Jacobs (NYSE: J), in joint venture with HDR, has been awarded a major contract to provide engineering consultant services for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Interborough Express (IBX) Light Rail Project in New York. The transformative 14-mile transit line will connect communities across Brooklyn and Queens, improving mobility, reducing travel times, and supporting sustainable, transit-oriented development.
The Jacobs-HDR joint venture will oversee design development, freight integration, tunnel retrofits, and bridge modifications, while also advising on delivery strategy and operational readiness. The IBX project will leverage existing rail infrastructure to deliver one of the most ambitious light rail systems in the United States.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a more connected and sustainable New York,” said Jacobs Executive Vice President Katus Watson. “The Interborough Express will set new standards for modern, passenger-focused transit.”
HDR Transportation President Tom McLaughlin echoed the sentiment, highlighting IBX’s role in driving economic investment and expanding access to jobs, education, and essential services throughout the region.
With projected ridership among the highest in the nation for light rail, IBX is expected to deliver immediate and long-term benefits to New Yorkers. The project is part of MTA’s ongoing effort to complete infrastructure faster, more efficiently, and at lower cost while maintaining freight access for local ports and supply chains.
Jacobs, ranked No. 2 in Transportation by Engineering News-Record, continues to strengthen its global transportation portfolio with high-profile projects such as New York’s Grand Central Madison program, the UK’s Elizabeth Line, and Malaysia’s Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit.
Construction timelines for IBX are still being finalized, but once complete, the project is anticipated to reshape mobility across two of New York’s most populous boroughs.
