Parsons Brinckerhoff to work on Chicago-Detroit rail link

Parsons Brinckerhoff has won an on-call contract from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to assist the agency establish a high-speed rail link between Chicago and Detroit.

The contract will see Parsons Brinckerhoff provide construction services to MDOT as it upgrades rail lines. It will see the company oversee construction work and is expected to include construction engineering, inspection, office technician work, and general project management services.

The train journey time between the two mid-west cities is currently over six hours. The upgrading of rail lines to high-speed is expected to cut the journey time by two hours. The scheme is part of several projects in the Midwest to build high-speed rail links between key cities. Construction is already underway on a line in Illinois between Chicago and St Louis and a link between Chicago and Minneapolis-St Paul in Minnesota has also been mooted.

Parsons Brinckerhoff is also the programme manager for the 457 km Chicago to St Louis link.