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The Twin Cities’ Metropolitan Council recently awarded the last major construction contract for the Central Corridor light-rail project: a $43.1 million pact to PCL Construction Services Inc. to convert a former factory in St. Paul into an operations and maintenance facility.

As part of the contract, PCL also will install a vehicle hoist at the Franklin maintenance facility that’s used by the Hiawatha light-rail service. In addition, PCL will complete work necessary to enable the Metropolitan Council to begin light-rail testing by summer 2013 and launch service on the corridor by 2014.

The council has awarded $590 million in construction and light-rail vehicle contracts for the project, which is $34 million under budget, according to the agency.

The 11-mile Central Corridor will link downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis via the state capitol and University of Minnesota. The line will connect with the Hiawatha corridor at the Metrodome station in Minneapolis and Northstar commuter-rail line at the Target Field station.