lrt

LRT right on track

Posted on by Teresa Boardman
lrt train
testing – spring of 2013

Sure it is last week’s news but I am excited about the light rail opening on June 14th 2014.  I took this picture last year during one of the first tests of the tracks.  They pulled the light rail car down the track to make sure it would all fit.

Yesterday I was at CoCo (Co working collaborative) which is located just to the left and just outside of this photo they, were testing the PA system at this station.

There is so much empty retail space downtown yet there is some hope for housing and for the lower town neighborhood with the newly renovated Union Depot, the Saint Paul Farmers market and the ball park being built.

The light rail and the other development is good news for downtown housing and who knows maybe some of those vacant store fronts won’t be vacant in a couple of years.

LRV test on Greenline

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

An LRV is a light rail vehicle.  I like to call them trains.  On Sunday there was a test of the new Greenline in St. Paul.  Apparently it is the first of many.  They have to make sure that the trains actually run on the tracks without hitting anything or to  ”verify clearance for LRV’s”  

“ST. PAUL – April 28, 2013 — The first light rail vehicle is making its inaugural appearance today on the Green Line (Central Corridor LRT), albeit not under its own power.

A railcar mover that resembles a semitrailer cab is towing a new Green Line LRV at walking speed on the tracks from Minneapolis to the new operations and maintenance facility in St. Paul. The trip should take eight to 12 hours.”

It took about four hours and it was fun to be there to photograph the first LRV being pulled around town.

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Univeristy and Marion
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Robert Street Near 14th
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Crossing 7th street on Cedar
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LRT update – like watching paint dry

Posted on by Teresa Boardman
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Cedar street

There are tracks on Cedar street for the central corridor light rail line also known as the green line.   This picture was taken from 10th and Cedar.  I believe these tracks will eventually go past the historic churches and cross 7th street or maybe there will always be piles of dirt and bulldozers in the street. 

As for the picture click on it to make it larger.  The dome in the background is our state capital building which is also under construction. 

LRT Construction update – University avenue

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

 I took a drive/walk along university early yesterday morning when no one was looking.   It looks like some of the businesses are surviving light rail construction and there are a couple of new chain type fast food places wedged in between the wonderful asian restaurants.  There are some vacant store fronts along University avenue where construction killed some of the businesses that were spared by the great recession. 

When my mother was in college she took a train down the very same street but back then they called the trains street cars.  The tracks were torn out long ago in the name of progress.  Back then progress was buses.  Now progress is trains so they are putting the track back onto University. [Click on the photos to make them larger]

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University Ave and Lexington
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University Ave just East of Snelling
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University Ave near Berry, East of Raymond

People ask me if the light rail will have an impact on local housing.  Yes it will.  The rail line has created construction jobs already and there are some apartments on the rail line that will also benefit. 

The street improvements and stations look wonderful.  

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LRT construction update

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

 There is no better way to show the progress on the light rail transit (LRT) construction than with photos.  This is the green line which when complete will connect downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis via the Central corridor.  Once every couple of weeks I get on my bike and navigate through the closed roads and sidewalks and grab a couple of shots downtown or get in my car and do what I call drive by shooting of the construction along University Ave.  

The first picture was taken at Robert street at 14 Street E.  If you look straight down the street in the picture you can see the Rossmor condos.  This is the Robert street station which is just North of I94 on N. Robert street.  The station looks to be almost complete.  

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Robert Street Station

In the second picture you can see the state capitol building in the background.  This is the Cedar street station near 10th and Cedar.  Cedar street south of 10th to 7th street is all dug up and of course closed. 

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Cedar street station

The rail line is scheduled to open on 2014.  I am looking forward to the end of the endless contruction.