Local street/road construction has just begun!

By JANE MCCLURE

The cones and detour signs have already gone up in area neighborhoods. A mild winter meant an early start to some work. One of the area’s first projects, work on Snelling Ave., between Midway Pkwy. and Larpenteur Ave., is already well underway and expected to wrap up this month.

St. Paul, Ramsey County and Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) have announced 2017 area projects. While area travelers won’t be dealing with work on the scale of recent A Line/Snelling Ave. construction, the major Como-Chatsworth residential street reconstruction project or even bridge work over Interstate 94, work will go on and everyone should be ready to drive, walk or bike along detours.

Other spring projects include Wheelock Pkwy. reconstruction between Victoria and Dale streets, Raymond Ave. reconstruction between Energy Park Dr. and Como Ave., and Como Ave. reconstruction between Raymond and Commonwealth avenues. The Raymond project, which is in its third phase, should be done in June.

This month Ramsey County is set to replace the at-grade railroad crossing on Energy Park Dr. between Raymond and Snelling avenues.

Ramsey County also plans mill and overlay work on Pierce Butler Rte. between Minnehaha and Snelling avenues, on Como Ave. between Dale and Marion streets, and Lexington Pkwy. up to University Ave. from Lincoln Ave. These projects are typically done in late summer or fall and involve removing the old street surface and placing a new surface on top. Typically, parts of a street stay open, but everyone should be mindful that a short-term detour could be needed. The work on Pierce Butler will also bring bike lanes to the road shoulders.

The county also plans to rebuild traffic signals at Dale St. and Wheelock Pkwy.

St. Paul is planning improvements for bike facilities on Pelham Blvd.

The county, city, and state do post project maps and construction updates, as well as information about future years’ anticipated work. Keep in mind that available funding always affects future construction schedules, and that can be open to change.

Ramsey County’s 2017 projects are at www.ramseycounty.us/residents/roads-transit/2017-construction-maintenance.

For St. Paul projects, and to subscribe to updates for street closures, go to www.stpaul.gov/departments/public-works/road-construction.

For state highway and bridge work, visit the MnDOT website. That site is searchable by region, for anyone traveling around the state. Go to www.dot.state.mn.us/roadwork/current.html.