RailWorks Corp. part of JV building LRT extension to Eden Prairie, Minn.
RailWorks Corp., as part of a joint venture company, will construct 14.5 miles of double track for the Southwest LIght Rail Transit (LRT) project that will extend Metro Transit's Green Line to Eden Prairie, Minn.
RailWorks says the work will be performed through one of its operating subsidiaries and will enhance freight rail and light-rail transit infrastructure in metropolitan Minneapolis.
The scope of work includes more than more than 110,500 TF ballasted track; more than 29,000 TF direct fixation on the structure; more than 6,900 TF direct fixation in tunnel; and more than 3,500 TF embedded, special trackwork and crossings. Additionally, RailWorks and its JV partner will inspect and maintain a roughly five-mile section of Twin Cities & Western Railroad freight track that lies adjacent to the new light rail tracks. RailWorks explains that the enhancements to the existing freight line will also create some additional space for the new light rail tracks.
“The new infrastructure constructed and maintained by RailWorks and its JV partner in Minneapolis will enable the efficient transport of freight and passengers in the region for years to come,” said Kevin Riddett, RailWorks president and CEO.
The RailWorks JV portion of the contract is $85 million. Work on the existing freight rail will begin this spring, and the construction of the new light-rail tracks will start in 2020. The complete project will wrap up in 2022.
In December, stakeholders broke ground on the Southwest LRT project, which will connect Eden Prairie to downtown Minneapolis. The extension will include 16 new stations and will be part of an integrated system of transitways, including connections to the Metro Blue Line, the Northstar Commuter Rail line, many bus routes and proposed future transitways.
About the Author
Mischa Wanek-Libman
Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.