SUCCESS UNDER FIRE--A DISCUSSION OF THE SEPTA-FRANKFORD ELEVATED RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT (FERP)

SEPTA's Frankford Elevated Reconstruction Project, involving replacement of the superstructure and track system will be complete this spring after eight years of construction. During this period the five mile long elevated transit system has operated on all but one rush hour, providing weekday commuter service to over 100,000 residents of Northeast Philadelphia. The old, deteriorated structure and ballasted track system have been replaced with new precast deck sections and direct fixation track supported on new steel stringers. Construction also has included renovations to five stations along the line, including upgrading to meet ADA standards. The paper discusses the overall project, and the methods used to manage, coordinate, and execute the work under these severe operating constraints. A discussion of the innovations in design, construction, and team management is also discussed. Some of these innovations include: the use of a low restraint direct fixation track system, the reuse of the existing columns and substructure, the precasting of both deck sections and track pedestals into single units, and staging to allow 400 feet of track and superstructure to be replaced each weekend. The teamwork and coordination between SEPTA, the CM, the Designer, and the Contractors has been a main ingredient to the success of the project. This teamwork also included significant involvement of the business community and the residents along the El. Some homes and businesses are close enough to the El that residents can lean out and touch the structure. This required great care to avoid damaging existing structures. At this point in the project, it is appropriate to consider the impact of doing construction in this manner on cost, schedule, and life in the community. SEPTA has managed to retain service for the daily commuters and students with little loss of ridership. Performing work at night and on weekends has had some positive impacts in productivity as well as on local business, without greatly impacting costs or the construction schedule.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  1201 New York Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC    20005
• Authors:
  • Allen, E C
• Conference:
  • Proceedings of the 1996 Rapid Transit Conference of the American Public Transit Association
  • Location: Atlanta, Georgia
  • Date: 1996-6-2 to 1996-6-6
• Publication Date: 1996

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 190-193

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Bridge superstructures; Commuter service; Commuters; Elevated structures; Night; Public transit; Railroad tracks; Reconstruction; Structural design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Track design
• Old TRIS Terms: Decks
• Subject Areas: Construction; Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00750096
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Volume 3
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 3 1998 12:00AM