Parsons Brinckerhoff to Design Edinburgh Tram

Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) has been selected by tie Limited (transport initiatives for
Edinburgh) to provide comprehensive systems design services for the Edinburgh Tram project.
Tie is looking to reintroduce trams to the city of Edinburgh in a multi-million pound undertaking. The
system would include two new light rail transit lines.

Line one, the North Edinburgh Tramway, would connect the city center with Leith, Newhaven and
Granton, passing through the busy Princes Street area of the city. Line two, the West Edinburgh
Tramway, is a western corridor linking the city center to the airport.

Under its contract, PB is responsible for development of a detailed traffic management plan to minimize
disruption during the construction phase of the tram lines. The firm will deliver a preliminary design and
specifications for overall system functionality, technical requirements for system components, and the
infrastructure to support the system.

Key issues to be considered as part of the design process include provision of a design that is
sympathetic to new town, heritage and stakeholder issues, while also enhancing the cityscape of
Edinburgh. PB will evaluate the necessary integration of the tram with other transport, including traffic,
public transport and pedestrians, and will develop a design that maximizes the speed of construction
while minimizing impact upon the surrounding environment. "Our main challenge is to design a system that is in keeping with Edinburg's status as a World Heritage Site, respects fully the surrounding environment and how it interacts within it and provides a first class transport solution for Edinburgh," commented David Hutchison, PB's project director. "We aim to ensure that we provide a design with which all stakeholders are satisfied and which provides an essential integrated transport solution while enhancing its surrounding environment."

Founded in 1885, Parsons Brinckerhoff provides program management, planning, engineering and
construction management services for transportation, power, buildings and environmental projects.
Parsons Brinckerhoff employs 9,000 professionals and support staff in more than 150 offices worldwide.

For more information, please visit http://www.pbworld.com

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