BergerWorld: 3rd Quarter 2005

The name Eskisehir means old city. Founded by the Phrygians around 1000 BC, Eskisehir, Turkey, is currently a prosperous and rapidly developing industrial center of 500,000 people and one of the nation's largest producers of meerschaum, a component of cement.

As part of a nationwide urban transportation initiative, Eskisehir developed a $120 million, 14-kilometer light rail system. The new system consists of two lines forming an X through the city center, carrying more than 110,000 people per day and making 26 stops.

The Berger Group was selected by the municipality of Eskisehir to provide construction management and scheduling for the new system. The Berger team began by reviewing the contract documents and designs. In the course of the review, rail specialists noted a number of opportunities to improve the system and worked with municipal authorities to upgrade the designs before construction. The Team then reviewed detailed cost estimates and project schedules and incorporated advanced construction monitoring and management systems. Throughout the course of construction, Team members worked with contractors to implement cost-effective and efficient construction methods while remaining within the demanding two-year timeframe. The Team also used state-of-the-art computer systems to allow city officials and other stakeholders to immediately access critical project and budget information and monitor the progress of the work.

Once construction was completed, Berger specialists supervised the commissioning of the new Bombardier tramcars, reviewed the systems for safety and certified the lines.

The ancient city of Izmir, Turkey, dates back more than 5,000 years and contains a wealth of history. The Berger Group previously supervised the construction of a state-of-the-art light rail system to meet Izmir's growing transit needs. As part of a follow-up, the Greater Izmir Municipality selected the Berger Group to study the upgrade and replacement of the existing electronic fare collection (EFC) system.

Izmir has a modern, well-integrated bus, ferry and Metro system. City planners also coordinate and regulate thousands of private minibuses and are expanding the light rail system, implementing longer-distance commuter rail and developing paid parking facilities. The existing EFC system could not support the municipality's vision of encouraging intermodal activity and increasing revenues. As a result, the municipality investigated opportunities to improve transportation by instituting distance-based fares and offering discounts on intermodal transfers.

Izmir's existing EFC has widespread acceptance and is used for over 90 percent of transit trips. It offers travelers swift, accurate and flexible fare collection, while reducing costs for transportation agencies. However, because of its initial design, the current system essentially uses a "cash storage card" that does not offer transfer discounts or apply distance-based fares. The Berger team analyzed Izmir's current fare systems, including fares charged by private transit companies, and evaluated demand for each form of transportation. To determine which EFC system would be most effective, Berger analyzed EFC equipment worldwide, defined the performance parameters of the new system and identified available technologies. Berger also identified the potential for expanding card utilization into private-sector, small-value transactions to increase the market penetration and use of the card. Berger also determined the initial capital and operating costs for alternate systems. The Team then drafted the final report and tender documents for the recommended EFC system.

As one of the Middle East's largest economic centers, transportation in Israel is highly developed. However, Israel struggles to accommodate growing demand on its ancient streets. To reduce urban congestion, Israeli transportation officials are planning light rail systems in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

The city of Tel Aviv is currently developing a 22-kilometer light rail system, known as the Red Line, which will run from the Bat-Yam Nissenbaum bus terminal north to Tel Aviv then turn east before branching at Petakh Tikva, a booming suburb. To minimize congestion in the crowded city center, the line will travel underground through central Tel Aviv, entailing the construction of 11.5 kilometers of tunnels and 10 underground stations. This complex, $700 million project will be financed through a build-operate-transfer concession allowing the concessionaire to operate the system for the next 32 years.

As part of this initiative, the government of Israel selected the Berger Group to evaluate the plans and contract documents and identify cost-saving measures. The Team will then review and modify the tender documents issued by Metropolitan Transportation Ways. The Team will also provide additional analysis of the Red Line during the final design and construction phases. Jerusalem's history can be traced back to the Stone Age. Today, in addition to its historic role as a religious center, the city is a hub of education and culture and has a growing high-tech economy. As a result, Jerusalem's ancient streets teem with buses, cars and pedestrians. To improve transit and offer an alternative to buses, Jerusalem is developing a light rail system.

The €350 million system will link Pisgat Ze'ev in the north with Mt. Herzel in the south with 18 stations along the 14-kilometer route. The system is being built and financed by City Pass, a private concessionaire who will operate the system for the next 30 years. As part of this important project, the Berger Group is assisting in reviewing the designs for the new system and in the procurement of specialized rail cars and other equipment designed to run on Jerusalem's narrow streets.

During the course of the project, experienced Berger team members will provide program management, technical assistance and training and ensure that this demanding project remains on-time and within budget.

As in many bustling metropolises, citizens in Caracas, Venezuela, face a daily struggle to get to work. Despite improvements to the city's streets and 45-kilometer metro system, Caracas still faces growing congestion. In response, the Metro de Caracas selected the Berger Group to evaluate the feasibility of developing a light rail system to serve southeastern Caracas and act as a feeder for the main metro system. Berger specialists conducted field and traffic studies, prepared passenger demand forecasts by zone, evaluated current and future land use and identified alternate routes for the proposed line. To provide passengers with efficient transfers, the Berger team identified the optimal locations for intermodal links and developed station layouts. The Team then prepared preliminary designs, cost estimates and a detailed construction schedule for a 15-kilometer light rail system to be funded under an innovative concession system designed to equitably distribute the risk between investors, the government-owned Metro de Caracas and private concessionaires.