Pulse Program Management and Oversight Services

HNTB has provided program management and oversight (PMO) consulting services for Pace’s Pulse rapid transit program since 2012, covering two master contracts and more than 20 task orders. HNTB helped Pace launch the Rapid Transit Program, beginning with a program manage­ment plan and supporting program controls and procedures.

Program Conceptualization

HNTB convened a cross-functional working group of Pace staff, using workshops to define foun­dational elements of the Pulse service, including functional requirements, station design proto­types, service standards and the Pulse brand.

From Concept to Ribbon Cutting

From this foundation, HNTB led multiple corridor studies, prepared conceptual plans and NEPA documents and performed design oversight and coordination to bring Pulse from concept to reality. The Pulse Milwaukee Line corridor entered service in 2019, with the Dempster Line scheduled for 2022 and two additional corridors on 95th Street and Halsted Street in various stages of development.

HNTB’s services include:

Project Definition (Milwaukee, Dempster, 95th, Halsted and Cermak) - HNTB defined major features, functional requirements and service standards for the first Pulse line (the Milwaukee Line). This provided project definition for the Milwaukee Line and subsequently the Dempster, 95th, Halsted and Cermak Lines. Deliverables included operations and performance analysis, corridor service plan, ridership forecast, station spacing and site selection, conceptual design, capital cost estimate, TSP tech­nology strategy, operations and maintenance cost estimate, stakeholder outreach and coordi­nation with peer agencies, including IDOT, CDOT, and CTA.

NEPA Documentation (Milwaukee, Halsted and 95th) - HNTB prepared documented Categorical Exclusions for three Pulse corridors. In addition to all required CE documentation, these efforts also include developing advanced conceptual design plans, leading public meetings, meeting with property owners, and conducting traffic simulation analysis.

Design Oversight Services (Milwaukee, Dempster , 95th and Halsted) - HNTB has provided design oversight services for the Pulse Milwaukee Line and the Pulse Dempster Line and will be providing oversight of the Halsted and 95th Street lines as well. HNTB coordinates multi­disciplinary design reviews using the Bluebeam Studio Session collaborative design review envi­ronment. HNTB’s role also includes extensive municipal, IDOT and property owner outreach to coordinate design reviews and support land acquisition.

Program Management and Oversight (Program Wide) - Program management activities included developing a program management plan, communication plan, work breakdown structure, document controls, newsletters and the Pulse website. HNTB provided oversight and industry best practice research to Pace’s marketing consultant during development of the Pulse brand. HNTB also led all grant writing activities to fund construction of the Milwaukee, Dempster, and 95^th Lines, and initial operations for the Dempster line.