San Juan (Tren Urbano)

Tren Urbano

San Juan, Puerto Rico

(November 1996)

Description

The Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW), through its Highway and Transportation Authority (HTA), is constructing a 10.4-mile (17.3 km) double-track guideway between Bayamon Centro and the Sagrado Corazon sector of Santurce in San Juan. Approximately 40 percent of the alignment is at or near grade. The remainder, aside from a short below-grade segment in the Centro Medico area and underground through Rio Piedras, is generally elevated above roadway rights-of-way. The project includes 14 stations and a vehicle and trackway maintenance/storage facility. The alignment allows for the future addition of two stations if deemed necessary, one in Rio Piedras and one in Hato Rey. The estimated capital cost for the project is $1.250 billion (escalated dollars) and is expected to carry 115,000 riders per day in 2010.

Status

In 1993, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) selected Tren Urbano as one of four turnkey demonstration projects under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). The Tren Urbano project will be constructed and operated under a turnkey procurement in order to expedite the implementation of the project and to develop the necessary institutional capability to operate Tren Urbano. In August 1996 a contract was signed with a private consortium to design, construct and initially operate the Tren Urbano system. The Project has entered the construction phase of development. The environmental review process was completed in November 1995 and the Record of Decision (ROD) was issued in February 1996. A Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) for the Project was signed in March 1996 providing a Federal commitment of $307.40 million. Through FY 1997, Congress has appropriated $18.43 million in Section 5309 New Start funds for the project. An additional $4.96 million in Section 5309 New Start funds not included in the FFGA was awarded in January 1995. The remaining funding for the project would be provided by local revenues from the Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority (PRHTA) and flexible funds. All operating costs, as well as debt service on PRHTA bonds, would be paid as part of the PRHTA annual budget, established in accordance with standard PRHTA budget procedures.

	Source of Funds		Total Funding ($million
	Federal:
		Section 5309 New Start FFGA Amount	$307.40	($18.43 million appropriated through FY 1997)*
		Certificate of Participation [Backed by STP/CMAQ]	300.00
	Local Financing:		642.90
		TOTAL	$1,250.30

*Note: An additional $4.96 million was obligated to the project in prior years but was not included in the FFGA scope.