RCTC awards $80 million contract

The Riverside County Transportation Commission has agreed to finance the next phase of the Coachella Valley Rail project.

Commission members recently awarded an $80 million contract to HDR Engineering to conduct the next round of environmental studies associated with the project, according to a statement on the commission’s website.

HDR is a global company that specializes in architecture, engineering, environmental, and construction services.
When completed, the 144-mile Coachella Valley Rail will connect Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley. It will make daily stops in Riverside, the Coachella Valley, and Union Station in Los Angeles.

“Coachella Valley Rail is a vital transportation investment that will connect Riverside County — particularly the San Gorgonio Pass and Coachella Valley — with the rest of Southern California through daily passenger rail service,” said Raymond Gregory, commission chair, in the statement. “At its core, (the project) is about offering residents, visitors, and commuters alternatives to traveling solely by automobile.”