Erosion and sediment control on a light railway system
- North American Green, Inc., Evansville, IN (United States)
Cities throughout the country are developing light rail systems to provide environmentally friendly, hassle-free transportation for future commuters. Designed to appease growing transportation problems in metropolitan St. Louis, a light rail system was recently constructed between East St. Louis, Illinois and the St. Louis International Airport. Spatial limitations for right-of-way construction through downtown St. Louis proposed special challenges for both the design engineering firm, Sverdrup Engineering, St. Louis, and the general contractor, McCarthy Brothers, also of St. Louis. Over 14 miles of existing right-of-ways once used by passenger and freight trains would have to be utilized by the light rail system. Many sections of these vacant right-of-ways would be excavated into large depressions to allow the light rail cars to pass beneath existing bridges, eliminating rail car exposure to the surrounding environment and reducing noise pollution. However, the width of these relic right-of-ways did not provide sufficient space for modern light rail tracks. To solve this problem, designs called for the excavation of 2:1, 80-ft side slopes along the track cut to provide adequate space on the bottom for light rail track beds. This article describes the actions taken to stabilize the slopes.
- OSTI ID:
- 6192334
- Journal Information:
- Public Works; (United States), Vol. 124:7; ISSN 0033-3840
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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