Dallas-based global professional services firm AECOM has been selected by Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) as the delivery partner for the “transformative” Phase 1 of Austin’s first light rail transit system.

AECOM said its responsibilities will include program management oversight and initiation, environmental services, design management, rail activation, and operational readiness. Phase 1 will introduce a roughly 10-mile light rail system to Austin with 15 stations to enhance regional connectivity and mobility for communities in the region.

This critical project will transform how Austinites navigate their city, with the promise of stimulating economic growth, protecting the existing environment and promoting a sustainable future for generations to come.”

The Austin Transit Partnership estimates the capital cost of the Phase 1 project at $7.1 billion. ATP said it’s planning to seek payment for 50% of those costs via federal funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investments Grant program.