Foxcroft Watch

South Corridor Light Rail Line Construction

SOUTH CORRIDOR LIGHT RAIL LINE CONSTRUCTION

Charlotte, N.C., February 3, 2006 ─ Construction of the South Corridor Light Rail Line and infrastructure improvements are in full swing throughout the South Boulevard Corridor. "The building of Charlotte's first light rail line is moving forward on time and on budget," said Ron Tober, Charlotte Area Transit System's (CATS) Chief Executive Officer. "Construction work is visible throughout the corridor and we are making gains in the areas of bridgework, track laying and infrastructure improvements."

The initial roadbed work is complete along Tyvola and Old Pineville Roads and construction crews have begun laying the first of 40,000 concrete railroad ties needed to complete the project. Now, the 1,600 foot long steel rails can begin to be laid along the ties to complete the track. As placement of the railroad ties progresses, roadbed and bridge work steadily continues between Scaleybark and Tyvola Roads and Archdale Boulevard and I-485.


Crews use two cranes to install concrete girders as the Tyvola Bridge undergoes construction.

Bridge construction is in full force at Tyvola and Old Pineville Roads. The installation of bridge girders and construction of bridge decks for the Tyvola Bridge, which will carry light rail trains across Tyvola Road and the existing freight rail line, is underway. Two cranes are in place to lift and position the 100,000 pound concrete girders and 50,000 pound steel girders onto the bridge piers. Bridge girder installation is occurring at night to minimize impacts on commuters and area businesses. Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls are also being built near the intersection of Woodlawn and Old Pineville Roads in preparation for the construction of that bridge, which is next on the bridge construction schedule.


Light Rail Vehicle Maintenance Facility

Construction crews have begun laying concrete railroad ties at Tyvola and Old Pineville Roads. It will take 40,000 ties to complete the South Corridor Light Rail line.

Progress is also being made on the South Boulevard Light Rail Vehicle Maintenance Facility, located at 3200 South Boulevard, as most of the structure's steel is already up and brick work has begun. Once complete, the 90,000 square-foot facility will house up to 45 light rail vehicles as well as a maintenance and repair shop, control center, paint and body shop and fare collection maintenance. Test track from Tremont Avenue to Clanton Road is currently being laid in preparation for the first light rail vehicle's arrival in early summer 2006.

Beginning February 6, construction crews will descend upon Center City and Historic South End from Tremont to Seventh Street for approximately one year as light rail transit stations are built and tracks are laid for the South Corridor Light Rail Line. During this phase of construction, multiple contractors will be working within this two-mile stretch of the line. Although the Charlotte Trolley service will be suspended during construction, CATS is implementing a new service called the South End Shuttle. The service will closely mirror the trolley line and operate every half hour, seven days a week just like the Charlotte Trolley.

South Corridor Construction Material
FAST FACTS

• 800 construction workers will build light rail
• 60,000 feet of columns, known at H piles
• 50,000 cubic yards of concrete
• 450,000 tons of stone (not including stone
laid in the railroad bed)
• 8,000,000 pounds of rebar
• 18,000,000 pounds structural steel
• 300,000 square feet of MSE (mechanically
stabilized earth) retaining walls
• 40,000 concrete railroad ties
• 600,000 feet of electrical wiring
• Approximately 210,000 linear feet of rail
(Nearly 40 miles!)

Links

Charlotte Area Transit
Charlotte Future