The California High-Speed Rail Authority recently awarded a contract to the joint venture of SYSTRA Consulting, Inc. and Bechtel Infrastructure Corporation (SYSTRA/Bechtel) to prepare an Implementation Plan that will outline the process and steps required to build the high-speed rail system in California.

For the system, SYSTRA/Bechtel will develop an implementation plan providing options, examples, and lessons learned with respect to the roles of the public and private sector. The team will create an implementing organization and strategies for right-of-way acquisition, final environmental clearances, staging, financing, contracting, and project controls. The team will build on the existing momentum of the project and assist the Authority as it makes key implementation decisions. The plan is scheduled to be completed by June 2004.

The first true high-speed rail project in the nation, it will provide Californians with enhanced mobility to travel to and from major population centers. California is uniquely focused on developing a high-speed rail system, which has worldwide attention, and will help pave the way for other projects in the United States. Currently, the Authority is completing a programmatic environmental impact analysis on the entire proposed high-speed train network.

Participating in the project will be key subcontractors Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas and Public Finance Management Inc. and Universal Field Services and Leland Saylor Consulting will contribute to the work.