HRT board cuts light-rail contract by $514,000

By Debbie Messina
The Virginian-Pilot
© May 29, 2009

NORFOLK

Hampton Roads Transit’s board on Thursday voted to reduce a light-rail contract by $514,000.

The $10.9 million contract, to build and outfit a light-rail vehicle storage and maintenance facility, called for the purchase of a $1.1 million piece of equipment called a multipurpose vehicle mover.

That is being replaced with a less expensive model, HRT spokesman Tom Holden said.

HRT is partnering with the city, state and federal governments to build a $288 million starter light-rail line from the medical complex on Brambleton Avenue, through downtown, to the city line at Newtown Road.

It’s expected to open in mid- to late 2010.

The board on Thursday also approved spending $19.6 million in federal economic stimulus money. The board already had committed $14 million in stimulus money for a new bus operations and administration building.

HRT received close to $34 million in direct federal stimulus aid.

The money will pay for 10 hybrid buses, seven diesel buses, service vehicles, upgrades to two transfer centers on the Peninsula, shop tools and equipment, a bus wash, retrofitting bus engines to reduce exhaust emissions, upgrades to heating, cooling and plumbing at the Hampton maintenance facility, and improvements to information management systems as well as environmental management systems.