The New Farm Lane: Bridge to the Future

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The New Farm Lane Bridge to the Future
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Why Farm Lane?

• Safety issues
• Environmental issues
• Quality of life
• Proactive community

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Proactive Community

• Project made possible by the cooperation and
  participation of
• Local communities
• Transportation agencies at local, state and
  federal levels
• CATA
• Railroads
• MSU

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Funding

• Securing federal highway funding for this project
  was the catalyst that allowed it to move forward
• Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Sen. Carl Levin and Rep.
  Mike Rogers were among politicians instrumental
  in securing funding.
• The project was accelerated in order to qualify
  for State of Michigan Jobs Today funding.
• Other funding partners include the CSX and CN
  Railroads, MDOT and MSU.

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Why MDOT?

• MDOT is managing the project because
• Qualified funding recipient
• Expertise in major road and bridge projects
• Administering federal money
• Railroad partnerships

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Ownership?

• MSU now owns Farm Lane from Mt. Hope Road north
  to Grand River Avenue.
• MSU will retain ownership of the road and bridges
  after project completion.

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Preparations made this year

• Summer 07 construction was heavy to prepare for
  The New Farm Lane impacts
• East / West Circle Drive
• Wilson Road Phase II
• Wilson / Red Cedar Intersection
• Crescent / Middlevale Roads Phase 3
• Chestnut Road
• Ingham County Hagadorn Bridge, Service /
  Hagadorn, Mount Hope / Farm Lane

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2008 Projects

• Wilson / Birch Steam Distribution and Road
  Reconstruction
• Crescent / Middlevale Roads Phase 4

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The New Farm Lane Bridge to the Future
Fly-Over
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The New Farm Lane Bridge to the Future

• Overview

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• The project will lower Farm Lane under the
  following railroad crossings
• Canadian National (CN) line just north of Service
  Road
• CSX line just north of the commuter lot (Lot 89)
  at the corner of Mt. Hope Road and Farm Lane

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CN RR
CSX RR
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• The project involves
• widening Farm Lane between Mt. Hope Road and
  Wilson Road
• adding bike paths and pedestrian sidewalks.
• shifting the road alignment to the west to avoid
  any impacts to the Baker Woodlot

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Wilson
Trowbridge
CN RR
Service Road
Harrison
Hagadorn
Farm Lane
Baker Woodlot
CSX RR
Lot 89
Mt. Hope
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• Eliminating the current at-grade railroad
  crossings on Farm Lane would increase safety for
  motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, as well as
  decrease response times for emergency vehicles.

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• More than 1 million rail cars travel through this
  region every year. This could result in delays of
  up to 30 minutes or more per crossing.

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• Lowering Farm Lane will improve access along this
  main north/south route through Michigan State
  University's campus.
• It will also enhance bus service to and from the
  commuter lot (Lot 89) as improved traffic flow
  allows buses to stay on schedule.

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• Other improvements include
• creation of new storm water detention basins
• watermain relocation
• drainage improvements, including building new
  pump houses
• landscaping
• the reconfiguration of the commuter lot (Lot 89)
• relocation of Incinerator Road, just north of the
  CSX tracks
• construction of two new service drives to be
  located just west of Farm Lane

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Lot 89
Service Rd
Farm Lane
CN RR
Baker Woodlot
CSX RR
Overall Concept
Pedestrian Walkway
Ornamental Trees
Stormwater Drainage
Evergreens
Shrubs
Farm Lane
Underpass
Perennials/Grasses
Farm Lane
Perennials/Grasses
Baker Woodlot
Bridge Abutment Landscape Detail
CN RR
Landscape Concept
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Landscape Concept Detail and Cross Section
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Commuter Lot Lot 89
Incinerator Road
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• The project is a joint partnership between
  Michigan Department of Transportation and
  Michigan State University.
• To minimize the disruption to motorists,
  commuters, and students, the project will be
  built in phases over two years.

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The New Farm Lane Bridge to the Future

• Phase 1
• October 2007-Early Spring 2008

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• During this first phase, there will be minimal
  traffic disruptions on Farm Lane and Service
  Road.
• Construction will begin first on two temporary
  shoo-flies for the CN and CSX railroads.
• Shoo-flies are temporary railroad tracks being
  built parallel to the existing tracks so train
  traffic is not disrupted while Farm Lane is under
  construction in 2008.

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CN
Shoo-flies
CSX
CN Bridge
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Shoo-flies
CSX Bridge
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• Two new storm water detention basins will be
  built near each of the railroad underpasses on
  Farm Lane.
• Also, watermain and utilities will be relocated
  and two new auxiliary drives will be built as
  part of this first phase.

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Stormwater Management
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The New Farm LaneBridge to the Future

• Phase 2
• Spring 2008-Summer 2009

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• The work in Phase 2 will include the two railroad
  structures, the realignment of Farm Lane,
  lowering of Service Drive to the west,
  installation of pump stations, and corridor
  aesthetics.
• In this phase Farm Lane, between Mt. Hope Road
  and Wilson Road, will be widened to five lanes.
  In addition, bike lanes and sidewalks will be
  added along Farm Lane.

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• Farm Lane will be closed to pedestrians and
  vehicles from Mt. Hope Road, north to Trowbridge
  Road starting in approximately mid-March.
• All vehicular traffic will be detoured utilizing
  signed, local detours.
• In addition, the intersection of Service Road and
  Farm Lane will be closed with a detour posted.

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• The intersection of Trowbridge Road and Farm Lane
  will remain open until approximately May 2008.
• At this time, Farm Lane, between Trowbridge Road
  and Wilson Road, will be closed for construction
  and will remain closed until the end of the
  project.

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• The commuter lot (Lot 89), on the corner of Mt.
  Hope Road and Farm Lane, will remain open during
  construction. However, vehicular and bus traffic
  will be rerouted while Farm Lane is under
  construction. Pedestrians will need to use CATA
  to access campus north of Mt. Hope.

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Late Night Demand Response

• Lot Link (700 p.m. 200 a.m. weekday 900
  a.m. 200 a.m. weekend)
• Night Owl (200 a.m. 700 a.m. weekday 200
  a.m. - 900 a.m. weekend)

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2007 Information Opportunities

• Construction Junction Construction, planning
  and Progress Meetings
• (Agenda will feature Farm Lane and other campus
  projects)
• 830 a.m. Psychology Building Room 118
• October 10
• November 14
• December 12

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On the web

• www.construction.msu.edu
• www.michigan.gov/farmlane
• www.cata.org