US-based Louis Berger has been awarded the SR375m ($100m) programme management office consultant (PMOC) role for the development of Medina’s public transport network that includes a new metro network due to start operations in 2020.

In addition to the metro, the public transport network the project will also involve developing bus network, as well as substantial upgrades and new construction for the primary road network. It will also develop relevant facilities, such as stations, park-and-ride lots, depots, and advanced intelligent transportation systems (ITS).

Awarded by the AlMadinah AlMunawwarah Development Authority (MMDA), the five-year contract will involve Louis Berger providing strategic planning, as well as control, guide, oversee, coordinate and integrate various project and construction management consultants, any other consultants and advisers working on the project. The firm will also help train and develop local Saudi staff.

A French team of Egis and Systra was awarded the contract for design work on the Medina Metro project in March. That 12-month contract involves designing three lines – Green, Blue, and red – that together will total 95 kilometres in length. About 25 kilometres will be underground and 48km will be above ground.

Medina is just one of the upcoming metro projects planned for Saudi Arabia. Metro Jeddah Company has invited companies to attend an industry briefing day in Jeddah on 30 March that will give details of the Jeddah Metro project.

Louis Berger has secured work on other major metro projects in the region. In Riyadh it secured the project management role on lines 4, 5 and 6 in joint venture with another US-based firm Hill International.

In Qatar, a joint venture of US-based Louis Berger and France’s Egis Rail was project management and consultancy contract for all elevated and at-grade sections of the Doha Metro this year.

The Louis Berger/Egis team was also awarded a contract in August 2012 to provide project management consulting services on major underground sections, including the gold line and major stations. In 2013, the joint venture was also contracted to provide independent certification engineer services, which covered early enabling works along with utility diversions.