M-1 Rail Construction To Continue Through Winter

By Edward Cardenas

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - The change in season and drop in temperatures will not stop construction on the M-1 Rail project.

Chief Operating Officer Paul Childs said construction of the streetcar line on Woodward, freeway overpasses and underground utility relocation, will continue through the winter months.

"We made significant progress over the past five months, due in part to great weather. Working outside in the winter requires a different approach," said Childs, in a release. "Depending on the temperature and overall conditions, we shift our priorities toward work that is manageable in cold weather."

Lane restrictions and orange barrels will remain in place on Woodward Avenue north of Grand Circus Park. After a snowfall, Woodward Avenue, even in construction zones, will be plowed in accordance with city and state policies, officials stated.

Construction will be suspended on Dec. 25 and 31 in observance of the holidays.

While the project will continue through the winter, officials stated that worker safety will be a factor in the winter work schedule.

"Our protocol ensures the dedicated crew members who work in the cold are protected should the weather become too severe," Childs said. "The safety of our crew is an overriding priority; simply, if the cold is extreme, we won't work that day. However, we don't anticipate an impact to our overall schedule, since we accounted for these situations when we developed our timeline for completion in late 2016."

Work during the winter will allow for the projected construction activities according to M-1 including:

• Downtown Track and Station Work: Specialty track will arrive in the spring to allow for track installation between State and Larned, and around Campus Martius Park. Crews will also begin track installation between Adams and I-75 as soon as weather permits. Station platforms will be poured at Larned, north of Campus Martius Park, at Grand Circus Park, and north of Montcalm.
• Midtown and North End Streetcar and Roadwork: Crews will transition from utility installation to focusing on MDOT's reconstruction of Woodward Avenue and track installation from I-75 all the way north to Chandler. Construction activities will include installation of Overhead Catenary System foundations, new traffic signals, streetcar system conduits, station platforms, and other infrastructure upgrades. Both the Woodward overpass at I-75 and I-94 should be completed by late fall 2015.
• Penske Technical Center: Design and construction is expected to begin on the Technical Center located along Woodward Avenue between Custer and Bethune Streets where the streetcar vehicles will be stored and maintained. This facility should be completed and ready to accept vehicles for final assembly by late 2015.

"Working through the winter lays the groundwork that allows for our construction crews to quickly ramp up once the weather breaks," said Childs. "Next year construction will reach its peak; we have an aggressive schedule planned that will ensure we are able to deliver the project safely and on time in 2016."

Additionally, the M-1 RAIL External Relations Team will continue to host community update meetings and meet with those who live, work and visit the Woodward Corridor.