Chicago company poised to receive largest Central Corridor contract

A Chicago-based company is poised to win the largest construction contract for the Central Corridor light rail project. Walsh Construction of Chicago submitted the low bid of about $205 million. A Met Council committee recommended the Council award the contract to Walsh.

The work is for 70 percent of the project from downtown St. Paul to the city's border with Minneapolis. The Walsh bid bested those by five other bidders including several Minnesota construction companies.

Federal rules prohibit public bodies spending federal dollars from awarding work to companies just because they are local or home state entities. Central Corridor planners say the contract includes awarding 15 percent of the work to sub contractors owned by women and minorities.

The Central Corridor price tag when complete in 2014 is put at $957 million.