Underground Station Design Issues for Light Rail Transit in the Twin Cities Geology

Abstract

This study is intended to identify and analyze selected design issues for underground transit stations in the Twin Cities geology. The first part of the study consists of six chapters in which key underground station design issues are discussed. The second part includes the development and analysis of conceptual designs for three potential underground station sites: downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota, and the airport. These designs reveal a number of issues related to specific sites and are intended to establish a range of options to be further evaluated by system planners. The report does not attempt to reproduce all station design provisions in the various applicable codes of practice, but does present many design suggestions culled from the authors' experience with underground building design and from the literature on transit station design and safety. A brief summary of highlights and conclusions, where applicable, follows for each chapter.