McKalla Station

McKalla Station serves as a key transportation hub in North Austin, providing seamless connectivity to the adjacent Q2 Stadium and supporting the district’s planned residential and commercial growth. Designed to accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, bus passengers, and rail riders, the station strengthens multimodal mobility for residents and visitors alike. 

Delivered under a design-build delivery model, the project achieved substantial completion ahead of schedule to coincide with the opening home match of Austin FC’s 2024 season. The station officially opened to the public on February 24, 2024. 

Need 

To address North Austin’s growing mobility demands and serve the rapidly developing area surrounding Q2 Stadium, CapMetro sought a new commuter rail station to integrate seamlessly with existing freight lines. The project provides essential infrastructure for expanding regional transit options while supporting Austin’s vision for sustainable, connected urban growth. 

Work 

Construction encompassed two primary passenger platforms, a special event platform, park-and-ride facilities, a bicycle station with a repair stand, bus accommodations, and pedestrian walkways with accessible ramp systems. 

Landscaped plazas merge hardscapes with the surrounding environment, while architectural features, including canopies, handrails, and lighting enhance safety and passenger comfort. 

Civil infrastructure included friction footings, columns, pilasters, ballast beds, storm drains, and cast-in-place and precast retaining walls. Track improvements incorporated signal upgrades, passenger crossings, and system testing. 

A shoofly track maintained active rail service during construction, enabling crews to complete complex work within tight operational windows under live rail conditions supported by watchman oversight. 

Innovations 

• - Reduced carbon emissions and increased concrete strength through the use of CarbonCure technology, which embeds recycled CO₂ into the concrete mix. 
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• - Avoided significant schedule delays by implementing a precast gravity wall system adapted from a prior Stacy Witbeck project, manufactured locally in Texas using imported forms.
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• - Accelerated critical rail connections with a state-of-the-art track welding truck, enabling work completion within condensed timelines.

Collaboration 

Project success relied on strong coordination among CapMetro, the design team, subcontractors, and operations personnel. The team synchronized rail, civil, and systems work to minimize community disruption and ensure continuous service. Specialized crews from multiple regions provided technical expertise for precast installation, track placement, and rail welding operations, maintaining schedule integrity throughout construction. 

Awards 

• 2024 Engineering News-Record (ENR) Best Projects Award of Merit 
• 2025 DBIA Design-Build/Project Team Award Finalist