Minneapolis Construction Update August 11 - 17 , 2012

A weeklong closure of the Washington Avenue Bridge is needed to expedite the track installation and avoid frequent night and weekend closures after classes begin. When Washington Avenue Bridge reopens on August 27, the ramp from northbound I-35W to the East Bank will also open. For full details on the closure of Washington Avenue Bridge including detour routes, see below.

Construction Highlights for the Week of August 11 - 17

• Washington Avenue Bridge closes for one week beginning on Monday, Aug. 20. Details on detour and bus routes to plan ahead below.
• Northbound East River Parkway reopens at the end of the week; southbound East River Parkway will reopen in late August. -NEW
• South sidewalk of Washington Mall closed from Church Street to Molecular and Cellular Biology building starting mid-to-late week for approximately two weeks; use north sidewalk. See below for building access details. -NEW
• Sidewalk and driveway work on Washington Avenue between Ontario Street and Huron Boulevard requires closures and detours. For details on dates and detours see below.
• Bedford Street closes at south side of University Avenue at the end of the week and will remain closed for approximately eight weeks. For details on detours see below. -NEW
• South side of the Malcolm Avenue and University Avenue intersection reopens at the end of the week. -NEW
  

Other Road Construction in the Minneapolis Area

I-35W and Washington Avenue Interchange Area - No Change 

• Ramp from northbound I-35W to  University of Minnesota East Bank reopens Aug. 27. -NEW
• Hiawatha Bicycle Path between West Bank and downtown Minneapolis over I-35W detoured through 2013 Web Link (pdf)  

West Bank Area- No Change  

• Westbound traffic from East Bank to downtown continues to turn right on northeast Cedar Avenue Ramp and through to the northwest Cedar Avenue Ramp to access Third Street.
  

• No closures/detours.

Week Long Closure of Washington Avenue Bridge

• Westbound Detour: Fourth Street to southbound I-35W. -NEW
• Eastbound Detour: Northbound I-35W, to University Avenue/Fourth Street exit, to eastbound University Avenue. -NEW

• No change; pedestrian deck on Washington Avenue Bridge will remain open during lower deck closure. -NEW

• Westbound buses:  Bus stop for Metro Transit and University of Minnesota Campus Connectors/Campus Circulators at Willey Hall will be closed; use stop located on the corner of 19th Avenue and Old Washington Avenue. -NEW
• Eastbound buses: Metro Transit bus stop at Blegen Hall will be closed; use stop located on the corner of 19th Avenue and Old Washington Avenue. -NEW

• Construction activities will occur during daytime and nighttime hours. -NEW
  

East Bank– Mississippi River to West of Harvard Street

• East River Parkway under the Washington Avenue Bridge closed. Access to buildings and parking ramp maintained; bicycles must follow signed vehicle detour. Northbound East River Parkway reopens at the end of the week, southbound East River Parkway reopens in late August. -NEW

• Pedestrian paths on both sides of East River Parkway closed under the Washington Avenue Bridge; use alternate route. East sidewalk reopens at the end of the week. -NEW
• North sidewalk of Washington Mall closed from Pleasant Street to Church Street; use sidewalk on the north side of Ford Hall.
• South sidewalk of Washington Mall closed from Church Street to Molecular and Cellular Biology building starting mid-to-late week for approximately two weeks; use north sidewalk. Access maintained to Molecular and Cellular Biology, Moos Tower, and Weaver-Densford Hall via the north/south Union Street crossing. -NEW
• West sidewalk of Union Street closed from Keller Hall plaza to Washington Mall; detour via east sidewalk or through the plaza area.
• Crosswalks at Union Street and Washington Avenue intersection closed; temporary crosswalks added north and east of intersection on Union Street.
• South sidewalk of Washington Avenue between Union Street and Harvard Street closed; use north sidewalk.
• South sidewalk of Washington Avenue between Pleasant Street and Church Street closed.
• Washington Avenue north/south crossings at Church Street closed; use pedestrian bridges near Coffman Memorial Union. ADA access available via west pedestrian bridge.
  

Stadium Village- Harvard Street to Huron Boulevard 

• Intersection of Harvard Street and Washington Avenue reopened.
• Washington Avenue driveways for Stadium Village Plaza and Burger King drive-thru closed August 11th-13th; see below for details. -NEW
• Washington Avenue closed between Oak Street and Huron Boulevard through mid-September. Access to the Valu Liquor parking lot is available from University Avenue through the Burger King parking lot, to Washington Avenue. During the Washington Avenue driveway closure for University Park Plaza from August 11th -13th, access to the Valu Liquor parking lot will be available from the north side of Ontario Street. See below for details.  -NEW
• Ontario Street closed at Washington Avenue until the start of fall semester.
  

• South sidewalk closures on Washington Avenue between Ontario Street and Huron Boulevard begins on Tuesday; use north sidewalk. See below for details. -NEW
• All crosswalks at intersection of Washington Avenue and Harvard Street reopened.
• East and west crosswalk at intersection of Washington Avenue and Ontario Street closed. North and south crosswalks pushed back from the intersection about 20 feet.
• Eastbound bus stop at Ontario Street and University Avenue closed for approximately two weeks; bus stop relocated to the southwest corner of Oak Street and University Avenue.

Three Day Closure of Washington Avenue Driveways for Stadium Village Plaza

• Access to and from Stadium Village Plaza remains available from University Avenue.
• The Burger King drive-thru will also be closed; customers may park and enter Burger King from the parking lot doorway. -NEW
• Access to Valu Liquor parking lot  via University Avenue, to Ontario Street, to Washington Avenue. -NEW

• No change to pedestrian access; sidewalks maintained.
  

Washington Avenue South Sidewalk Closures: Ontario Street to Huron Boulevard

Sidewalk Closure Details    Tuesday, Aug. 14 - Wednesday, Aug. 15 South sidewalk between Ontario Street and mid-block (Dinnaken doorway) will be closed from 7 a.m. Tuesday through the end of the day on Wednesday. -NEW Access to Dinnaken will be available from the back entrance off of Ontario Street or Huron Boulevard. -NEW Pedestrian detour around closure available via north sidewalk by crossing at Oak Street and the mid-block crossing  between Ontario Street and Huron Boulevard. -NEW

Sidewalk Detour Details Thursday, Aug. 16 - Friday, Aug. 17 South sidewalk from mid-block to Huron Boulevard will be detoured from Thursday through Friday. -NEW Access to front door of Dinnaken on      Washington Avenue will be maintained. Pedestrians will be detoured around the sidewalk construction on a marked path just outside the sidewalk construction area. -NEW

Stadium Village- University Avenue, Huron Boulevard and 23rd Avenue- No Change

• South side of the University of Minnesota Transitway and 25th Avenue intersection closed for approximately two weeks;detour via University Avenue, to 23rd Avenue, to Sixth Street. Access to the Minnesota Parking Lot is maintained;Transitway remains open.
• Single lane of traffic in each direction on University Avenue between Ontario Street and 25th Avenue in place for approximately two weeks.
• Washington Avenue from Huron Boulevard to University Avenue closed through August.  Access Arby’s parking lot and drive-thru via Huron Boulevard. Access CSL Plasma via driveway on Huron Boulevard and driveway on University Avenue. 
• Huron Boulevard from just north of Delaware Street to University Avenue closed through August.

• South and east crosswalks closed at intersection of University Avenue and Huron Boulevard/23rd; use north or west crosswalks.
• South sidewalk of University Avenue between Huron Boulevard and Washington Avenue closed; use north sidewalk on University Avenue or south sidewalk on Washington Avenue.
• East sidewalk on Huron Boulevard between University Avenue and Washington Avenue closed; use west sidewalk.
• North, east, and west crosswalk at intersection of Huron Boulevard and Washington Avenue closed; use south crosswalk located approximately 30 feet to the south of the intersection or use temporary mid-block crossing between Ontario Street and Huron Boulevard.
• North sidewalk of Washington Avenue closed between Huron Boulevard and University Avenue; use south sidewalk.

Prospect Park- 29th Avenue to Emerald Street 

• South side of the Bedford Street and University Avenue intersection closes at the end of the week for approximately eight weeks. Bedford Street will not close until the south side of the Malcolm Avenue and University Avenue intersection reopens. See page 9 for more details. -NEW
• Access to University Park Plaza at 2829 University available from westbound University Avenue to 29th Avenue; 29th is open only to local access to/from the parking lots at 2829 University.
• 29th Avenue closed at 4th Street; access to businesses and parking lots maintained.  Access parking lots and businesses on the west side of 29th Avenue from the west via 27th Avenue to Fourth Street.  Access parking lots and businesses on the east side of 29th Avenue from the east via Malcolm Avenue to Fourth Street.
• South side of the Malcolm Avenue and University Avenue intersection closed through the end of the week; detour via Bedford Street to Orlin Avenue. -NEW
• All traffic shifted to the north side of University Avenue between St. Mary’s Avenue and Berry Street; two way traffic maintained and access to businesses maintained.
• Arthur Avenue closed to thru traffic to/from University Avenue; detour via Malcolm Avenue to Sidney Place.
• Clarence Avenue closed to thru traffic to/from University Avenue; detour via Bedford Street to Clarence Avenue.
  

• West crosswalk at the Malcolm Avenue and University Avenue intersection closed; use the east crosswalk. East crosswalk is shifted around the perimeter of the construction zone. 
   
  
  

Bedford Street Closure South of University Avenue SE

• Bedford Street closed to traffic to/from University Avenue; detour via Malcolm Avenue to Orlin Avenue, or via Eustis Street to Franklin, or via Curfew Street to Franklin Avenue. - NEW
• Access to businesses and residences will be maintained; this closure does not block any driveways.

• Pedestrian paths will be maintained though the location may shift by several feet to allow for construction activities.

• The eastbound bus stop on University and Bedford Street will close; use bus stops at Malcolm Avenue or near Berry Street. - NEW
  

Please don't go around barriers into construction zones. Schedules are subject to change due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances! Check www.centralcorridor.org frequently for updates. 

Construction Activity Look Ahead

• Washington Avenue Bridge closed Aug. 20 - 27. - NEW
• Ramp from northbound I-35W to East Bank reopens on Aug. 27. - NEW
• Sidewalk reconstruction on Washington Avenue between Oak Street and Ontario Street begins. - NEW
• Southbound East River Parkway reopens in late-August. -NEW
• Ontario Street and Washington Avenue intersection reopens in late-August. - NEW
• Huron Boulevard and Washington Avenue intersection reopens in late-August. - NEW
  

Upcoming Public Meetings:  Construction Information Meeting

Construction Area                  Construction Hours

Utility Company Contacts

Questions, Comments, or Concerns?

• Do not bring questions or concerns to crews in the construction field. Crews work on specific tasks and will not know details on schedule and the most current information on plans and priorities. Call the construction hotline to leave a message and you will receive a call back to answer your question or learn more about the concern. All concerns and questions need to be received at the project management level to ensure issues are addressed.
• Sign up to receive construction updates via email!  Visit www.centralcorridor.org and enter your email address in the yellow box on the upper right corner of the page.

About the project: