August 4, 2008
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I-35W Bridge over the MississippiAugust 4, 2008Greetings! If you have questions, please do not reply directly to this email. Contact
Amy Barrett, Public Information Officer, at (612) 236-6901 or via e-mail at abarrett@flatironcorp.com.Bridge is nearly 90 percent done
Some 300 days after work on the new I-35W Bridge began, the project is nearly 90 percent complete, reports Project Manager Peter Sanderson. Of the estimated 670,000 hours needed to complete the bridge, fewer than 90,000 hours of work remain, including administrative work that will continue after the bridge opens to traffic. The bridge is on track to open between mid-September and mid-October.
During the weekend, crews finished paving all eight lanes of the highway leading to and from the bridge on both sides of the river. (The photo above shows the recently paved highway on the north side of the project, near University Avenue.) Paving activities this week will include shoulders, ramps, curbs and gutters along the mainline highway. Crews will also be pouring concrete for the bridge deck of Span 4 and the “sandbox” area (between Abutment 5 and Second Street Southeast as pictured below) on the north side of the river.
Construction Update
Other construction activities scheduled for the week of Aug. 4 include:- Installing signal poles and fencing near the northbound ramp at Washington Avenue.
- Excavating a holding pond on the south side of the river.
- Seeding and sodding the holding pond on the north side of the river.
- Installing lighting and anti-icing equipment along the highway on both sides of the river.
- Beginning restoration of West River Parkway.
- Continuing to construct barrier rails and curbs on the sides of the main span bridge (as shown below).
Potential Noise,Traffic and Light Impacts
As the project progresses, residents and commuters may encounter activities that will affect traffic and may cause noise or light disruptions, including:- Once the freeway concrete has set, crews will cut expansion joints in the concrete and sandblast the surface at night, creating intermittent noise.
- Construction traffic will continue in the vicinity of the site. Some of the streets affected include Second Street Southeast (between 11th Avenue Southeast and Sixth Avenue Southeast), First Street South, Second Street South (between 13th Avenue South and 11th Avenue South), 19th Avenue South and Bluff Street.
- Crews are working night shifts seven days a week on both sides of the river. Lights and construction traffic may be noticeable around the clock.
Work also continues this week on a separate Mn/DOT concrete rehab project near the bridge project. The northbound exit ramp from I-35W to Washington Avenue will be closed. Traffic will be detoured to the west over the Third Street Bridge and then routed to Washington Avenue. Work should be complete this week.
Planning Your Route to Downtown MinneapolisIf you are planning to drive to downtown Minneapolis, you can use the links below to plan your route:
City of Minneapolis Route Planner http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/traffic/routeplannerintro.aspMinnesota Department of TransportationGetting a Closer Look
Visit the website - The website offers up-to-date information, presentations, graphics, photos and animations, as well as interesting features on workers on the project. You can access the website at www.mndot.gov.Access the webcams - One provides a panoramic view of the entire construction site, looking east from a rooftop on the north side of the Mississippi River. The other camera is mounted on a light pole on the 10th Avenue Bridge and will provide periodic close-ups of construction activities. To see the webcam views, visit the project website at www.mndot.gov.Attend a Sidewalk Superintendent Talk - These weekly events provide an opportunity to accompany project representatives on a walk across the 10th Avenue Bridge, where you can see the construction workers in action and ask questions about the project. If you’d like to participate, meet in the parking lot in front of the former Grandma’s restaurant at 19th and Washington avenues by 11 a.m. on any Saturday.Take a self-guided tour - Signs describing the design/build process are mounted along the 10th Avenue Bridge.Call the hotline - If you have any questions about the project, please call the hotline at (612) 236-6901 between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. Messages left after 8 p.m. will be returned first thing the morning of the next business day.Request a presentation - Representatives of Mn/DOT and Flatiron-Manson are willing and eager to provide project updates to neighborhood associations, business associations and other groups. To arrange a presentation, please call the hotline, (612) 236-6901.Other than viewing what’s happening from the 10th Avenue Bridge, the public is asked to stay away from the bridge construction area for safety reasons.The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) and the Flatiron-Manson construction team intend to build a high quality and safe bridge while minimizing disruptions to the surrounding neighborhoods.We will continue to distribute updates weekly and welcome your comments on how to improve the communication process between the project team and the community.For more information on the I-35W project visit www.mndot.govor call the I-35W Bridge Hotline at (612) 236-6901.
