The first concrete was poured for the bus terminal walls a week ago today. Since then, four sections have been poured for a total of about 200 linear feet. A fifth section appears to be ready for concrete. Here’s a photo taken at about 3:30 pm today.
This afternoon, the first support post for the light rail passenger platform canopy was installed. Below is a photo. Before I finished writing this blog posting, a second one was erected. It appears to be a quick process. I think it’s fair to say that this is the first non-concrete construction on the site. I will show you progress in a few days.
There is also news regarding tracks for the light rail, commuter rail, and Amtrak. As you would expect, rails cannot be transported in long lengths so the standard length rails will be welded together on the project site in preparation for laying tracks. It is most efficient to weld several rails together using a stationary machine, and then weld the fewer, longer rails once they have been placed on the railroad ties. I’ll get some photos of that process once it gets started.
Here’s a photo-viewing tip. In case you have not already noticed, you can zoom in on the photos at JobsiteVisitor. Simply click on the zoom button and then the + button. Also, once you have zoomed using the + button, you can move the photo around by hovering your cursor over the photo, holding down the left click mouse button, and moving your mouse. The photos are high resolution (2 meg or more) so you you get good clarity even if you zoom several times.
Speaking of JobsiteVisitor, I’ve uploaded 11 more photos this week.
Looking at the pictures, I can’t figure out how they are planning to do the circular in the bus terminal. Based on where they placed the concrete forms and rebar pillars, it doesn’t look like there is anywhere for a bus to get to the otherside of the terminal?
Jason, keep in mind that the current hole, floor, and walls are only half of the eventual bus terminal. Once the roof is installed and Chestnut Street is rebuilt over the top of the terminal, the hole will be dug all the way to Union Station through Wewatta Street, through the existing light rail station, and through the Amtrak tracks. There will be another entrance/exit for buses at the Union Station end of the terminal.
Any updates on how work is progressing at the temporary Amtrak station? I’d be interested in pictures of the platform area and of the building itself (inside and out) when you have a chance.
Thanks.
The portion of the passenger canopy that was installed was for the architects to look at the steel finish, height, etc. The covering of the canopy is expected to be a material similar to what is used on the Jeppesen Terminal at DIA
I’m really surprised by how thin those walls seem to be compared to the 4-foot-thick floor.
What’s up with the huge concrete pads for holding the cannopies? Expecting hurricanes? And why didn’t they just form up one big rectangle for all 22 blocks rather than a separate box for each pad. This is what happens when government runs things; no private company could be so wasteful and stay in business.
Steve,
Are you kidding? The cost of concrete to be placed is around $500 / CY once you figure materials, forming, stripping, rebar, concrete, labor etc. By filling in all those gaps would do nothing but increase the cost of the project. The reason why the foundation is so big is not because of what may come, but what is currently there. This area was once a large waste area and things such as coal, trees, and other material was buried. Those foundations are to keep things from differential settling and causing failure in the finshed product. The foundations prevent the need for expensive over excavation to repair the existing soil conditions. I don’t see any waste going on…I see inovative thinking for mitigating problems.