First phase of M-1 Rail construction completed

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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M-1 Rail

M-1 Rail completed its first phase of construction between Campus Martius Park and Grand Circus Park in downtown Detroit.

 

“We met our goal of installing a quarter of a mile of new track in both the north-and-southbound lanes of downtown in four months,” said Paul Childs, M-1 Rail chief operating officer. “We had an aggressive schedule, along with a high standard for maintaining a clean and safe work site and our skilled construction crews rose to the challenge.”

“With the exception of some minor tasks, we are done with our work in this area for the year, but will return next year for track work from State St. to Larned,” Childs added. “Woodward Avenue within the five-block stretch between Campus Martius Park and Grand Circus Park will be open to traffic. That’s really important to the businesses that have been so patient throughout the construction.”

Construction manager/general contractor Stacy and Witbeck, Inc., in partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and local construction companies and suppliers began construction of the downtown portion of the rail system in late July. After securing the work zone and erecting pedestrian fencing and bridges, detailed surveying was performed by crews prior to moving in heavy machinery to remove layers of asphalt and concrete to make way for the new track slabs.

Over the course of four months in downtown, crews: installed electrical and telecommunications conduit; received and welded steel track into 560-foot sections, then moved it onto Woodward Ave.; reinforced the steel track with an elastromeric grout pad or “rubber boot,” which provides vibration dampening and noise reduction; strengthened the imbedded rail with special thermite rail welds; built and installed a supportive rebar substructure over the track to better support the concrete; poured, leveled and texturized a high-performance, faster-curing type of concrete; removed layers of old asphalt, then resurfaced with high-quality asphalt and installed granite curbs, reinforced manholes and completed temporary pavement striping.

Work north of Grand Circus Park continued on November 29, with activities moving full steam ahead on December 1. The reconstruction of the Woodward Avenue overpass over I-75 and I-94 will continue through the winter, as will DTE Energy duct bank installation and other utility relocation activities.

“As the winter weather becomes more severe, work will continue,” said Childs. “We will be working primarily with our partners at DTE, Detroit Water and Sewerage and the Public Lighting Department on underground utility work.”

 

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