I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi

Minnesota Deparment of Transportation - Project Updates I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi May 13, 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. Road Bed on Approach Spans Poured Pouring Road Bed Crews have begun pouring concrete for the road beds of the approach spans on the south side of the river on the I-35W Bridge. Half of the northbound approach span was poured last Thursday and the first southbound half was poured Sunday afternoon. Crews anticipate pouring concrete for the remaining northbound road bed on the south approach span sometime this week. Construction Update Other work scheduled for the week includes: Construction of the pre-cast concrete segments in the casting yard. As of Monday, 94 of the necessary 120 segments have been built. Crews plan to build another nine this week. Moving Segment * Hauling the pre-cast segments from the casting yard to Bohemian Flats. Workers began hauling segments late last week, and will continue this week. As of Monday, 14 segments have been hauled. Throughout the week, crews expect to haul approximately 6 segments each day. Each of the segments weighs between 150 and 200 tons. Crews will periodically close 13th Avenue South from the casting yard entrance to West River Parkway as they transport pre-cast segments to the river. Hauling operations will take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., seven days a week for up to five weeks. The road will close for up to 10 minutes each time a segment is moved. * Pouring concrete for the bottoms and sides of the approach spans on the north side of the river. Area residents and motorists will experience traffic delays as well as some noise and light disruptions in the coming weeks. Potential Noise and Light Impacts Beginning as early as May 20, crews will begin demolishing the road bed on I-35W on the north end of the casting yard. This work will occur around the clock and could last as long as four weeks. Crews are working night shifts seven days a week on both sides of the river as well as in the casting yard. Lights and construction traffic may be noticeable between 5:30 p.m. and 4 a.m. Potential Traffic Impacts 13th Avenue South to be Closed During Hauling Operations - Hauling will run along 13th Avenue South and South Second Street to the river's edge on the south side of the construction site (using the entrance at 13th Avenue South and West River Parkway). Flaggers will be present while hauling is in progress, and traffic attendants will be posted at all driveways along the haul route. Truck Traffic - There will be increased construction traffic in the vicinity of the site. Some of the streets affected include: Second Street Southeast east to 11th Avenue Southeast; Second Street Southeast to Sixth Avenue Southeast, First Street South and 19th Avenue South, Bluff Street south to 13th Avenue South, Second Street South west to 11th Avenue South. Sidewalk/lane closures at Washington and University - The sidewalk on the north side of Washington Avenue may be closed between Seven Corners and 12th Avenue South while crews redo the curb cuts at the corners. Occasional lane closures may also be necessary during this phase of construction. Similar work will take place on University Avenue between Eighth and 10th avenues SE starting in mid-May. Street Closures Needed at 14th Avenue South and First Street South - To allow utility relocation and widening of I-35W northbound, 14th Avenue South and First Street South (near the Seven Corners Apartments) are temporarily closed. Street parking on Second Street South and 14th Avenue is restricted to allow two-way traffic along Second Street South from 19th Avenue to the closure. 10th Avenue Bike Lane Closed - The bike lane on the west side of the 10th Avenue Bridge will be closed until further notice from 11 a.m. until noon on Saturdays--when the weekly Sidewalk Talks are in progress--to ensure the safety of everyone using the bridge. The City of Minneapolis has posted signs noting the restriction at each end of the bridge. Bikes and pedestrians are urged to use the lane on the east side of the bridge between 11 a.m. and noon. 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.html Help Spread the Word Do you know someone who would appreciate the up-to-date news, first-look pictures and detailed information you get each week? Click on the "Forward email" link at the bottom of this message to pass on a copy of this week's update with an invitation to sign up. Getting a Closer Look Get up-to-the minute updates about progress on the bridge - Jon Chiglo, Mn/DOT Project Manager, will describe what you can expect as the project continues. He'll appear live at 6:10 a.m., Monday, May 19 on KSTP-TV, Channel 5. Try the touch-screen kiosk at the airport - A touch-screen kiosk that provides a variety of information about the bridge, including a photo gallery, a timetable and animations showing what the finished bridge will look like from a helicopter, a boat and a car is available at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. 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 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.gov or call the I-35W Bridge Hotline at (612) 236-6901.