Maryland state officials have culled down prospective private consortia willing to build the 16-mile, $2.2 billion Purple Line light rail transit project from six to four.
Maryland Department of Transportation representatives expect to select a wining consortium early next year. Revenue service is projected to begin in 2020.
The "short-listed" teams selected to submit bids are:
• Maryland Purple Line Partners, comprised of Vinci Concessions, Walsh Investors, InfraRed Capital Partners, Alstom Transport and Keolis;
• Maryland Transit Connectors, comprised of John Laing, Kiewit Development and Edgemoor Infrastructure;
• Purple Line Transit Partners, comprised of Meridiam Infrastructure, Fluor Enterprises and Star America Fund; and
• Purple Plus Alliance, comprised of Macquarie Capital and Skanska Infrastructure Development.
The Purple Line project is being advanced as a public-private partnership (3P), similar to that employed by New Jersey Transit's Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) operation in northeastern New Jersey. HBLR began initial operations in 2000.
Maryland DOT and state officials seek $500 million to $900 million in commitments from the private sector for the project's construction. In return, the state is offering a design-build-operate-maintain (DBOM) contract lasting possibly as long as 40 years.
The state itself so far has affirmed $750 million for the project.
Two teams that earlier submitted "statements of qualifications" that will not advance include: Plenary Group USA and Bechtel Development Co.; and CSCEC and United Labor Life Insurance.