Minneapolis tackles nearly 70 miles of City streets during 2012 construction season
The 2012 street construction season is drawing to a close and as a result Minneapolis has nearly 70 miles of city streets reconstructed, resurfaced or seal coated. This year’s street projects include those funded through the acceleration program: a five-year initiative that’s helped the City keep up with the regular wear and tear on our roadways.
The Minneapolis Public Works 2012 street construction season, by the numbers:
0.94 miles of streets reconstructed (up 14 percent from 2011)
35.37 miles of streets and parkways resurfaced 25.83 (up 32 percent from 2011)
31.5 miles of roadways and alleys seal coated (up 68 percent from 2011)
67.81 miles of improved driving surfaces
Some of this year’s projects:
- Riverside Avenue reconstruction – Crews have completed the street paving for this two-year reconstruction project. Streetscapes and other enhancements will still need to be done next spring, but the driving surface is finished and ready for drivers.
- Nicollet Avenue South reconstruction – The street is now reconstructed Lake Street to 36th Street. Next year, crews will reconstruct Nicollet from 36th Street to 40th Street.
- Acceleration program – This was the fourth year of the 5-year, $22.6 million acceleration program, which supplements the City’s existing infrastructure plan and supports street paving as well as signal and lighting repairs. Around 21 miles of streets were seal coated or resurfaced in 2012 as part of the program.
- Neighborhood street paving – Three sections of the city had neighborhood streets resurfaced this season: Armatage, Linden Hills and Near North.
- Plymouth Avenue Bridge – Repairs to this river crossing advanced to the point where the bridge could open to traffic. More work will be needed next construction season, but the bridge will remain open to traffic while the project is finished.
For more information about Minneapolis’ 2012 construction projects visit www.minneapolismn.gov/public-works.
Published Nov. 13, 2012