To provide streamlined access to Q2 Stadium and prepare for future residential developments in the area, this $21.3-million transportation hub accommodates a diverse array of commuters, including pedestrians, rail riders, bus passengers and cyclists, all with dedicated infrastructure.

McKalla Station consists of two main platforms, a park-and-ride, a bike station with a repair stand, an event platform, a bus stop and pedestrian walkways.

The project features a shoofly gravity wall design that specified a pour-in-place retention wall to hold Track 1 along the south end of the station. However, there were not enough easements in place to support the schedule. Instead, the contractor proposed a precast gravity wall, which Stacy Witbeck had already used on a project in Seattle. The team coordinated with a precast company from Washington to ship molds to Texas, where wall panels were manufactured in time to maintain the schedule.

Photo by Giles Dalrymple

Crews also used carbon cure concrete, which involves injecting recycled carbon dioxide into concrete during the mixing process, which helped both reduce the project’s carbon footprint and increase its durability.

In a final design review, the city changed the storm drain design for easier maintenance access as well, which involved relocating the drain outside of the ramp footprint. The change required modifications to the foundation walls for both ramps and the storm drain itself, all of which was done without additional costs.

A state-of-the-art track welding truck that uses plasma gas to fuse rails together was another strategy that helped the team deliver the project within budget and ahead of schedule in February 2024.

The biggest safety challenge was working next to a live track, with trains often traveling through the work zone at speeds of up to 60 mph. With many subcontractors having little to no experience working in this environment, ensuring clear communication and planning was imperative. All employees and subcontractors were required to complete training for working near live rail. As a result, the team reported zero incidents or close calls during construction and zero recordable incidents and no lost-time accidents.