September 9, 2008
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I-35W Bridge over the MississippiSeptember 8, 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.Work on the I-35W Bridge moves toward completion
The river marker monuments are in place on both sides of the river (the north monument is pictured above), and crews will continue to put the finishing touches on the Interstate 35W Bridge this week, in anticipation of opening it to traffic within the next few weeks.
Construction activities scheduled for the week of Sept. 8 will include:
- Applying the final coats of paint to the surface of the bridge
- Installing and testing Smart Bridge equipment, a high-tech sensor system that will monitor various aspects of the bridge for movement and weight
- Installing application disks for the anti-icing system, which will spray the bridge deck when weather sensors detect potential for ice to form
- Continuing to construct observation plazas surrounding the bases of the piers on both sides of the Mississippi River
- Continuing to restore the Army Corps of Engineers road and installing retaining walls near Pier 2
- Paving West River Parkway, as well as replacing the sidewalk and bike trail
- Paving and painting lane stripes on 14th Avenue and Second Street Southeast
- Landscaping areas including the south holding pond just north of Washington Avenue
- Continuing to construct median barriers along the mainline highway
- Testing the roadway and aesthetic lighting systems
Potential Noise, Traffic and Light Impacts
- Crews will be 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.
Planning Your Route to Downtown Minneapolis
If you are planning to drive to downtown Minneapolis, you can use the websites 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.
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.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.