Troy Transit Center Expected to Open in August

The construction of a "crash wall" in Birmingham is the next step in the completion of the $6.62 million Troy Transit Center, which is set to open this summer.

According to a progress report presented to the Troy City Council Monday night, construction of a 60-foot "crash wall" has pushed the estimated date of completion for the project back one month. 

The new estimated date of completion, according to Troy City Manager Brian Kischnick, is Aug. 5.

Troy broke ground on the transit center last November after nearly a decade of planning. Funded with federal money through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program and the Federal Rail Administration, the 2,000-square-foot transit center will replace Birmingham's Amtrak platform.

Birmingham was originally planning to partner with Troy on the transit center, but backed out after negotiations to purchase an adjoining property along the railroad tracks fell apart.

Still, it's hard to be anywhere in Birmingham's Rail District, located along the South Eton Road corridor, without seeing daily reminders of the new transit center. Train riders will continue to board trains on the Birmingham side of the tracks. 

The construction of the "crash wall" is only part of the work. Required by the Canadian National Railroad, the wall will be two-and-a-half feet thick and approximately 60 feet long. The wall is designed to provide support in the event of a train derailment. 

Construction of the wall, Kischnick said, is scheduled for the last two weeks of March.

According to the report, work activity in March also includes:

• Erection of the steel frame for the building .
• Erection of structural steel, precast exterior concrete panels, and installation of precast concrete steps for the east elevator/bridge support tower.
• Off-site manufacture of precast concrete panels to fit above crash wall along west elevator tower.

Work soon to come includes a lease agreement with Amtrak, which is expected to come before the Troy City Council for approval early next month. Kischnick said that Amtrak will pay for operations and maintenance costs at the Transit Center, while paying the city $1 for the lease, Kischnick said.