Construction Safety: Stay alert. Stay safe.
With changing conditions to trails, roadways and sidewalks due to construction activities, safety is a priority during construction and we want you to stay safe. Barricades and fencing will be erected around LRT construction sites to indicate construction areas and should be avoided even when workers are not present. Trespassing into a construction site puts you as well as construction workers at risk. Tips for staying safe:
- Construction sites typically have materials, equipment that can cause injury to those that are not professionally trained.
- Construction sites have unstable ground, holes and construction materials that could cause injury to untrained personnel.
- Stay away from construction vehicles; they have blind spots that make it difficult for operators to see people standing and walking near them.
- Distracting operators can interfere with the safe operation of construction equipment.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Stay alert. Stay safe.
Rail Delivery: As early as Monday, May 13 – Tuesday, May 14
On May 13 and 14 from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM regular freight rail trains will not be running because a special train will deliver and unload new rail. Approximately 54 new rail segments, each roughly 1,600 feet long, will be unloaded and placed adjacent to the existing freight rail track between TH 100 and Beltline Blvd in St. Louis Park. The rail delivery train will be moving very slowly and repeatedly stopping and reversing throughout the delivery process. Signal technicians will be placed at intersection crossings to engage the rail crossing signals to allow traffic to cross the tracks. Please note, these times and dates are subject to change.
Trail Closures: As early as Monday, May 13
The Cedar Lake Trail and Kenilworth Trail close on Monday May 13 and will be closed for two to three years. Detour signage will notify trail users of alternative routes which have been designed in coordination with members of the biking community and project partners. Details:
- Cedar Lake Trail: Closed through Hopkins and St. Louis Park until Fall 2021
- The portion of the Cedar Lake Trail that is closing starts just east of the North Cedar Lake Trail connection in Hopkins to France Ave in St. Louis Park.
- At this time, automobiles, bikes and pedestrians will continue to cross at Jackson St, Blake Road, Louisiana Ave, Wooddale Ave, TH-100 and Beltline Blvd.
- Cedar Lake Trail will remain open between France Ave in St. Louis Park and Kenilworth Trail/Midtown Greenway intersection in Minneapolis. The Midtown Greenway will remain open.
- Kenilworth Trail: Closed in Minneapolis until Summer 2022
- The portion of the Kenilworth Trail that is closing starts at the intersection with the Midtown Greenway and extends northeast to just south of W 21st St.
- At this time, automobiles, bikes and pedestrians will continue to cross at Cedar Lake Parkway and at W 21st St.
- Kenilworth Trail access will remain open between W 21st St and the North Cedar Lake Trail, even though construction activities may commence in this area and trail access will be modified. The Midtown Greenway will remain open.
After the trails are closed, the civil contractor will start the following construction activities that do not result in significant vibration generation:
Stakeholder Outreach
Project staff will be at pop-up events and community presentations within initial construction activity areas to share upcoming construction information with residents, businesses and trail users:
- Friday, April 26: Trail pop-up at the nexus of Kenilworth Trail and Midtown Greenway; 1 - 5 pm
- Saturday, May 11: Trail pop-up along the Kenilworth Trail; 9:00 AM - Noon
- Thursday, May 16: Pop-up on the Cedar Lake Trail at Hopkins Depot; 6 – 9 am
- Friday, May 17: Pop-up on the Cedar Lake Trail at Beltline Blvd.; 6 – 9 am
Additional outreach activities along the corridor will be planned throughout Spring.