ATP, the local government entity responsible for building the voter-backed train, selected Austin Rail Constructors — a joint venture between civil infrastructure firms Stacy Witbeck and Sundt Construction — for the job over two other firms that submitted bids.
This means ARC will be responsible for designing and building the $7.1 billion Austin Light Rail system, which Austin voters approved as part of the Project Connect transit plan in 2020.
The contract awarded Wednesday is for phase 1A of the project, which will allow for final design work. It allows ATP to move toward its goal of breaking ground on the project next year, ATP CEO Greg Canally said in a news release.
“This is a big, important milestone for Austin Light Rail,” Canally said. “ATP is highly focused on delivering this much-needed mobility investment for Austin, and with this contract now in place, we are on track to begin construction in 2027.”
As it’s currently proposed, the 9.8-mile light rail system would stretch from 38th to Oltorf streets, while another branch would take passengers from near Lady Bird Lake to just inside State Highway 71 near — but not to — Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The electric trains will run every five-to-10 minutes between 15 stations.