Contractors coordinate to set up electrical lines above light rail line

Explore the Salt Lake City Transit Authority (TRAX) Project

July 29, 2014
Hidden Peak Electric worked on the signalized traffic intersections for the trains and the street/station lighting, while Mass Electric Construction Co. handled the systems work, installation of fiber-optic cabling, and train control, including the overhead catenary systems (OCS).

Salt Lake City-bound travelers can now land at the airport, jump on a light rail train, and venture to the heart of the city. By building a 6.2-mile extension, the construction team created a new gateway to downtown.

Through a partnership with the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and Salt Lake City, Stacy and Witbeck (a civil contractor specializing in transportation projects) and Kiewet (a construction, mining, and engineering firm) finished the job not only ahead of the 2015 schedule, but also $27 million under the $250 million budget, says Ryan Snow, project manager for Stacy and Witbeck. The light rail extension project was part of the UTA’s 2015 capital development program to build 70 miles of new rail line over a seven-year time span.

The Airport Extension, a part of the 2015 Capital Improvement program for UTA, was critical in doubling the capacity of the existing system.

On the Salt Lake City Transit Authority (TRAX) project, the joint venture partners turned to two electrical firms: Salt Lake City-based Hidden Peak Electric Co., Inc., and Irving, Texas-based Mass. Electric Construction Co. While Hidden Peak Electric worked on the signalized traffic intersections for the trains and the street/station lighting, Mass. Electric Construction Co. handled the systems work, installation of fiber-optic cabling, and train control, including the overhead catenary systems (OCS).

Read full story on EC&M about how contractors coordinated and delivered this project on time and on budget.

About the Author

Robert P. Mader

Bob Mader is the Editorial Director for Penton's mechanical systems brands, including CONTRACTOR magazine, Contracting Business and HPAC Engineering, all of which are part of Penton’s Energy and Buildings Group. He has been  with CONTRACTOR since 1984 and with Penton since 2001. His passions are helping contractors improve their businesses, saving energy and the issue of safeguarding our drinking water. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame with an A.B. in American Studies with a Communications Concentration.

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