Weekly Construction Update

Construction Hotline

For urgent Southwest LRT construction issues, please call the 24-hour hotline at 612-373-3933 for assistance. Call the hotline for problems such as blocked access to business or residential areas, improper traffic sign placement or parking issues. For general questions or comments about Southwest LRT, contact your Community Outreach Coordinator.

For emergencies, always call 911.

Construction Activity Updates

The Met Council provides information on construction activities every Friday throughout construction. Subscribe to receive construction activity updates by email or text.

Southwest LRT Construction Update: June 18, 2021

Weekly Construction Photo: Shady Oak LRT Bridge Over Highway 212

Crews worked to set bridge beams during the Highway 212 closure. All the beams are now placed, and the Highway will reopen by 3:00 PM, today, Friday, June 18.

Eden Prairie

There are two Eden Prairie maps with each illustrating where construction crews are working today and approximately through June. General activities are highlighted for your convenience. Please refer to text descriptions in this section for more details on major elements being constructed in specific areas.

Construction Overview: At the SouthWest Station we are constructing a new park-and-ride ramp adjacent to the existing ramp and a combined bus and LRT station. Moving east, the Prairie Center Drive LRT Bridge extends from the SouthWest Station area over Technology Drive and Prairie Center Drive. Moving east, LRT will enter the Eden Prairie Town Center Station area.

Current activities to expect in this area:

The SouthWest station area remains a busy construction site with ongoing piling and concrete work.
Sidewalks near the intersection of Prairie Center Drive and Technology Drive remain closed, please follow signage to ensure your safety. See Eden Prairie detour information.
Work continues along Prairie Center Drive with crews completing roadwork, and sidewalk restoration. From Prairie Center Drive, from Technology Drive, to Singletree Lane continue to expect southbound lane closures into July.

LRT Bridge at I-494 to Shady Oak Road
Construction Overview: In this portion of Eden Prairie, an LRT bridge will cross over I-494, parallel to Flying Cloud Drive; this bridge is almost complete. Flying Cloud Drive is being reconstructed and LRT track installed. LRT will travel on bridges over Flying Cloud Drive and Nine Mile Creek. The Golden Triangle Station is being constructed as well as an LRT bridge over Shady Oak Road and Highway 212.

Current activities to expect in this area:

The I-494 off-ramp to Flying Cloud Drive has closed for the 2021 construction season. The I-494 on-ramp from Flying Cloud Drive is expected to remain closed through the summer. See Eden Prairie detour information.
Traffic is reduced to one lane in both directions on Flying Cloud Drive between Town Center Place to Valley View Road through summer. Intersections from Flying Cloud Drive to Technology Drive and Viking Drive will remain open, subject to intermittent, short-term lane reductions. Left turns in and out of Technology Drive at the Flying Cloud Drive intersection are prohibited through the summer.
The on-ramp to eastbound Highway 212 from Shady Oak Road remains closed for construction staging, reopening in late June. The westbound Highway 212 off-ramp to Shady Oak Bridge will remain closed into the Fall.
Crews are advancing the southern portion of the Highway 62 LRT tunnel and area retaining walls. Anticipate noise and vibration associated with installation of piling and sheeting between Highway 62 and southbound Highway 212.

Minnetonka

This Minnetonka map illustrates where construction crews are working today and approximately through April. General activities are highlighted for your convenience. Please refer to text descriptions in this section for more details on major elements being constructed in specific areas.

City West Station in Eden Prairie to Shady Oak Station in Hopkins
Construction Overview: The City West Station area continues with preparation work for retaining walls. Major elements in this segment include an LRT tunnel under Highway 62, the Opus Station, many large retaining walls, the Smetana/Feltl roadway bridges over LRT and the Hopkins/Minnetonka LRT Bridge ending at the Shady Oak Road Station.

Current activities to expect in this area:

The westbound lane on Green Circle Drive near the intersection with Bren Road West is closed through the 2021 construction season to complete work in the LRT corridor.
Smetana Road from Feltl Road to Nolan Drive remains closed until late summer. A bypass is in place east of the intersection of Smetana and Feltl roads to accommodate local traffic. See Minnetonka detour maps here.
Crews continue to work on the Minnetonka-Hopkins LRT bridge. Expect noise from piling as bridge piers are constructed.

Hopkins

This Hopkins map illustrates where construction crews are working today and approximately through April. General activities are highlighted for your convenience. Please refer to text descriptions in this section for more details on major elements being constructed in specific areas.

Construction Overview: There are three stations in Hopkins: Shady Oak Road, Downtown Hopkins and Blake Road. Major structures in Hopkins include an LRT bridge over Excelsior and a regional trail underpass at Blake Road. In addition to LRT track construction there is also freight rail and regional trail work in the area. There are multiple LRT and freight railroad crossings at roadways.

Current activities to expect in this area:

Jackson Avenue at Excelsior Boulevard will be closed to through traffic as early as June 22. This closure is anticipated to last approximately a week; during the closure, traffic travelling southbound on Jackson Avenue will not be able to access eastbound Excelsior Boulevard. See detour map.

Westbound Excelsior Boulevard is closed at Jackson Avenue. Traffic will remain detoured while crews advance the construction of the cantilevered LRT bridge over Excelsior Boulevard. See detour map.
The construction of the regional trail underpass at Blake Road North is underway. Blake Road traffic has been reduced to one northbound lane between Excelsior Boulevard and 2^nd Street N.E. while southbound Blake Road traffic is detoured at 2^nd Street N.E. See detour map.

St. Louis Park

This St. Louis Park map illustrates where construction crews are working today and approximately through April. General activities are highlighted for your convenience. Please refer to text descriptions in this section for more details on major elements being constructed in specific areas.

Louisiana Avenue to Beltline Boulevard
Construction Overview: Like in Hopkins, the project includes the construction of LRT track, freight rail track, and the regional trail. There are also three stations in St. Louis Park: Louisiana Avenue, Wooddale Avenue and Beltline Boulevard. Structures in this area include LRT and freight rail bridges over Louisiana Avenue, a connection between freight lines, a pedestrian/trail underpass east of Louisiana Avenue, freight, LRT and trail bridges over Minnehaha Creek, a regional trail underpass at Wooddale Avenue, freight, LRT and trail bridges over Highway 100 and a regional trail bridge crossing over Beltline Boulevard.

Current activities to expect in this area:

Expect lane closures through early summer along Louisiana Avenue between West Lake Street and Oxford Street while crews advance bridge construction. Sheet piling is expected.
Crews continue earthwork at the Louisiana Avenue Station area. Expect ongoing hauling activities along Oxford Street between Louisiana Avenue and Edgewood Avenue. Currently crews are working on soil compaction, which can have some noticeable vibration.
Sheet piling is ongoing for most of June to construct retaining walls east of Beltline Boulevard.

Minneapolis

There are five Minneapolis maps with each illustrating where construction crews are working today and approximately through April. General activities are highlighted for your convenience. Please refer to text descriptions in this section for more details on major elements being constructed in specific areas.

Chowen Avenue to Cedar Lake Parkway
Construction Overview: In addition to the West Lake Street Station, crews will be reconstructing the Chowen/Abbott roadway connection. The LRT tunnel is being constructed in this area, running between the West Lake Street Station and the Cedar Lake Channel. To complete work in this area there is also freight rail infrastructure and trail facilities.

Current activities to expect in this area:

Private development work is occurring next to Southwest LRT construction along Abbott and Chowen Avenues. The private developer is piling in the area through the summer. They are also conducting utility work along Abbott and Chowen Avenues and have closed the roadway. The closure will then transition to accommodate Southwest LRT construction activities. Trail access in this area remains open through this area.
Construction activities including excavation and concrete work for the West Lake Street Station are ongoing.
Excavation activities, which also includes power washing the sheets and grouting, continue for the Kenilworth LRT Tunnel, progressing in the direction of Cedar Lake Parkway. Pumps will operate intermittently to keep tunnel cells clear of water. The pumps do not generate significant noise.
As part of tunnel excavation work, divers continue to inspect the excavation below the water line during the extended hours of 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM on weekdays.
The Southwest LRT Project is preparing to use segments of Sunset Boulevard, Depot Street, France Avenue and Cedar Lake Parkway in Minneapolis as an additional haul route for the construction of the Kenilworth LRT Tunnel. We anticipate that crews will begin to use this haul route later in July.

Cedar Lake Parkway to Burnham Road
Construction Overview: The LRT tunnel continues in this segment. Other elements include the construction of retaining walls (complete), and freight, LRT and trail bridges over the Cedar Lake Channel.

Current activities to expect in this area:

Construction of the LRT bridge at the Cedar Lake Channel continues with concrete and deck work throughout the summer.
The main construction haul route is being shifted to accommodate utility work, which requires a detour of the North Cedar Lake Trail for about two weeks starting in June. See detour map.

Burnham Road to Bryn Mawr Station
Construction Overview: In addition to the LRT, freight rail and trail construction, this area has two stations: West 21^st Street and Bryn Mawr. The Bryn Mawr Station includes a pedestrian bridge that will extend over the freight tracks from the bluffs to the station platform.

Current activities to expect in this area:

Truck traffic and noise from moving materials to and from laydown areas.
Work on the 21st Street Station is ongoing. The West 21st Street Station will be under construction throughout 2021.

Bryn Mawr Station to Bassett Creek Valley Station Area
Construction Overview: There are two stations serving residents in this area; Bryn Mawr Station and the Bassett Creek Valley Station. In addition, area construction includes LRT track, trails and the corridor protection wall.

Current activities to expect in this area:

The main construction haul route is being shifted to accommodate utility work, which requires a detour of the North Cedar Lake Trail for about two weeks starting in June. See detour map.
Pile driving continues near Van White Boulevard for the new Luce Line Trail bridge. The old bridge that connects the Luce Line Regional Trail between Bryn Mawr Meadows Park and the Cedar Lake Regional Trail is scheduled to be demolished in late July or August. More details to follow.

Glenwood Avenue to Target Field Station
Construction Overview: LRT will cross a new Glenwood Avenue bridge at the roadway grade. To make that happen three bridges need to be constructed, freight rail shifted, and extensive retaining walls built. This area will see the development of the Royalston Avenue/Farmer’s Market Station, an LRT bridge crossing over North 5^th Avenue and North 7^th Street and LRT connecting to the Target Field Station. The Holden/Royalston/Border roadway loop will also be reconstructed with improvements.

Current activities to expect in this area:

Construction activities to advance the LRT bridge at Glenwood Avenue continues. High-vibration sheeting installation and pile-driving will be ongoing in this area for most of the summer. Glenwood Avenue between Lyndale Avenue North and North 12^th Street remains closed. See detour map.
Crews continue to build corridor a protection wall between Glenwood Avenue and I-94.

Regional Trails

Opus Area in Minnetonka

Various trails within the Opus area are closed as crews work to advance many project elements.

Minnesota River Bluffs Regional Trail

The Minnesota River Bluffs Regional Trail in Hopkins is closed between Shady Oak Road and 5^th Avenue South. See detour map here.
The section between Shady Oak Road and 11th Avenue South is closed due to storm sewer construction activities. This portion of the trail is closed until 2022.
The section between 11th Avenue South and 5th Avenue South is closed until 2022.

South Cedar Lake LRT Trail
The South Cedar Lake Trail from just east of the North Cedar Lake Trail connection in Hopkins to France Avenue in St. Louis Park is closed until 2022. The South Cedar Lake Trail will remain open between France Avenue in St. Louis Park and Kenilworth Trail/Midtown Greenway intersection in Minneapolis. The Midtown Greenway will remain open. Currently, cross streets remain open to automobiles, bikers and pedestrians. See detour maps here.

Kenilworth Trail Closure
The Kenilworth Trail is closed in Minneapolis at the intersection with the Midtown Greenway to just south of West 21^st Street. We are currently assessing the tunnel schedule which impacts the opening of this trail segment and we will provide an update when the schedule is known. Access for automobiles, bikers and pedestrians remains open at Cedar Lake Parkway and at West 21^st Street. See detour map here.

North Cedar Lake Trail in Minneapolis
The North Cedar Lake Trail in Minneapolis from Linden Yards located west of Van White Boulevard to east of Royalston Avenue is now anticipated to be closed until 2022. See detour maps here.

Please note, construction vehicles cross the trail as they enter and exit staging areas. Construction vehicles yield to trail users but please be aware that you may encounter construction traffic in this area.