Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Light rail reaches key stage (from the Charlotte Observer)
"By day, trucks will haul in dozens of oversize girders for the first of Charlotte's four light-rail bridges.
By night, crews will hoist the steel and concrete girders into place for the first bridge, spanning busy Tyvola Road.
Starting Wednesday, construction moves to a critical new stage on the light-rail line -- bridges to separate trains from street traffic.
The bridges will carry the trains above Archdale Drive, Tyvola, Woodlawn and Arrowood roads. Each of those roads connect interchanges on Interstate 77 and will lead to major park-and-ride lots along the light-rail line, now under construction next to South Boulevard.
"Seeing the bridges go up will let people see light rail is on its way," said Olaf Kinard, spokesman for the Charlotte Area Transit System.
The first electric-powered train will be delivered for testing in the summer, with passenger service beginning in summer 2007 between uptown and I-485 near Pineville. The 9.6-mile double-track line, its trains, garage, stations and parking lots are expected to cost $427 million.
The four bridges will separate trains from traffic and keep both moving, Kinard said. If the bridges weren't built, railroad crossing arms would come down every four minutes during rush hour to stop cars.
Crews have built bridge piers and retaining walls, and on Wednesday night will begin lifting girders into place for the Tyvola bridge. Tyvola's girders will be installed by Feb. 21, said David Leard, CATS project manager.
Traffic will be disrupted on Tyvola about four times daily as flatbed trucks deliver the girders.
Bridge girders will be installed over Archdale from April 5 through May 5; over Woodlawn, May 10-30; and over Arrowood, July 13-23."
Most intersting part for me is that they will be testing the light rail vehicles this summer, should be some fun photo-ops.
"By day, trucks will haul in dozens of oversize girders for the first of Charlotte's four light-rail bridges.
By night, crews will hoist the steel and concrete girders into place for the first bridge, spanning busy Tyvola Road.
Starting Wednesday, construction moves to a critical new stage on the light-rail line -- bridges to separate trains from street traffic.
The bridges will carry the trains above Archdale Drive, Tyvola, Woodlawn and Arrowood roads. Each of those roads connect interchanges on Interstate 77 and will lead to major park-and-ride lots along the light-rail line, now under construction next to South Boulevard.
"Seeing the bridges go up will let people see light rail is on its way," said Olaf Kinard, spokesman for the Charlotte Area Transit System.
The first electric-powered train will be delivered for testing in the summer, with passenger service beginning in summer 2007 between uptown and I-485 near Pineville. The 9.6-mile double-track line, its trains, garage, stations and parking lots are expected to cost $427 million.
The four bridges will separate trains from traffic and keep both moving, Kinard said. If the bridges weren't built, railroad crossing arms would come down every four minutes during rush hour to stop cars.
Crews have built bridge piers and retaining walls, and on Wednesday night will begin lifting girders into place for the Tyvola bridge. Tyvola's girders will be installed by Feb. 21, said David Leard, CATS project manager.
Traffic will be disrupted on Tyvola about four times daily as flatbed trucks deliver the girders.
Bridge girders will be installed over Archdale from April 5 through May 5; over Woodlawn, May 10-30; and over Arrowood, July 13-23."
Most intersting part for me is that they will be testing the light rail vehicles this summer, should be some fun photo-ops.
# posted by Todd @ 6:50 AM 
