bob Tollner, was the resident engineer for Kennedy International Airport. She grew up understanding the inner workings of an

airport and, during her college years, her father would take her around “his” airport to show her the construction projects underway. Lynda’s role at the Port Authority included Program Director for One World Trade Center where she enjoyed building the tallest building in North America and contributing to the rebuilding efforts. Prior to joining Lea+Elliott, Lynda was the construction manager for a $1.2 billion upgrade at Newtown Creek, New York City’s largest wastewater treatment plant. She was responsible for four construction projects involving new facilities, installation of process equipment and electrical switchgear, renovation of existing facilities, a new sludge loading dock and maintenance dredging of Newtown Creek. Lynda enjoys her work because it is diverse and new every day. When she’s not working, she’s a self-proclaimed weekend road warrior, traveling to new places or skiing or tailgating at Penn State. She also gives generously of her time and expertise to help manage the restoration of the Community Church of Mountain Lakes, NJ. The 105-year-old building, crafted of stone and stucco with a slate roof, needs professionals like Lynda to guide the meticulous reconstruction efforts.

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