What are they talking about? The ABC’s of KCSC

The terms listed below are a few of the equipment, materials, and techniques the KC Streetcar Constructors and our subcontractors are using to build the KC Streetcar Main Street Extension.

A

ADA Ramp - ADA, or Americans with Disability Act, prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities. Meaning, public walkways should be accessible for people with disabilities, specifically allowing for wheelchairs to easily and freely move. ADA ramps are at the corners of intersections to allow for wheelchairs to easily cross the street and access the sidewalk. 

Aggregate Base - Before pouring concrete, it is necessary to have an aggregate base which helps provide additional strength and allow less moisture to travel from the soil to the surface. Typically, aggregate base is composed of crushed stones. 

B

Backfill - A mixture of soil and rocks that are put back into a trench after excavation. Backfill helps to create a strong base and reduce the chance of anything shifting. 

Bore - Boring is the process of drilling underground, without a large trench, to install cables, pipes or conduits. Check out this video from Ditch Witch that shows more of the process.

C

Cure - Concrete has specified cure times, meaning a timeframe where temperatures and moisture conditions must be maintained long enough for the concrete to strengthen. If concrete isn’t properly cured, it will not be as durable as it could be. When there are cold temperatures or potential rain after concrete is poured, crews use blankets and heaters to protect the concrete and allow it time to cure.  

Conduit - A tube, similar to a PVC pipe, that is used to protect and route electrical wiring.

Crossover - A crossover is used to connect two parallel tracks and allow the streetcars to switch between them. A crossover exists on the current KC Streetcar alignment near Union Station where the streetcars move from the west side of Main Street to the east side of Main Street when switching from southbound to northbound. A crossover will be built at Westport Road to allow streetcars to turn around in case of an emergency. Another crossover will be built at UMKC to allow streetcars to turn around at the end of the line. 

D

Duct Bank - A duct bank is a series of conduits or pipes used to protect wiring running through them.

Demolish - To tear down a building, or in this project, to take apart the roadway safely and efficiently. 

E

Excavate - Excavating is the process of removing, or digging, the ground or roadway. 

F 

Flow Fill - Similar to sand, this is used to fill in gaps to achieve a compacted base. When there are items like vaults or conduits that create gaps, flow fill is an easy, simple way to fill them. 

Flagger - A flagger is a construction team member who helps direct traffic around a particular construction site. Flaggers are often used on Main Street when large equipment is needed in a construction zone. If the equipment needs to turn or move and may impact vehicles or pedestrians, the flagger will halt traffic to allow the operators to safely move the equipment. 

Forms - A barrier used to hold concrete in place when first pouring it. This allows concrete to cure without moving from the desired shape and location. On this project, wood planks are used as forms. 

G

Grade - When crews are grading, they are working to create a level base or a specific slope, depending on what the design calls for. This is important to do before anything else as this sets the foundation of all the work to come.

GSI - Green stormwater infrastructure or green infrastructure helps our community manage stormwater the way nature intended by capturing and utilizing rainwater where it falls. It decreases the amount of water getting into our pipes, improves water quality, and reduces flooding, pollution, and trash in our creeks, streams, and rivers. Learn more in our blog here. 

H

Hard Hat - Hard hats, and all PPE, are required for all people in an active construction site. PPE, or personal protection equipment, includes hard hats, safety vests, safety glasses, steel-toed boots and at times gloves. 

I

Infill - Material that fills or is used to fill a space. On this project, the infill refers to the space between the finished track slab and the existing roadway. 

J

Joints - Expansion joints are used to allow concrete to naturally expand without cracking. These joints are often used when concrete meets another structure, including another slab of concrete. 

K

K-rail - K-rail, also known as jersey barriers, are concrete barriers that project vehicular traffic from work zones. 

L

Level-boarding - A process that ensures streetcar platforms and streetcars are smoothly and easily accessible by bicycles, wheelchairs, strollers, and other wheeled devices. All streetcar stops on the Main Street Extension will have level-boarding in at least one area of the platform. The final inspection for level-boarding will take place during the testing phase. 

M

Mud - Crews often use the term mud as slang for concrete. 

Mandrel - A shaped bar used to ensure conduits are round and preserved. This is often done after conduit is installed to ensure nothing was damaged during installation and the form of the conduit is maintained. 

Mouse - A type of mandrel used for small conduits. Oftentimes this is used more as a cleaning device to ensure there is no debris in and around the conduits.

Manhole - An opening used to access underground utilities to allow inspection and maintenance. Many manholes have been relocated along Main Street to allow for tracks to be built.

MSE Wall - A MSE, or mechanically stabilized earth, retaining wall is a very strong, durable barrier utilizing layers of compacted backfill and soil reinforcement. 

O

OCS - Overhead Catenary System, or OCS, is a system that uses an overhead wire to power streetcars and other similar vehicles. Learn more about OCS in our blog here.

P

Pothole - Potholing is used to confirm the location of utility lines, along with water or sewer pipes. This is done by drilling a small, deep hole in the ground by using a blast of air or water to loosen the soil and break up any large materials.

PCCP - Portland Cement Concrete Pavement consists of cement, sand, aggregate (rocks) and water. It is a very durable, cost-effective type of concrete and it’s often used for pavement and sidewalks. 

Q

Quality Control - A system put in place to ensure all aspects of the project meet any standards and guidelines set out by project partners. The quality team is extremely important as it ensures crews are building all aspects of the project to the highest standards. 

R

Rail Boot - Provides a barrier between the rail and the surrounding roadway to reduce noise, provide electrical isolation, and absorb vibration which helps to minimize the chance for the surrounding roadway to crack. 

Rebar - A steel reinforcing rod in concrete. Rebar is used when building track to strengthen the concrete and help it better resist cracking and failure. 

Rebar Caps - A small steel-reinforced plastic piece that is placed on the end pieces of rebar that stick out. This important piece ensures the safety of crew members and the traveling public. 

S

Southern Terminus - The term Southern Terminus is used to describe the end point on the southern portion of the streetcar system. The new southern terminus will be the UMKC stop at 51st Street and Brookside Boulevard. 

SR1- A type of smooth finish for restoring the pavement on the streets when work is complete. 

Survey - Surveying is a key activity in construction. It is used to show where existing utilities exist underground and to show where crews will cut to demolish sidewalks or roadways. 

T

TPSS - Traction Power Substation, or TPSS, is an electrical substation that converts electricity from Evergy (or a public utility) to the appropriate voltage and frequency to power the streetcars. The TPSS is connected to the overhead wires to transfer the electricity to the streetcars. Learn more about TPSS in our blog here.

Track Slab - A type of track that is supported by concrete. Once the track has been built, crews are able to pour the concrete to finish the track slab. 

Turnout - This is the switch that allows the streetcar to go from one set of tracks to another. There are three crossover points on the Main Street Extension. A crossover connects the turnout on the northbound track to the turnout on the southbound track, allowing for the streetcars to fully change directions. 

U

Utility - The term utility refers to any organization providing the community with electricity, gas, water, or sewage. This is also used to describe an organization providing internet and communications infrastructure. 

V

Vault - A reinforced concrete structure to house and protect electrical equipment. 

VMF - Vehicle Maintenance Facility, or VMF, is also known as the Kite E. Singleton Maintenance Yard. This is where the streetcars are housed and receive any maintenance needed. The KC Streetcar Authority staff also works out of the offices located here. 

W 

Welding - Welding is the process of binding materials together with heat. Welding is a key activity used to combine the pieces of rail together before building the track. 

Y

Yard – Slang for construction yard. A construction yard is used to store equipment and supplies needed for the project. There are two construction yards for this project, one near 27th Street and Main Street and the other near UMKC. 

Z

Zone - A construction zone, or work zone, is the approved area in which work can be performed. A work zone is submitted with each permit request to the City and outlines where the road or sidewalk will be closed off.