Three teams shortlisted for $700 million trackwork contract for Surrey-Langley SkyTrain

Another milestone has been reached in the process to select the major contractors for the project to build the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension.

The provincial government announced today it has selected three teams to advance to the detailed bidding process — the request for proposals (RFP) — for the separate contract to design, build, and install the trackwork for the 16-km-long extension of the Expo Line.

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The consortium team called Transit Integrators BC is formed by Graham Infrastructure LP, SNC-Lavalin, and Western Pacific Properties. SNC-Lavalin is the Quebec-based giant that designed and built the Canada Line and the Millennium Line’s Evergreen Extension.

Another team is named Surrey Langley SkyTrain Connectors, comprised of Aecon Infrastructure Management, SICE Canada, and Parsons. Aecon Infrastructure is also bidding for the other two separate major contracts to build the project.

Aecon is a partner in the ongoing construction project to build a new replacement Pattullo Bridge. They are also involved in some of Canada’s largest rapid transit projects currently under construction, including Eglinton Crosstown LRT in Toronto, and the REM rail transit network in Montreal.

The third team is led by Kiewit Infrastructure, with Mass. Electric Construction Canada as its partner.

Track of SkyTrain Millennium Line’s Evergreen Extension near Burquitlam Station. (Bill Kingsland/YouTube screenshot)

This trackwork contract includes the physical tracks, as well as the electrical systems, telecommunications, and automatic train control. In its previous procurement document in November 2022 seeking bidding interest, the provincial government previously pegged the value of the trackwork contract at $700 million.

The other two major contracts focus on building the elevated concrete guideway, worth $1.1 billion, and the eight new stations and supporting facilities such as bus exchanges, worth $475 million.

The provincial government announced its shortlist of teams for the RFP detailed bidding processes for both the guideway and station contracts earlier this year. These first two contracts will be awarded in Fall 2023 and late 2023, respectively.

The trackwork contract will be awarded in early 2024.

Major construction activities on the project are scheduled to begin in 2024 for a completion and opening in 2028.

Typically, SkyTrain extension projects are awarded to a single contractor or consortium, which then subcontracts the various project components to other companies. The provincial government previously explained that its different approach to implementing Surrey-Langley SkyTrain by dividing it into three separate major contracts will “increase bid competition and enable more local companies to bid on different elements of the project.”

The combined estimated value of the three contracts is about $2.3 billion, representing 57% of the total $4 billion overall project cost, which includes non-contractor costs such as land and property acquisitions, geotechnical testing, and pre-design and planning work.

Route alignment of the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain. (Government of BC)

Conceptual artistic depiction of 196 Street Station on the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain. (Government of BC)

Construction on the Millennium Line Broadway Extension to Arbutus is expected to reach completion and open in early 2026.