Strategic Advisory and Program Management Services for Link21
Client: San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART)
Location: Oakland
Start date: 2019
End date: Present
Duration: Ongoing
Services provided: Stage Gate, Service Planning, Program Integration, Program Management, Consultants Management
Link21 is a megaregional program of rail system improvements, centred on a new Transbay rail crossing between Oakland and San Francisco, that aims to revolutionise connectivity across the Bay Area and Northern California.
Under joint development between the Bay Area’s rapid transit network (BART), and Capitol Corridor which is the regional inter-city rail service provider, the program is identifying and evaluating improvements to both the broad-gauge metro network and standard-gauge regional rail network to provide a reliable, integrated, equitable, and sustainable transit network. The aim is to deliver benefits from a crossing project and initial network by 2040.
Network Rail Consulting (NRC) is an integral partner on Link21’s Program Management Consultants (PMC) team, responsible for providing Strategic Advisory and Program Management services to the Client through early Program Definition, Development and Environmental Review.
NRC’s role on the PMC team is to provide international expertise and strategic advisory on Program Management, through the definition and management of bespoke Stage Gate governance, Service Planning, and Integration. Additionally, following the award of four Technical Consultant contracts by BART, NRC staff work with PMC colleagues to provide advisory services on ongoing Consultants management.
Bespoke Stage Gate Program Management Framework
NRC has adapted and applied Network Rail’s Governance for Rail Investment Projects’ (GRIP) Stage Gate methodology to a Californian rail planning context. Major decision points have been mapped throughout the Program’s lifecycle, tied to regulatory processes such as Environmental Review, and integrated into BART’s Governance including a hierarchical review with key stakeholders and eventual Board approval. Stage Gate 1 was successfully passed in April 2022, with Stage Gate 2 planned for April 2024.
Strategic Advisory: Operations and Service Planning
NRC is a key part of the Link21 Planning and Engineering team, providing strategic advice on operational issues and conceptual service planning. This includes initial constraints and opportunities definition, and input into initial definition of conceptual alignments.
Program Integration
NRC supports Senior Link21 Leadership as a part of the PMC’s Integration team. Advisory has included the definition of schedule control points, progress mapping, and coordinating cross-functional workstreams.
Consultants Management
Following Stage Gate 1, the Client onboarded four Technical Consultant teams to significantly increase the workforce on the Program. NRC provided advice on best practice consultants management and continues to support P&E consultant management with scope definition, and quality review.