Twin Cities LRT Structures

Jim Alexander Director, Design and Engineering Southwest LRT Project /Metro Transit

th 13 National & Streetcar Conference 1 Today’s Topics

• METRO Green Line: Washington Avenue Bridge Retrofit

• Southwest LRT (METRO Green Line Extension): Proposed Kenilworth Tunnel

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 2 Green Line: Washington Ave Bridge

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 3 Washington Ave Bridge: Background

• Built 1965 • Connects U of M West Bank and East Bank campuses over the Mississippi River • Steel plate girder construction • Fracture-critical 1,131-foot span • 2 traffic lanes in each direction, carrying 18,700 average daily vehicles on lower deck • Pedestrian/bicycle upper deck

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 4 Washington Ave Bridge: Existing Section

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 5 Washington Ave Bridge: New Section

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 6 Washington Avenue Bridge: Retrofit

• Reduce traffic lanes to 1 in each direction • Add center-running LRT double track • Build 4 new truss girders interlaced with existing steel framing • Install new full-width composite deck • Rehab existing bridge piers • Add infill columns to each pier

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 7 Washington Avenue Bridge: Infill Piers and Trusses  Before retrofit

After retrofit 

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 8 Washington Avenue Bridge: Pier Rehab and Infill

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 9 Washington Avenue Bridge: Infill Piers

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 10 Washington Avenue Bridge: Original Deck

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 11 Washington Avenue Bridge: Deck Removal

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 12 Washington Avenue Bridge: New Truss Installation

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 13 Washington Avenue Bridge: New Truss Installation

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 14 Washington Avenue Bridge: New Deck Installation

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 15 Washington Avenue Bridge: New Deck with LRT Tracks

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 16 Washington Avenue Bridge: Retrofit Complete

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 17 Washington Avenue Bridge: Retrofit Complete

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 18 Washington Avenue Bridge Results

• Saved 2 years on LRT project schedule (vs new bridge construction) • Saved $80-$100 million in LRT construction costs • Additional 75 years service life • Conformance to current design standards • 2013 American Council of Engineering Companies Excellence Award

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 19 Southwest LRT Project Overview

• 14.5 miles • 16 new stations (including 1 deferred) • 34,000 weekday boardings anticipated in 2040

* Environmental review of the project is ongoing and all of the project details remain subject to change throughout that process.

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 20 Southwest LRT Development Timeline

2013 • Project Development 2014 • Municipal Consent 2014-15 • Engineering, Supplemental Draft EIS 2016 • Final EIS, Full Funding Grant Agreement 2017-19 • Heavy Construction 2020 • Passenger Operations

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 21 Kenilworth LRT Tunnel: Background

• Existing freight rail / recreational trail corridor • 59-foot pinch point • Co-locate with freight rail and trail • 2,336-foot tunnel length • Cast-in-place, concrete, cut-and-cover construction • Pedestrian/bicycle trail located on top of LRT tunnel

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 22 Kenilworth LRT Tunnel

West Lake LRT Station LRT Tunnel Kenilworth Channel crossing

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 23 Kenilworth LRT Tunnel

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 24 Kenilworth LRT Tunnel

• Video

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 25 Kenilworth LRT Tunnel: Existing

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 26 Kenilworth Shallow LRT Tunnel: proposed

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 27 More Information

Online: www.SWLRT.org

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: www.twitter.com/SouthwestLRT

th 13 National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference 28