Project Highlights

Light Rail

PE Services has been a partner in each of the three LRT lines built in Minnesota. We worked on the design of the Hiawatha Light Rail project throughout the duration of the project, which was built as the first major publicly-funded design/build project in Minnesota. We provided five civil design team members through the entire project for the Hiawatha Light Rail line, beginning work in December of 2000, and working through the opening of the line. Ann Johnson, PE managed that effort, and designed the parking lots, and every pavement and track section for the project. Other engineers and technicians worked on the design team to develop plans and specifications for the entire project (including stations) in Microstation and Geopak.

PE Services provided both design and construction services for the Central Corridor Light Rail (CCLRT) project. Eric Johnson served early as a member of the design team, working as a CADD technician to develop project documents and plans. As a former English teacher, Eric also assisted with the development of the specifications and contract documents. During construction, he worked as a lead bridge inspector on the Washington Avenue bridge retro-fit, coordinating work between the designer (AECOM), the contractor (Ames), and the Owner (Met Council). 

PE Services also worked as part of the construction observation team for the duration of the project, assisting with the noise and settlement monitoring and construction materials testing. We worked on both the rail and the construction of the Operations and Maintenance Building.

Our most significant participation has been on the Southwest Light Rail Transit (SWLRT) project: we’ve been a project team member since the Project Office kickoff in December of 2012. Jeff Stewart, PE has played a lead role in the design phase, acting as Deputy Civil Manager. In that role, his duties have included coordination of geotechnical investigation, right of entry permitting and preparing technical reports documenting the alternative select process. In addition, Mr. Stewart is currently involved in the final design and plan preparation for the civil construction package, estimated at almost one billion dollars. During the bidding phase, his duties included agency comment resolution, preparation of the environmental construction mitigation plan, and quality control documentation. Throughout the project, PE Services engineers have assisted in the development of plans and bidding documents, using Civil 3d as the CADD platform.

Mr. Stewart now serves as the lead Civil Construction Manager during the construction of the project and we have several engineers assisting with documentation during construction. PE Services is also serving as lead bridge and grading staff on the project. We have eight inspectors serving in the quality assurance on the project, which will extend through 2023.