August 26, 2008
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I-35W Bridge over the MississippiAugust 26, 2008
Greetings! 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.Construction of observation plazas begins this week
Crews working on the new Interstate 35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge will begin building the riverside observation plazas this week. The plazas (see rendering above) will surround Piers 2 and 3 on both sides of the Mississippi, providing an excellent close-up view of the river and the 70-foot piers supporting the bridge. Walking paths will provide access to these areas when the bridge opens.
Other construction activities scheduled for the week of Aug. 25 include:
- Continuing to build the median barriers and install fencing along the mainline highway.
- Continuing to pave the “sandbox” area (between the north abutment and Second Street Southeast) on the north side of the river.
- Continuing restoration work on West River Parkway.
Installation and testing of traffic signals, lighting, and the anti-icing system will also continue this week, as will additional sign installation and landscaping.
The bridge remains on track to open between mid-September and mid-October. An exact date for the bridge opening will be announced soon.Visit the Mn/DOT booth at the State Fair
Stop by the Mn/DOT booth at the Minnesota State Fair to find out more about the I-35W Bridge and other Mn/DOT projects. The Mn/DOT booth is located in the Education Building, which is on the east side of the Fairgrounds. It is a block north on Cosgrove from the Dan Patch and Snelling Avenue entrance to the Fairgrounds.Potential Noise, Traffic and Light Impacts
- Crews are working night shifts seven days a week on both sides of the river. Lights, construction traffic and noise may be noticeable around the clock.
- 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.
- Due to large crowds attending the Sidewalk Superintendent Talks, the bike lane on the west side of the 10th Avenue Bridge will be closed from 11 a.m. until noon on Saturdays until further notice in an effort to ensure the safety of everyone using the bridge. Signs are posted at each end of the bridge noting the restriction. Bikes and pedestrians should use the east side of the bridge between 11 a.m. and noon on Saturdays.
Planning Your Route to Downtown Minneapolis
If 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.asp
Minnesota Department of Transportation
http://projects.dot.state.mn.us/35wbridge/traffic.htmlGetting a Closer Look
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.For more information about the project: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 webcam - The webcam provides a panoramic view of the entire construction site, looking east from a rooftop on the north side of the Mississippi River. To see the webcam view, 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.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.gov or call the I-35W Bridge Hotline at (612) 236-6901.