This project included adding double tracking, to a stretch of track in the midpoint between the Lakeline and Leander stations; replacing the brakes with precast concrete box covers; installing retaining walls; and completing minor utility work.
Prior to the double tracking, it was just a single rail track in the area, causing the trains to have to run one at a time.
CapMetro completed the project in November and held a ribbon-cutting for the new track Jan. 25.
Now, the area will serve as a meeting point, and trains going in either direction can pass through.
The project was a part of an effort to run more trains for operational flexibility and improving headways, or the frequency of services, CapMetro Director of Capital Projects King Kaul said. These additional tracks will also be helpful for freight services, Kaul said.
The distance between Lakeline Station and Leander Station is about 10 miles, and the project area falls in the middle, starting from Park Street to Discovery Boulevard in Cedar Park. Work on this portion of the project began in October 2021.
The project cost approximately $8 million, and was funded by CapMetro.
Kaul said additional similar projects are in the pipeline along the Red Line. Construction is also underway on McKalla Station behind the Q2 Stadium, and construction on the Broadmoor Station will likely start in July.
