Southwest LRT METRO Green Line Extension Challenges and

Southwest LRT METRO Green Line Extension Challenges and Opportunities in a Shared Freight/LRT Corridor Jim Alexander, P. E. SWLRT Project Director Metro Transit Joint ITE International and Midwestern/Great Lakes Districts Annual Meeting and Exhibit August 20– 23, 2018 Minneapolis, MN, USA

Today’s Topics �METRO Green Line Extension Overview �Shared Corridors (LRT & Freight) �Wayzata Subdivision �Kenilworth Corridor �Bass Lake Spur � 5 shared roadway crossings 2

METRO Green Line Extension �Opening in 2023 � 14. 5 miles � 16 stations �$2. 003 B �Single seat trips to Minneapolis, U of M, St. Paul �Connections to the Airport and Mall of America via the Blue Line 3

Timeline 2013 -15 • Project Development/ Environmental/Municipal Consent 2016 -18 • Final Environmental Impact Statement/Engineering 2018 -22 • Construction 2023 4 • Passenger Operations

Civil Contract Scope � 44 structures � 29 new bridges: LRT, pedestrian, roadway, freight � 7 existing bridges with modifications � 6 pedestrian tunnels � 2 cut and cover tunnels: TH 62 582 ft. , Kenilworth 2, 236 ft. � 15 at-grade LRT crossings �Includes 5 shared crossings � 117 retaining walls �Track: ~182, 000 TF � 7. 8 mi shared LRT and freight rail corridor 5 LRT Bridge over Excelsior Blvd and Bass Lake Spur

Freight Rail Ownership & Operations 6

Wayzata Subdivision �LRT Operations � Double track at-grade & retained structure/overpass: 1. 4 mi total � 10 -min headways/approx. 220 trains/day � 55 mph max �Freight Rail Operations � Single track at-grade: designed to accommodate 2 nd track � 12 -13 trains/day � 25 mph max, designed to 40 mph max �Shared Corridor Considerations � No shared crossings � Spacing ranges from 25 to 53 ft. (2 nd track) � Corridor Protection Barrier 7

Kenilworth Corridor �LRT Operations � Double track at-grade and tunnel: 2. 6 mi total � 10 -min headways/approx. 220 trains/day � 40 mph max �Freight Rail Operations � Single track at-grade � 2 - 3 trains/day � 10 mph max �Shared Corridor Considerations � 1 shared crossing with signals and gates � Spacing ranges from < 25 to 75 ft. � Corridor Protection Barrier: where spacing between LRT & freight is less than 25 ft. � Intrusion detection: where spacing between LRT & freight is between 25 & 50 ft. 8 Bridges of Kenilworth Channel

Bass Lake Spur �LRT Operations � Double track at-grade & 2 overpasses: 3. 8 mi total � 10 -min headways/approx. 220 trains/day � 55 mph max �Freight Rail Operations � Single track at-grade, except at west end includes siding � 2 - 3 trains/day � 25 mph max �Shared Corridor Considerations � 4 shared crossings with signals and gates � Spacing ranges from 25 to 210 ft. � Intrusion detection: where spacing between LRT & freight is between 25 & 50 ft. 9 Wooddale Avenue

Shared Roadway Crossings �FRA has jurisdiction over 5 shared roadway crossings: 21 st St, Beltline Blvd, Wooddale Ave, Blake Rd, 5 th Ave �Crossing Design �Quiet zone ready �Crossing devices controlled by LRT signal house �All devices activated by freight or LRT Freight house interconnected to LRT house � LRT interconnected to traffic signal � �Multiple sets of devices, ped-specific flashers, flashers between LRT & freight 10 21 ST Street

Shared Roadway Crossings �Pedestrian crossings � Channelization/maze force peds to turn & look � Challenges with bicycles & snow clearing � TCRB Report 175 Guidebook on Pedestrian Crossings of Public Transit Rail Services Blake Rd Station 11

�Considerations � Spacing between LRT & freight is approx. 210 ft � AREMA requires crossings with < 200 feet spacing to be operated together � Mainline and siding freight tracks Gate 1 SB - LRT 5 th Avenue Shared Roadway Crossings: 5 th Ave lsio Exce vard ule r Bo � Adjacent to signalized intersection at Excelsior Blvd � ADT (forecast year 2040) � Excelsior: 25, 300 � 5 th Ave So. of Excelsior: 1, 950 NB/1, 950 SB, 25 -30% truck traffic � Limit potential for vehicles to be stopped between crossings � Effectively manage traffic delays at signalized intersection � Prevent queues on tracks 12 Gate 3 SB - Freight Gate 2 NB - LRT Gate 4 NB - Freight

�Design approach: LRT movements �LRT only sequence LRT detection initiates signal preemption � Gate 4 drops, acts as a queue cutter for NB vehicles between freight and LRT � Gates 1 and 2 drop � Gate 3 remains up, eliminates SB vehicles from queueing onto LRT tracks � �If freight traffic occurs, Gate 3 drops 13 Gate 1 SB - LRT Gate 3 SB - Freight 5 th Avenue Shared Roadway Crossings: 5 th Ave lsio Exce vard ule r Bo Gate 2 NB - LRT Gate 4 NB - Freight

�Design approach: Freight movements �Freight only sequence Freight detection initiates signal preemption � Gate 1 drops, preventing SB vehicles from entering area between freight and LRT � Gates 3 and 4 drop � Gate 2 remains up, eliminates NB vehicles from queueing onto freight tracks Gate 1 SB - LRT 5 th Avenue Shared Roadway Crossings: 5 th Ave lsio Exce vard ule r Bo � �If LRT traffic occurs, Gate 2 drops 14 Gate 3 SB - Freight Gate 2 NB - LRT Gate 4 NB - Freight

More Information Online: www. SWLRT. org Email: SWLRT@metrotransit. org Twitter: www. twitter. com/southwestlrt 15