WMATA selects joint venture builder for Potomac Yard Metrorail Station

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor, Railway Track & Structures
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The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has chosen Potomac Yard Constructors as the prime construction contractor for the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station.

The project, to be located in Alexandria, Va., is a joint venture of Halmar International and Schiavone Construction Co., which WMATA said are subsidiaries of global construction companies. The $213.7 million contract marks the latest milestone toward bringing a new transit station to the city.

“We look forward to the construction of the Potomac Yard Metro Station, an exciting project that will provide jobs and expand transit options for the fastest-growing part of the Alexandria community,” said WMATA General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld. “Once complete, the station and surrounding development will create a thriving community, connected by transit, where people can enjoy seamless access to jobs, education, stores, restaurants and entertainment options – both on site and throughout the region.”

WMATA says the station, which is set to be built on Metrorail’s Yellow and Blue Lines, will offer a range of benefits for the city, including walkable access to regional transportation systems on the northeast side of the city.

Officials also expect the station to bring in billions of dollars in new private sector investment long-term and to eventually support 26,000 new jobs and 13,000 new residents.

WMATA said the Potomac Yard area is the most significant redevelopment and tax base growth opportunity of its kind for the city, with the potential to achieve the vision for an urban mix of uses near transit.

The $320 million project budget includes the construction contract and other direct spending by WMATA and the city, and officials said the agency has set a goal of 18 percent of the project spending going to small and minority-owned businesses.

The station will receive funding through several sources, including new tax revenue gained primarily from development in Potomac Yard throughout the next four decades, regional transportation authority grants and developer contributions.

The city also plans to seek public input this fall regarding design changes to the new station, including the contract’s requirement to improve access from the south to the station’s north entrance.

Construction is expected to begin on the station in the spring of 2019, with completion set for late 2021 or early 2022.

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