Breaking ground on the $243 million Union Depot in St. Paul, Minn.

Written by jrood

Major renovation work on The Union Depot in St. Paul, Minn., has begun with demolition activities, making way for new train tracks and bus lanes. This signals the start of major construction to restore the 1920s train depot to its original purpose as the region’s transportation hub. “The people of Saint Paul, the State of Minnesota and the entire Midwest are the beneficiaries of this strategic partnership of federal, state and county governments that will create new jobs for our community and build the foundation for future prosperity and growth of the region,” said Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority Chair Jim McDonough. Under the direction of the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, the 33-acre Depot site will be transformed into a state-of-the-art multimodal Midwest regional transit hub, bringing together rail, bus, motor vehicles, bicycle and pedestrian traffic. “The Union Depot is a major investment and a long-term commitment.  But in today’s global economy, an investment of this scale is not a luxury—it’s a necessity,” said Minnesota Fourth District Congresswoman Betty McCollum. The Union Depot project brings welcomed jobs and economic stimulus to Saint Paul and the region, creating some 3,000 jobs for all companies involved in the project on-site and off-site. Over the two-year construction period, on-site trades jobs are estimated to be 1,200, totaling 750,000 work hours. Peak on-site workforce will be 300, and more than 95 percent of the on-site jobs are expected to be local tradespeople. When completed in 2012, Amtrak’s Empire Builder service, currently located at a station in the Midway area of St. Paul, will relocate to The Union Depot. In addition, The Union Depot will be the terminus or transfer point for Central Corridor light rail transit as well as Metro Transit; Jefferson Lines and Greyhound intercity and regional bus lines; bicyclists and pedestrians. The Depot will be a hub for future regional transitways including the corridors of Rush Line, Red Rock, Gateway, Robert Street and Riverview.  Plans are for future high-speed rail from Chicago to also stop at the Depot. The Union Depot project will vie for LEED Silver certification, utilizing some of the most innovative environmental and energy efficient techniques available, under the direction of Minnesota-based Mortenson Construction, the lead design-build contractor. Mortenson has built more than 120 LEED certified or green projects nationally. “The Union Depot renovation combines the delicate job of historic restoration with the challenges of heavy civil railroad and infrastructure work,” said Dan Mehls, director of project development for Mortenson Construction. “We are honored to lead this signature project for the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority.” The entire Union Depot renovation project will cost $243 million, of which $35 million will be provided by a federal TIGER grant. The Union Depot also has been identified as a project of national and regional significance in the federal transportation bill, and has been awarded $50 million over the next five years. Other funding will be provided by federal, state, and county sources.

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