On May 23, Parsons joins other members of the Houston Rapid Transit Joint Venture (HRT)—led by Parsons — and the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, (Metro) in Metro Railfest 2015, celebrating the opening of the Green Line (East End) and Purple Line (Southeast). The event—sponsored by Parsons and HRT in partnership with the Houston Mayor’s Office of Special Events, BBVA Compass Stadium, and CBS Radio—will start with community ribbon-cutting ceremonies beginning at 3 p.m., followed by a free concert at BBVA Compass Stadium featuring Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer, NE-YO.
“Parsons is proud to celebrate the opening of these new light rail lines, part of Houston Metro’s Connecting Communities initiative,” said Todd Wager, Parsons Group president. “We have worked with Houston Metro since 2008 to advance its goal to improve the quality of life for Houston’s residents and workers. Now there are two new rail lines to serve the community.”
As managing partner of HRT, Parsons was responsible for designing and building the expanded light rail transit (LRT) system, which includes not only the new Green and Purple Lines, but also the Red Line (North). The project totaled 15 mi of LRT, 24 stations, and new storage and inspection facilities. In addition, Parsons was responsible for system safety and operational upgrades to the existing 7.5-mi LRT system and major renovations to the existing operations center. Parsons also provided safety and quality assurance services and managed the community outreach and small business participation programs.
