New Target Field Station viewed as multi-modal transit hub for Minneapolis neighborhoods

Minneapolis public- and private-sector officials last week celebrated the grand opening of Target Field Station, a new multi-modal station that will link light-rail, commuter-rail and bus services, as well as provide room for retailers, an amphitheater and green space.

Located next to Target Field, the station will connect area communities by linking the area's growing light- and commuter-rail networks, Hennepin County officials said in a press release.

The station will serve the Hiawatha Blue Line light-rail route, the Northstar commuter-rail line and Central Corridor Green Line light-rail route, which currently is under construction. The proposed Southwest and Bottineau transitways also will include stops at Target Field Station.

RailWorks Corp. subsidiaries RailWorks Track Systems, RailWorks Track Services, L.K. Comstock National Transit and HSQ Technology combined forces to work on the project, according to a RailWorks press release. For the design-build project for Hennepin County, EE&K teamed with Knutson Construction, which hired RailWorks for track and transit systems work valued at more than $10 million.

RailWorks Track Systems provided project management. During the construction portion of the teams' work, RailWorks Track Services installed more than 3,000 of new guideway consisting of direct-fixation and ballasted sections, and installed a pair of No. 6 single turnouts and a No. 6 crossover, RailWorks officials said.

Trackwork was completed in January. RailWorks completed system testing on April 18.