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Sun Link Tucson Streetcar Project
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52 - Sun Link Tucson Streetcar

Location:  University to Downtown Sun Link Tucson Streetcar
Status:  Under Construction
Total Estimated Project Cost:  $196,822,000
Expenditures to Date 
Through 4/30/2013:		  $128,850,628
Estimated date of 
completion as of 3/9/2012:		  10/31/2013
Project Contact:  Shellie Ginn (837-6698) : Shellie.Ginn@tucsonaz.gov
Description:  An approved four-mile modern streetcar line connecting the University of Arizona to the 4th Avenue commercial district, downtown and the redevelopment area west of downtown. Revenue generating operations are scheduled to begin October 31, 2013. See latest Streetcar updates from City. - and - UofA Transportation Plan- and - Made in America Video

Additional Info: 
Designation(s):  City of Tucson, Rio Nuevo District, Downtown, Street Work, Streetscape Work, RTA Funded
Last Update:  Monday May. 13, 2013

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Project Details

Updates

Project Status

  • Wednesday May 8, 2013
    Line Segment 1: Track work along Granada, between Congress and West-Bound I-10 Frontage Road is complete and rail is near completion, between the East-Bound and West-Bound I-10 Frontage Roads. Rail and paving is complete on Avenida Del Convento and Linda Avenue. The traffic signal at the intersection of Congress and Avenida Del Convento has been activated. Overhead Contact System(OCS) work is progressing.

    Line Segment 2: Underground utility work is complete on Broadway between Granada and Church. Subgrade for future rail is being prepared on Broadway. On Congress, between Church and Granada, the rail is complete and new pavement has been placed. Construction of sidewalk and curb access ramps is ongoing at the intersection of Congress/Church. The intersection at Congress/5th Avenue is open to traffic.

    Line Segment 3: All track work is complete along 4th Avenue, University Boulevard and Park Avenue. OCS span wire is complete on 4th Avenue and University Boulevard. Construction of the Station Stops continues with the placement of the canopies, station platform and tactile warning strips.

    Line Segment 4: Park Avenue, between University and 2nd Street and 2nd Street, between Park and Warren is open to traffic. Rail is complete along Warren Avenue between 1st and 2nd Street. Work on the Warren Underpass is on-going. Construction of the station stops is commencing. OCS work is progressing.

    Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF): Building is near completion and rail in the MSF yard is complete. The contractor is constructing the wall around the yard and OCS work is progressing.
  • Thursday April 4, 2013
    Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF): Building is near completion and rail is being installed in the MSF Yard.

    Line Segment 1: Underground utility work on Congress between Church and Pennington is complete. Subgrade for future rail is being prepared. Track work along Granada, between Congress and west bound (WB) I-10 Frontage Road is complete and rail is near completion, between the east bound (EB) and WB I-10 Frontage Roads. Overhead Contact System(OCS) foundations have been placed along Granada Avenue and Avenida Del Convento. Traction Power Substation (TPSS) A1 and A2 installation is complete and under power.

    Line Segment 2: Underground utility work is near completion on Broadway between Granada and Church. Rail is complete on Broadway between Stone and 5th Avenue. The special track unit at Broadway and 5th avenue is complete. Underground utility work is complete on Congress between Church and Pennington and subgrade is being prepared for the future rail and new pavement. The intersection at Congress/5th Avenue remains closed; however track work is near completion and the subgrade is being prepared for the new pavement. OCS foundations are installed on Congress between Toole and just east of Stone Avenue. OCS work is progressing on Congress between Stone and Church Avenues.

    Line Segment 3: All track work is complete along 4th Avenue, University Boulevard and Park Avenue. OCS span wire and contact wire is complete on 4th Avenue between University and 8th Street and on University between Tyndall and 4th Avenue. Installation of the cross span on 8th Street to the MSF is complete. Construction of the station stop canopies is commencing.

    Line Segment 4: All track work is complete on 2nd Street between Park and Warren Avenues and along Warren Avenue to 1st Street. Work on the Warren Underpass is on-going. Cross span work for OCS poles on 2nd Street between Cherry and Park Avenues is complete.

  • Friday March 8, 2013
    Line Segment 1: Rail is complete on Avenida Del Convento between Paseo de Los Zanjeros and Calle Los Higos. Subgrade preparation for the westbound track on Granada, from Cushing to Broadway, and on Cushing Road, between Avenida Del Convento and EB I-10 Frontage Road, continues. Traffic Signal work is on-going at Congress and Avenida Del Convento.

    Line Segment 2: Rail has been placed on Broadway between 6th Avenue and Scott. Subgrade for the future rail is being prepared on Broadway between Church and Scott and 6th Avenue to 5th Avenue. Underground waterline work continues on Broadway between Granada and Church and is near completion on Congress between Church and Granada. Access has been provided on Pennington into the Pima County complex.

    Line Segment 3: OCS span wire and contact wire is complete on 4th Avenue between University and 9th Street and on University between Tyndall and 4th Avenue. Installing the OCS wire on 8th Street, between 5th Avenue and 4th Avenue, is on-going.

    Line Segment 4: Rail is near completion on Warren Avenue between 1st and 2nd Street. The curved section at the intersection of 2nd Street and Warren is being prepared. The roadway on Park Avenue between University and 2nd Street is near completion. The sidewalk on the east side of Park Avenue is open to pedestrians. Work on the Warren Underpass is on-going.
  • Thursday February 7, 2013
    Line Segment 1 - Track complete on Linda Avenue between Cushing and Congress and EB Track Complete on Granada between I-10 Frontage Road and TCC. Pavement removal and utility work ongoing.

    Line Segment 2 - Congress is open to traffic between Stone and Church. Underground utility work continues on Congress between Church and Granada.

    Line Segment 3 - OCS span wire on-going on 4th Avenue between University and 9th Street.

    Line Segment 4 - Park Avenue closed between University and 2nd Street for underground utility work. Construction on Warren Underpass is ongoing and OCS poles continue to be erected on 2nd Street between Cherry and Park.

    MSF - The Maintenance Storage Facility is near completion.
  • Monday January 7, 2013
    Line Segment 1 - utility work has begun near I-10 at Cushing.
    Line Segment 2 - Contractor completed work on Broadway between Church & Stone, reopened to traffic. Utility and rail installation work ongoing.
    Line Segment 3 - University Blvd reopened to traffic. Closures in place along Park Avenue for utility work and rail installation.
    Line Segment 4 – utility and rail installation work ongoing. Warren Avenue Underpass remains closed for reconstruction to allow a single streetcar track to pass through the underpass.
  • Friday December 7, 2012
    Contractor has completed track and roadway sections along 4th Avenue and University Boulevard this month. OCS poles are being installed along University Boulevard. All other segments are receiving utility work, track installation, roadway paving, and pole installation. Weekly e-mail alerts are sent out to project stakeholders and general public advising of construction activities and traffic closures.
    The first streetcar is due to arrive in Tucson in March 2013.
  • Thursday November 1, 2012
    Demolition and utility work has commenced across the entire system. Track has been installed from 4th Avenue through the UA along 2nd Street. Segments of roadway paving have been completed along 4th Avenue, University Boulevard, and 2nd Street. Overhead Contact System (OCS) pole foundations have been dug from the 4th Avenue Underpass northward to the University of Arizona. Weekly e-mail alerts are sent out to project stakeholders and general public advising of construction activities and traffic closures.
  • Wednesday August 8, 2012
    Line Segments 2, 3, 4, and the maintenance facility are under construction. The first segment of track and roadway, along 4th Avenue north of 6th Street, was re-opened to traffic last month. Weekly e-mail alerts (blasts) are sent out to project stakeholders and the general public advising of construction activities and traffic closures. The line segments are focusing on utility relocation, track installation, sidewalks and ramps, and traffic signals.
  • Monday July 9, 2012
    Line Segments 2, 3, 4, and the maintenance facility are under construction. Weekly e-mail alerts (blasts) are sent out to project stakeholders and the general public advising of construction activities and traffic closures. The line segments are focusing on utility relocation, and track installation.
  • Monday June 4, 2012
    Line Segments 2, 3, and 4 are under construction. Weekly e-mail alerts (blasts) are sent out to project stakeholders and the general public advising of construction activities and traffic closures. The line segments are focusing on utility relocation, and track installation. The maintenance facility contract was awarded and is now beginning construction.
  • Tuesday May 8, 2012
    Line Segments 2, 3, and 4 are under construction. This includes Downtown, 4th Ave & University Blvd, and the UofA portions respectively. Utility relocation is the primary focus prior to rail installation and street construction. Rail installation will begin in mid-May along 4th Avenue. Construction of the maintenance facility will begin in late May.
  • Friday April 6, 2012
    Track/civil work began construction on 3/27/2012. 2nd Street and Downtown Tucson are the first segments to begin construction. A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for 4/12/2012.
  • Wednesday March 7, 2012
    The civil/track portion of the construction is expected to begin in late March. Old Pueblo Trackworks has been awarded the civil/track construction contract. The maintenance facility was released for bidding on February 28th. Construction open houses will be held on March 6, 7, and 8.
  • Wednesday February 8, 2012
    The line segment portion of the project is expected to begin in mid March. The bids for this work were opened January 17 and Old Pueblo Trackworks is the apparent low bidder and will employ roughly 200 local employees for the project.
  • Monday January 9, 2012
    Track bids to be opened on January 17th. Maintenance Storage Facility sheduled to go out to bid on January 17th.
  • Thursday December 22, 2011
    The invitation for contractors to bid on the Tucson Modern Streetcar project went out on October 28, 2011. A procurement pre-bid conference was held on November 8, 2011 with over 100 interested parties in attendance. In response to requests by contractors to extend the bid document preparation time, the Bid Opening has been moved to January 12, 2012. After the bids are received, an apparent low bidder will be identified and the low bid contractor should be on board by early February, with construction slated to begin in March 2012.
  • Wednesday December 7, 2011
    Bids for the civil and track portion of the project scheduled to open December 21.
  • Tuesday November 8, 2011
    The civil and track portion of the project is being prepared for bidding. The maintenance facility building design is also complete and is being reviewed for permitting. Private utility companies have begun utility relocations in advance of the project. The special trackwork and traction power substation vendors have been selected and are in production. Cushing Street Bridge construction is proceeding.
  • Thursday October 6, 2011
    Design of the project is now complete. TDOT is currently preparing a bid package for construction of track, civil, systems, maintenance yard, and streetcar stops. The maintenance facility building design is also complete and is being reviewed for permitting. Private utility companies have begun utility relocations in advance of the project. The special trackwork and traction power substation vendors have been selected. Cushing Street Bridge construction is proceeding.
  • Friday September 9, 2011
    Design of the project is nearly 100% complete. Design plans for all line segments, systems, streetcar stops, and the maintenance facility are being reviewed by TDOT and stakeholders. Private utility companies have begun utility relocations in advance of the project. The special trackwork and traction power substation vendors have been selected. Cushing Street Bridge contractor was awarded and has begun construction.
  • Monday August 8, 2011
    Design of the project is nearly 100% complete. Design plans for all line segments, systems, streetcar stops, and the maintenance facility are being reviewed by TDOT and stakeholders. Private utility companies have begun utility relocations in advance of the project. The special trackwork and traction power substation vendors have been selected.
  • Monday July 11, 2011
    Design of the project is nearly 100% complete. The combination of all design segments will be submitted as one 100% submittal this week for final review. The maintenance facility, systems, and streetcar stop design are also being submitted this week. Private utility companies have begun utility relocations in advance of the project. The special trackwork vendor has been selected.
  • Monday June 6, 2011
    Design of the project is nearly 100% complete. The combination of all design segments will be submitted as one 100% submittal in June 2011 for final review. The maintenance facility, systems, and streetcar stop design will follow soon after. Private utility companies have begun utility relocations in advance of the project.
  • Friday May 6, 2011
    Design of the project is nearly 100% complete. The co-management team of COT and RTA recently decided to combine all segments into one construction contract for track and street work. Systems, the maintenance facility, and streetcar platform furnishings will be separate contracts.
  • Friday April 8, 2011
    The project is currently nearing 100% completion of design. All four line segment civil & track design plans are in for review. The maintenance and storage facility also submitted their 50% Design Documents for review. Procurements for special trackwork and traction power substations were released for proposals, and a block rail procurement will be released next month.
  • Monday March 7, 2011
    03/07/2011 - The project is currently at 90% design complete. 3 of 4 line segment civil design plans are in for review. The maintenance and storage facility also submitted their 50% Design Documents for review. Procurements for special trackwork and traction power substations were released for proposals.
  • Tuesday February 8, 2011
    The project received a FTA Grant Agreement for the $63 million TIGER grant in late December. A Finding of No Significant Impact for the Supplemental Environmental Assessment was received this month, completing the NEPA process for the project. Two of the four line segments have submitted 90% final design plans for review. The maintenance & storage facility is beginning final design. Rail and special trackwork procurements are being finalized this month and are expected to be released in February. The streetcar vehicle final design continues on schedule.
  • Thursday January 6, 2011
    Transportation Director Jim Glock electronically signed the paperwork December 28 that officially obligates the $63 million for the modern streetcar. The FTA met with the City Transportation project team in December for their quarterly review of the project. 90% design plans, for Line Segment 3, are being submitted this month for review. A substitute girder rail type has been chosen and a procurement is being drafted. The streetcar vehicle final design continues on schedule.
  • Monday December 6, 2010
    Design work is progressing towards a 90% submittal in 4th qtr of 2010. The design team is evaluating different rail types that could be suitable as an alternative. The discussion continues to be coordinated with the Procurement department. Electrical systems design is progressing towards a 90% submittal. The maintenance & storage facility team is evaluating the recommendations that resulted from the peer review in September. No word has been received regarding the Supplemental Environmental Assessment.
  • Friday November 5, 2010
    Design work is progressing towards a 90% submittal in 4th qtr of 2010. The design team is evaluating different rail types that could be suitable as an alternative. The discussion continues to be coordinated with the Procurement department. Electrical systems design has completed their 60% design plans, currently being reviewed by COT. The maintenance & storage facility team is evaluating the recommendations that resulted from the peer review in September. No word has been received regarding the Supplemental Environmental Assessment.
  • Tuesday October 5, 2010
    Design work is progressing towards a 90% submittal in 4th qtr of 2010. FTA denied a Buy America Availability Waiver for the purchase of streetcar girder rail, the design team is now evaluating different rail types that could be suitable as an alternative. Electrical systems design is underway with a 60% submittal due in October. The maintenance & storage facility team hosted a peer review with a number of cost-efficient alternatives resulting from the meeting. No word has been received regarding the Supplemental Environmental Assessment.
  • Tuesday September 7, 2010
    Design work continues towards a 90% submittal in the 4th qtr of 2010. The FTA’s appointed Project Management Oversight Contractor (PMOC) visited Tucson in August 2010 to conduct a technical review of the project. No word has been received regarding the Supplemental Environmental Assessment. IGAs are being drafted with UA and ADOT. Baseline costs and schedule have been established.
  • Wednesday August 4, 2010
    The City of Tucson met with Oregon Iron Works to kick off the streetcar vehicle design this month. The girder rail procurement process concluded this month with three bids received on July 22. The civil/track design team issued 60% plans for technical review on July 16 (LS-1, 3, and 4) and July 23 (LS-2 and MSF). Coordination of project readiness continues with the FTA and their PMOC. The Supplemental EA was submitted to the FTA in June; no comments or decision has been provided to COT.
  • Wednesday July 7, 2010
    The City of Tucson has signed a contract with Oregon Iron Works for the manufacture of 7 modern streetcar vehicles on June 4, 2010. Additionally, the City of Tucson also issued an invitation for Bid for the girder rail on June 17, 2010. The civil/track design team continue to develop the 60% plans with the expected submittal at the end of July. Maintenance and Storage Facility design team responding to comments on the Schematic Design plans and streetcar stop Design awaiting review comments on design development plans. Project updates were provided to the Technical Advisory Committee and the Citizens Liaison Group on June 21, 2010. Finally, submitted revised Administrative Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment on July 2, 2010.
  • Friday June 18, 2010
    Civil/track design consultants preparing 60% design plans. Maintenance facility design team submitted Schematic Design plans this month for review. Streetcar stop Design Development plans submitted this month for review. COT and RTA signed an IGA for the management and local funding match necessary for early material purchases, real estate, and professional services. The Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment was submitted in May 2010.
  • Monday May 10, 2010
    Working with the Federal Transit Authority on requirements for awarded grant. The project is currently in the final design engineering phase and 60% plans and cost estimate are due in June 2010.
  • Friday April 9, 2010
    Received $63 million USDOT TIGER grant in February 2010. Of the total $75 million requested in federal funds, $69 million has been granted by US Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Authority (FTA). The Tucson Department of Transportation has applied for a FTA Urban Circulator Grant in February 2010 with a decision by FTA later in the spring of 2010.
  • Friday February 5, 2010
    URS Corp advancing design to 60%, including track, civil, and utility relocations. Station architecture, electrical systems designs are advancing to approximately 30% level. Maintenance facility & storage yard advancing schematic design plans.
  • Monday January 11, 2010
    01/11/2010 - Final Design of trackwork, utilities, maintenance facility, and streetcar stops underway. Project split into 4 line sections during design. Potholing of existing utilities completed. Procurement documents for girder rail being prepared. Continuing to coordinate design issues with other City projects, UA, TCC Hotel, and Gadsden Development.
  • Thursday October 8, 2009
    The project has been approved by the Federal Transit Administration into Preliminary Engineering and now approved into Final Design as of September 25, 2009. Program Management Consultant and a Final Design consultant are under contract and a streetcar vendor has been selected. Application for TIGER grant funds was submitted on September 11, 2009 and are now awaiting outcome of TIGER Grant process (anticipate notification in January 2010).
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