Trail Repair, Construction and Closure Update-9/22/12

The Martin Olav Sabo bridge will close once again to all bicycle and pedestrian traffic on Monday, September 24th and is expected to remain closed until December, 2012.  This closure is needed to make final repairs by installing cables and retrofitted diaphragm plates on the bridge's pylon.  28th Street and Hiawatha Ave. will be the detour route for traffic until the repairs are completed. 

Keep informed of trail closures, detours and construction work by subscribing to the City of Minneapolis Bicycle and Pedestrian Update.  Visit http://www.minneapolismn.gov/bicycles/email-updates  and follow the instructions.

Image Credit: Dakota County

Paving of the Pine Bend Bluffs segment of the Mississippi River Regional Trail in Dakota County is scheduled to start  the week of September 21st through the 29th.  These are the tasks to be done during this time frame according to Dakota County:

MRRT – south Inver Grove Heights border to the northern boundary of the Pine Bend Bluffs Scenic and Natural Area

Schedule for September 21 – 29

• Paving the trail from 111^th Street to the north and from 117^th Street to the south.
• Minor grading and placing topsoil along the paved sections of the trail.
• Installing the sheet piling walls.

Schedules are subject to change due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

If you would like to get e-mail updates on this segment of the Mississippi River Regional Trail as they are posted send an e-mail to erin.borchert@co.dakota.mn.us with "Add me to the CP 97-98 (MRRT - Pine Bend) update list" in the subject line.

Repairs on the heavily flood damaged 14 mile section of the Willard Munger State Trail from Thomson to west Duluth could begin as soon as Monday, Sept. 24th according to the Minnesota DNR.  The MN DNR issued the following news release regarding this damaged section of trail:

First phase of repairs on flood-damaged Willard Munger State Trail could begin Sept. 24

(Released September 21, 2012)

Repairs are set to begin as soon as Monday, Sept. 24, on the Willard Munger State Trail, which was heavily damaged by flooding in June, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
The first phase of construction will focus on stabilizing slopes and preventing further erosion. The trail remains closed for 14 miles between west Duluth and Highway 210 in the city of Thomson until further notice. Although the trail has been closed since June, staff have observed bikers and in-line skaters using the trail anyway, ignoring DNR signs and fencing.
“There is heightened concern for public safety as heavy equipment and vehicle traffic increase in the area over the next few months,” said Martin Torgerson, DNR area supervisor. “We thank trail users for their continued patience and urge them to obey the trail closure signs.”
For the bikers and in-line skaters seeking places to enjoy fall colors, more than 50 paved miles of the Willard Munger State Trail remain open from the city of Thomson south to Hinckley. The six-mile paved Alex Laveau Memorial State Trail, which branches off from the Hinckley-Duluth segment of the Willard Munger State Trail at Carlton, also remains open.
Updates on construction and the status of the trail are available online, or by calling Moose Lake area office at 218-485-5410, or DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157, toll-free 888-646-6367 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.