Design firm selected for the Union Pacific led portion of CREATE Project EW2

The CREATE partners are pleased to announce Union Pacific has selected HDR to provide final track design and engineering services for the Union Pacific-led portion of the 80th Street Junction Replacements (EW2) project, a major component of CREATE’s 75^th Street Corridor Improvement Project.

The EW2 portion of the overall project includes the construction of seven bridges and the relocation of Union Pacific mainline track infrastructure. It is one segment of the 75^th Street Corridor Improvement Project, which is a group of four projects advanced as a singular project due to their logistical and environmental similarities. This rail and roadway improvement project is located on the south side of Chicago in the neighborhoods of Ashburn, Auburn Gresham, Englewood, and West Chatham, along two passenger and four freight rail lines. It will address conflicts between the Belt Railway Company of Chicago (BRC), CSX, Norfolk Southern (NS), Union Pacific (UP) and Metra.

The CREATE partners' commitment to creating economic opportunities in the project’s impacted neighborhoods is reflected by the 25% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goal for this contracted work.

HDR’s team will include three Illinois-based DBE firms:

• DB Sterlin Consultants, Inc – Professional engineering and surveying services
• Atlas Engineering Group – Roadway design and maintenance of traffic
• Wang Engineering – Geotechnical Services

“Union Pacific is pleased to take this next step in moving forward our piece of this critical infrastructure project, which will alleviate rail congestion and improve traffic flow for Chicago,” said Liisa Lawson Stark, vice president of Public Affairs for Union Pacific. “We are also pleased that HDR will be leveraging the expertise and experience of three local firms to assist with the work.”

As part of the EW2 portion of the project, HDR will produce engineering design for the relocation of two of Union Pacific’s mainline tracks between 80th Street to CP Oakdale, a connector track and seven new bridges from 80th Street to CP Oakdale in Chicago.

There will be additional opportunities beyond this effort for right-of-way assessment, engineering, construction, and suppliers within the CREATE Program. DBE firms are encouraged to register through the CREATE website for email invitations to respond to bid opportunities for contracted work. All CREATE Program partner procurements will be sent through the CREATE procurement notification email. Notifications are also made through newspapers.