Amtrak on Feb. 8 announced that it is awarding two contracts with a combined value of $49.5 million for major upgrades of its maintenance facilities located in Los Angeles, Calif., and in Hialeah, Fla., near Miami. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act economic stimulus program is funding both projects.
"Amtrak is committed to making the investments needed to keep our equipment clean and in good working order for our passengers and state partners," said President and CEO Joe Boardman, noting each upgraded facility will be modern, efficient and capable of handling the current work levels as well as projected future service expansions.
The contract for the $24.5 million Los Angeles project is being awarded to Kemp Bros. Construction Co. of Santa Fe Springs, Calif. The $25 million Hialeah project's contract is going to Dana B. Kenyon Company of Jacksonville, Fla. The projects involve the construction of a new building structure to cover work currently performed completely outdoors and will include administrative offices and employee locker rooms. Amtrak said both will begin this spring and are expected to be completed in February 2011.
Amtrak also said it intends to award a contract this spring for major upgrades to its Seattle maintenance facility. That project will be funded by Amtrak's annual capital program.