The SMART District proposed to rehabilitate/reconstruct over 70 miles of railway within an existing Northwestern Pacific right-of-way, including improvements to existing trestles and bridges, tunnels, stations, and passing sidings. The proposed projects, from Cloverdale to Larkspur, will allow for passenger rail service consistent with California Public Utilities Commission rail standards.
AWE provided a range of services for this high-profile transit project, including agency coordination, biological resource surveys, habitat assessments, impact analyses using GIS, public meeting presentations, regulatory permitting, preconstruction surveys, and construction monitoring. AWE completed several biological assessment reports for project segments in accordance with Section 7 of the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). AWE also provided technical support of agency permitting and mitigation options for the project. AWE assisted SMART with strategic planning for project permits and closely coordinated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
As a result of AWE’s working relationships with regulatory agency staff, AWE has provided SMART with successful and expedited permit processing and agency coordination for multiple railroad project segments in sensitive habitat areas. AWE conducted construction monitoring and worked closely with SMART and the construction contractors to ensure that construction occurs in compliance with project permits and approvals.
Services Provided: Technical Studies, Permitting & Agency Coordination, Surveys & Compliance Monitoring
