Construction to begin August 20 for Trail Improvements along West River Parkway/ James I Rice Parkway

City of Minneapolis sent this bulletin at 08/19/2014 12:00 PM CDT

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Minneapolis City of Lakes

Construction to begin August 20 for Trail Improvements along West River Parkway/ James I Rice Parkway

 

On Wednesday, August 20 trail construction will begin along the west bank of the Central Riverfront and Mississippi River Gorge. Just over three miles of trails are being reconstructed from Plymouth Avenue to Franklin Avenue, with completion is scheduled for July 2015.

 

Detours will be posted for trail users, who should expect the trails to be closed for the remainder of the 2014 construction season. The parkway will remain open for vehicle traffic except where the parkway is closed due to the June 19 mudslide (4th St. S. to Franklin Ave.).

 

Heavy equipment will begin removing trees Thursday, August 21 at the south end of the corridor and pavement removal will begin Monday, August 25.

 

Construction schedule updates will be posted Thursday mornings on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s (MPRB) West River/James I Rice Parkways Trail Improvement project web page. Email updates will also be sent to subscribers of the West River/James I Rice Parkways Trail Improvement email list. To sign up to receive updates on this or other projects, visit www.minneapolisparks.org and click on the red envelope in the upper right-hand corner.

 

Plans for the trails were developed by an appointed community advisory committee in the fall of 2013. The concept plans were approved by the MPRB Board of Commissioners on November 20, 2013. The riverfront trails are among the most heavily used in the region, receiving more than 1.6 million visits annually.

 

The MPRB has been awarded more than $1.7 million in federal funding for 3.5 miles of trail improvements along West River Parkway and James I Rice Parkway. These trails currently provide a continuous recreational and commuting connection along the west bank of the Mississippi from the Franklin Ave. bridge to the Plymouth Ave. bridge. Both parkways are part of the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byways. The bicycle and pedestrian trails, which run through the Central Riverfront of Minneapolis, have not been reconstructed since their original installation 25 years ago (James I Rice Parkway) and 38 years ago (West River Parkway).

For further information about this and future improvements, visit the West River Parkway and James I Rice Parkway project page.