The American Society of Civil Engineers announced Nov. 4 that the Union Station to Oak Cliff Dallas Streetcar Project will vie for the 2017 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement award. The city’s first modern streetcar is one of five finalists selected for ASCE’s most prestigious global honor. Among its competitors are One World Trade Center in New York and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, India. The winner will be announced at ASCE’s OPAL Gala, March 16, in Arlington, Virginia.

Dallas Streetcar is owned by the city of Dallas and operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). HDR led the final design of the streetcar for the Stacy and Witbeck/Carcon Industries design-build team.

“HDR is humbled by this honor,” said Tom Waldron, the firm’s transit director. “What makes this project really special is that its innovations will continue to make a profound, positive impact on quality of life for so many in the Oak Cliff and Dallas communities. Dallas streetcar was a project with a lot of firsts and innovative engineering, and it was an incredible experience to be part of the team that made it possible.”

Innovative features of this 1.6-mile streetcar include off-wire technology, which allows its vehicles to operate using onboard energy storage systems for two-thirds of its route, recharging via overhead contact wires during the other third.

That technology made it possible for the streetcar to cross the iconic, mile-long Houston Street Viaduct (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) without the visual intrusion of an Overhead Contact System (OCS), which includes poles, supports and wires.

The streetcar line also has provided an economic boost, pumping new life into the historically underserved community of Oak Cliff, whose residents now enjoy reliable transit to jobs and services in downtown Dallas. At the same time, the streetcar has attracted new development, revitalizing historic neighborhoods and transforming brownfields into walkable urban districts that continue to thrive.

The success of the Dallas Streetcar led the city to add a .7-mile extension to the Bishop Arts District. Service on the extension started in August 2016 and discussions of future extensions are underway.

About HDR’s Transit Experience

Because transit is not one size fits all, we help clients with everything from navigating the Fast Act and other funding alternatives, to managing program development and design, to providing construction management for new and established systems. Our wide-ranging portfolio includes managing the San Diego Mid-Coast Corridor Transit project, the Government Center Station renovation design in Boston, the Downtown Rapid Transit Expansion Study in Toronto and consulting on every phase of the new Sun Link modern streetcar in Tucson. In addition to planning and engineering, our experts help clients with strategic funding, economic analysis, public engagement, real estate services, program/project controls, risk management and operations and maintenance.

About HDR

HDR has partnered with clients to shape communities and push the boundaries of what’s possible since 1917. We specialize in engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services.  With nearly 10,000 employees in more than 225 locations around the world, we think global and act local.