Graham Construction begins Central Corridor Light Rail Transit project

Graham Construction Services, Inc., is working on several transit projects that will transform Minnesota's commuter landscape. These include Graham's activities on the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit (CCLRT) Advanced Traffic Improvements project and on the 4th Street Advanced Utility Construction project. In addition, the company has completed the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit line extension to Target Field.

In May, Graham began
work on the recently-awarded CCLRT Advanced Traffic Improvements project. This
early-stage portion of the Metropolitan Council project is valued at $4 million
and encompasses the East Bank area of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus.

Graham will prepare the
roadways that will carry additional traffic during the CCLRT construction. The
company’s involvement also will include underground utilities, traffic control
equipment and interconnections, bituminous roadway pavement, curb and gutter
work, demolition and rebuilding of retaining walls, earthwork and landscaping.

This phase of the project
is expected to be completed in August 2010. Service on the 11-mile Central
Corridor is anticipated to begin in 2014. When it opens, the CCLRT project will
link downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis along Washington and University
Avenues via the state Capitol and University of Minnesota. The line will
connect with the Hiawatha LRT line at the Metrodome station in Minneapolis and
the Northstar commuter rail line at the new Target Field Station.

The Metropolitan Council is
charged with building the line in partnership with the Minnesota Department of
Transportation. The Central Corridor Management Committee, which includes the
mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis, commissioners from Ramsey and Hennepin
counties and the University of Minnesota, provides advice and oversight. The
project’s leaders estimated 800 direct construction and management jobs will be
provided annually during the CCLRT construction.

Graham is providing
construction services for another of the Metropolitan Council’s CCLRT projects.
As part of the 4th Street Advanced Utility Construction project team, Graham is
helping relocate underground utilities — such as sanitary and storm sewer, hot
and chilled water lines, and water main — from beneath the footprint of a new
CCLRT track in downtown St. Paul. Graham also is preparing the project’s
foundation for the rail’s overhead catenary system.

Work on the project began
in September 2009 and is scheduled for completion in November 2010. Bolander
Construction is the general contractor for the project and is responsible for
the full, finished project and for managing a total, estimated budget of $12.5
million.

Among Graham’s transit
project experience, the company recently completed the Hiawatha Light Rail
Transit extension. With a contract value of $29 million, this project connects
the LRT with the new Northstar Corridor commuter rail line

Graham’s efforts included
the construction of the new Downtown Intermodal Commuter Rail Station,
construction of six steel and glass station buildings located along the rail
line and a 6,300-linear-foot track system. One of the platform stations now
serves the new Minnesota Twins Ballpark, Target Field.

As general contractor on
the project, Graham’s work also included reconstructing two bridges to support
the LRT: The 5th Street bridges over I-394 and the BNSF railroad bridge, which
were completed without vehicular or rail traffic interruption. The demolition
and reconstruction work was accomplished while maintaining traffic on I-394 and
without interruption to BNSF rail traffic.