MTA taps Jacobs for $228M NYC rail upgrades

Jacobs laid tracks toward its infrastructure project goals with a rail project win.

The Dallas-based firm recently won a $227.5 million design-build contract from the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority to modernize three Long Island Rail Road stations, according to a news release.

The project includes program management services at the Babylon, Forest Hills and Hollis stations, such as construction oversight, design compliance and risk identification, according to the release. These improvements aim to enhance safety and accessibility across the stations.

Upgrades include the installation and rehabilitation of elevators, escalators, ramps, platform and canopy replacements. The firm will also enhance architectural features and wayfinding systems to improve functionality and the overall customer experience, according to Jacobs. When finished, the changes will bring the stations into compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, according to the release.

“As the busiest commuter rail system in North America, Long Island Rail Road provides essential mobility to Long Island and the wider New York City metropolitan area,” said Chrissy Thom, Jacobs senior vice president, in the release. “We’ll work with the MTA to tackle its aging infrastructure, improve access and bring three crucial pieces of their system into ADA compliance and a state of good repair.”

The New York chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the state’s overall infrastructure a C grade, or mediocre condition, according to its 2022 report for New York’s infrastructure. That grade, however, marked a slight improvement from its 2015 grade of C-, according to the ASCE.

Jacobs expects to complete the projects by 2026, according to the company.