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Seeking
Public Input
50th
St. LRT Station Expansion and South Stairway
Replacement
(Updated
8/12/08)
NENA
will host a Town Meeting on this
subject, Thursday, November 6, 7:00 pm at
the Keewaydin
Community Center, 3030 East 53th Street Details
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Rendering
of 50th Street expansion showing southern extension
on left (Courtesy of Metro Transit)
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Met
Transit wants your opinion on replacing
the stairway at the south end of the 50th
Street LRT platform. In 2010, the LRT platform
will be expanded by 70' to allow for 3-car trains.
The existing
pedestrian crossover will be moved to the new
southern end (it must be at track height.) However,
there are several options for the existing south
access
stairway.
Rider
interest may help Metro Transit determine the stairway's
fate. Please look over the options, below.
Share
your thoughts by contacting NENA at
(612) 724-5652 or nena@nokomiseast.org,
or directly to Jill Hentges, Metro Transit Community
Outreach, (612) 349-7318, jill.hentges@metc.state.mn.us Responses
received at NENA will be forwarded to Metro Transit
and will help shape NENA's official position.
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The above image shows an approximate location.
Click the map below for the two finalist options.
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Click map for more detailed image of the two options
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Background
on the Station Expansions
The current station platforms are 200 feet long and are being extended to 270
feet. This is a one-time expansion of the stations with construction lasting
from March 2009 to Spring 2010. After this extension, the platforms will not
be expanded again because Minneapolis city blocks can only accommodate the
length of a three car train. The additional vehicles needed to provide full
operation of three car trains should be procured by 2011.
Construction
will occur at the 10 platforms and at the new American
Boulevard Station from Spring 209 to Spring 2010.
Construction of the platform extensions will be
done with helical anchors and pre-cast concrete
(12’ segments). There will be some weekend
closures, up to 3 per station. When closures are
in effect, buses will take passengers from one
station to another.
Q:
Where is the money coming from to do this project?
A: The money is coming
from Federal and local sources. The
local money is from the Metropolitan
Council, which gets their money from
the state budget.
Q: There
isn’t enough glass for adequate wind protection
at the 38th, 46th, and 50th stations.
A: A shelter retrofit
project was completed this spring (2008)
to provide better protection from the
wind at 38th, 46th, 50th, Cedar-Riverside,
VAMC and Fort Snelling Stations. In
this project, the glass was extended
up the surround the heater. There is
a limitation to how close the glass
can be to the ground for maintenance
reasons. Follow-up: We will investigate
whether the shelters can be turned
to minimize exposure to the windward
direction.
Q: How
much time would the 3rd car add to the crossing
gates at the intersections?
A: approximately 3 seconds,
but this will vary depending on the location
of the stations relative to the intersections.
(Follow-up:) Met Transit needs to get the
exact answer.
Q: The
yellow tactile pavers are coming loose at several
stations.
A: We will be replacing the
existing tactile warning strips during the
construction of the platform extension.
50th
Street Specific:
Q: Would
it be possible to have a ramp in the middle on
the non-train side?
A: There is no room in the
middle of the platform for a ramp. The retaining
wall is too close to the platform.
Q: The
lines at the vending machines sometimes back
up with 10 people waiting. These long lines cause
people to miss their train.
A: (Action Item) Metro Transit
will investigate adding a new TVM.
Q: It
would be desirable to have entry in the middle.
Is that feasible?
A: In order to have entry
in the middle, we would need to have a skyway,
which would be extremely difficult and costly.
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