Light Rail / Streetcar
There is no shortage of factors to juggle when planning a light rail (LRT) or streetcar project. From building consensus among multiple communities to dealing with pre-existing conditions such as roadways, parks/trails, soil quality, and transmission towers, planning can be a challenge.
Accommodating all modes of transportation—bus, auto, bicycle, pedestrian—will affect the design. Limited rights-of-way may involve railroads, bridges, complex track designs, and multiple agencies.
Light rail (LRT) and streetcar lines serve different types and lengths of trips, challenging you to find a design that works during the weekly commute, midday and evenings, and on weekends. LRT and streetcar often blend political agendas, environmental sensitivities, and community needs, challenging you to find a design that appeals to a diverse set of users. And because they typically require new track construction, LRT and streetcars come with a significant price tag, challenging you to find a design schedule that stays on time and a project that stays within budget.
Solution-Based Approach
Whether you’re trying to maintain the character of a natural amenity, acquire a new right-of-way, or simultaneously design bridges and retaining walls, your LRT and streetcar projects connect a lot of moving parts.
You need a firm who sees the big picture and takes you from alternative analysis to preliminary engineering to design and construction. Kimley-Horn is experienced in design, structural engineering, freight rail coordination, community engagement, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) News Starts process, value engineering, and constructability. With national experience on complex light rail (LRT) and streetcar projects, our solution-based approach appeals to stakeholders by honoring cost and time.