CLAYTON, Mo. - A jury rejected Metro's requests for $81 million in damages for delays and cost overruns in connection with its Metrolink line, ending the longest civil trial in St. Louis County history. Metro sued the Cross Country Collaborative, a joint venture of four companies - Parsons Brinckerhoff, STV Inc., Jacobs Engineering Group and Kwame Building Group - which designed and managed the 8-mile Metrolink line from Forest Park to Shrewsbury.
The line opened in August 2006, 15 months late and $126 million over budget. Metro blamed Cross Country, but Cross Country claimed Metro was making its members the scapegoats and damaging their reputations.
Metro sought $76 million for contract and negligence and another $6 million for fraud, but got nothing. Cross Country sought $6 million for goods and services in a countersuit and was awarded $2.56 million. The trial began Aug. 22 and lasted 100 days.
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