SOLD by Friday!: April 2008

Softball season began tonight

A little cold out there with a game temp around 40* F, our bats started cold with a 0-0 score after 2. Constance Free bats came alive in the 3rd scoring 4 times on our way to a 15-0 win over Meadow Creek. The game highlight came with Jim Blair diving catch of a sure base hit to left, then turning and doubling off the runner at 2nd. A great start to defend our division title from last year. Next up, Horizon's Silver 6:15 Sand Creek #5.

Make sure your home is

"SOLD by Friday!"

Joel Friday

612-868-6287

Andover MN homes for sale

3 comments • Joel Friday, e-PRO • April 28 2008 10:04PM

35W River bridge update

Minnesota Deparment of Transportation - Project Updates

I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi

April 28, 2008

Greetings!

Attention: The weekly update will now be distributed at the beginning of the week instead of end of the week.

If you have questions, please do not reply directly to this email. Contact

Amy Barrett, Public Information Officer, at (612) 236-6901 or via e-mail at abarrett@flatironcorp.com.

I-35W Project Observes Workers Memorial Day

The I-35W Project Team will cease work for a short period of time at 2 p.m. today in honor of Workers Memorial Day. Flatiron-Manson Joint Venture is joining Mn/DOT, as well as many other businesses and labor organizations, in this commemoration that takes place on April 28 each year to remember workers who have lost their lives while on the job.

Safety First

Anyone who visits the site will see signs or stickers on hard hats with this, "Safety First" reminder. With seven months of work underway, Flatiron-Manson Joint Venture is proud to report that it has no lost-time injuries and only nine minor reportable incidents in almost 300,000 work hours. Industry average is about nine reportable incidents per 200,000 hours.

Hauling Gets Underway

This week, crews will begin the anticipated hauling of the pre-cast main span segments from the casting yard to Bohemian Flats. Crews will periodically close 13th Avenue South from the casting yard entrance to West River Parkway as they transport pre-cast segments to the river. Hauling operations will take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., seven days a week for up to five weeks. The road will be closed for up to 10 minutes each time a segment is moved.

"Big Ben" Assembled

"Big Ben" (pictured below), the name given to the barge-mounted ringer crane that will install the main span segments has been assembled. Testing and final preparations including dropping the anchor to hold the crane in place are being completed in advance of the main span assembly planned for mid-May.

Big Ben

Construction Update

Work scheduled for the week includes:

Continuing to work on the pre-cast segments that will eventually span the river. As of last week, crews had built 65 of the 120 necessary segments. Crews plan to build up to 15 segments this week.
Pouring concrete for the approach spans on the south side of the river.
Continuing construction of the approach spans on the north side of the river.
Constructing the abutment for the Second Street bridges on the north side of the project (see below).

Constructing the abutment

Beginning excavation work on I-35W road bed on the north side of the project. That excavation work will take place 24 hours a day and should last for about a week.

Area residents and motorists will experience traffic issues as well as some noise and light disruptions in the coming weeks.

Potential Traffic Impacts

13th Avenue South to be Closed During Hauling Operations - Hauling will run along 13th Avenue South and South Second Street to the river's edge on the south side of the construction site (using the entrance at 13th Avenue South and West River Parkway). Flaggers will be present while hauling is in progress, and traffic attendants will be posted at all driveways along the haul route.

Truck Traffic - There will be increased construction traffic in the vicinity of the site. Some of the streets affected include: Second Street Southeast east to 11th Avenue Southeast; Second Street Southeast to Sixth Avenue Southeast, First Street South and 19th Avenue South, Bluff Street south to 13th Avenue South, Second Street South west to 11th Avenue South.

Sidewalk/lane closures at Washington and University - The sidewalk on the north side of Washington Avenue may be closed between Seven Corners and 12th Avenue South while crews redo the curb cuts at the corners. Occasional lane closures may also be necessary during this phase of construction. Similar work will take place on University Avenue between Eighth and 10th avenues SE starting in mid-May.

Street Closures Needed at 14th Avenue South and First Street South - To allow utility relocation and widening of I-35W northbound, 14th Avenue South and First Street South (near the Seven Corners Apartments) are temporarily closed. Street parking on Second Street South and 14th Avenue is restricted to allow two-way traffic along Second Street South from 19th Avenue to the closure.

10th Avenue Bike Lane Closed - The bike lane on the west side of the 10th Avenue Bridge will be closed until further notice from 11 a.m. until noon on Saturdays - when the weekly Sidewalk Talks are in progress - to ensure the safety of everyone using the bridge. The City of Minneapolis has posted signs noting the restriction at each end of the bridge. Bikes and pedestrians are urged to use the lane on the east side of the bridge between 11 a.m. and noon.

Potential Noise and Light Impacts

Crews are working night shifts seven days a week on both sides of the river as well as in the casting yard. Lights and construction traffic may be noticeable between 5:30 p.m. and 4 a.m.

As crews begin to relocate utilities and widen the highway on the south side of the construction site, there will be noticeable hammering as they remove the old asphalt, curbs and gutters. Back-up alarms will also be noticeable as trucks are loaded in that area.

Hammering noise will accompany falsework construction on the north side of the river.

Planning Your Route to Downtown Minneapolis - If you are planning to drive to downtown Minneapolis, you can use the links below to plan your route:

City of Minneapolis Route Planner http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/traffic/routeplannerintro.asp

Minnesota Department of Transportation

http://projects.dot.state.mn.us/35wbridge/traffic.html

Help Spread the Word

Do you know someone who would appreciate the up-to-date news, first-look pictures and detailed information you get each week? Click on the "Forward email" link at the bottom of this message to pass on a copy of this week's update with an invitation to sign up.

Getting a Closer Look

Get up-to-the minute updates about progress on the bridge - Jon Chiglo, Mn/DOT Project Manager, will describe what you can expect as the project continues. He'll appear live at 6:10 a.m., Tuesday, April 29 on KSTP-TV, Channel 5.

Try the touch-screen kiosks at Mill City Museum and the airport -

Touch-screen kiosks that provide a variety of information about the bridge, including a photo gallery, a timetable and animations showing what the finished bridge will look like from a helicopter, a boat and a car are available in the Mill City Museum lobby and at Concourse C at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Visit the website - The website offers up-to-date information, presentations, graphics, photos and animations, as well as interesting features on workers on the project. You can access the website at www.mndot.gov.

Access the webcams - One provides a panoramic view of the entire construction site, looking east from a rooftop on the north side of the Mississippi River. The other camera is mounted on a light pole on the 10th Avenue Bridge and will provide periodic close-ups of construction activities. To see the webcam views, visit the project website at www.mndot.gov.

Attend a Sidewalk Superintendent Talk - These weekly events provide an opportunity to accompany project representatives on a walk across the 10th Avenue Bridge, where you can see the construction workers in action and ask questions about the project. If you'd like to participate, meet in the parking lot in front of Grandma's restaurant at 19th and Washington avenues by 11 a.m. on any Saturday.

Take a self-guided tour - Signs describing the design/build process are mounted along the 10th Avenue Bridge.

Call the hotline - If you have any questions about the project, please call the hotline at (612) 236-6901 between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. Messages left after 8 p.m. will be returned first thing the morning of the next business day.

Request a presentation - Representatives of Mn/DOT and Flatiron-Manson are willing and eager to provide project updates to neighborhood associations, business associations and other groups. To arrange a presentation, please call the hotline, (612) 236-6901.

Other than viewing what's happening from the 10th Avenue Bridge, the public is asked to stay away from the bridge construction area for safety reasons.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) and the Flatiron-Manson construction team intend to build a high quality and safe bridge while minimizing disruptions to the surrounding neighborhoods.

We will continue to distribute updates weekly and welcome your comments on how to improve the communication process between the project team and the community.

For more information on the I-35W project visit www.mndot.gov

or call the I-35W Bridge Hotline at (612) 236-6901.

Make sure your home is

"SOLD by Friday!"

Joel Friday

612-868-6287

Andover MN homes for sale

0 comments • Joel Friday, e-PRO • April 28 2008 06:21PM

Hanson Blvd blast

Hanson Blvd reconstruction kicks off in full force on Monday, according to the flashing signs. This road will be a mess until the construction is completed in August. Use other routes as the intersections at 14 and Bunker will rebuilt. Traffic already is at a stand still at rush hour and will only get worse.

Make sure your home is

"SOLD by Friday!"

Joel Friday

612-868-6287

Andover MN homes for sale

0 comments • Joel Friday, e-PRO • April 25 2008 05:48PM

Crosstown Blues, not so blue

Note Hwy 62 will remain open this weekend but 35W will be closed from 62 to 94.

Minnesota Department of Transportation

Crosstown: I-35W/Hwy 62 Reconstruction

April 25, 2008

Dear Joel Friday,

This is an update on the Crosstown project. If you have questions, please do not reply directly to this email. Please visit http://www.dot.state.mn.us/projects/crosstown/ and click on "Project Contacts."

Freeway ramp, road to close at Lyndale Avenue/Highway 62 on April 29-30

ROSEVILLE, Minn. - The exit ramp from westbound Highway 62 to Lyndale Avenue is scheduled to close from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29 and Wednesday, April 30.

In addition to the ramp closure, Lyndale Avenue South at I-35W/Highway 62 is also scheduled to close during the same time frame.

The closures are needed to conduct bridge work in the area as part of the I-35/Highway 62 Crosstown reconstruction project.

Motorists should follow the posted detours routes.

I-35W and Highway 62 will remain open during closures; however, in conjunction with the bridge work, there will be a right lane closure of westbound Highway 62 at the Lyndale Ave bridge area.

For more information on the I-35W/Hwy 62 Crosstown Reconstruction project, visit www.mndot.gov or call the Crosstown Project hotline at 1-866/743-6590 or send an e-mail to crosstown@rranow.com.

Mn/DOT reminds motorists to slow down in work zones and never enter a roadway that has been blocked with barriers or cones. For statewide traffic, construction and travel information visit www.511mn.org or call 511 or log onto www.mndot.gov

Make sure your home is

"SOLD by Friday!"

Joel Friday

612-868-6287

Andover MN homes for sale

0 comments • Joel Friday, e-PRO • April 25 2008 05:38PM

35W river bridge progress

I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi

April 22, 2008

Greetings!

Attention: The weekly update will now be distributed at the beginning of the week instead of end of the week.

If you have questions, please do not reply directly to this email. Contact

Amy Barrett, Public Information Officer, at (612) 236-6901 or via e-mail at abarrett@flatironcorp.com.

Open House at University of Minnesota's Coffman Memorial Union

The University of Minnesota Student Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers is hosting Mn/DOT and the Flatiron-Manson Joint Venture for an Open House this Thursday, April 24 at Coffman Memorial Union on the University of Minnesota campus. This is an opportunity for those who are interested in the project to receive updates on the bridge's progress.

Thursday, April 24
11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Coffman Memorial Union on the University of Minnesota Campus

Table on the Ground Floor, Outside of the Cafeteria and Great Hall
300 Washington Avenue SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

(across Washington Avenue SE from Northrop Mall)
For a map of the location go to:
http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/maps/CMU/CMU-map.html

Barges Arrive and Pre-Cast Segments More than Half Complete

The two barges that will support the ringer crane used to place main span segments arrived at Bohemian Flats on Saturday, April 12. The barges have been moved up river and are now anchored near Pier 3 in preparation for the main span assembly.

As of last week, crews had poured 61 of the 120 segments needed for the main span and expect to pour another 12 segments this week. Later this week, workers will begin hauling the pre-cast segments from the casting yard to Bohemian Flats. From that location, they will be loaded onto the barges by Bohemian Blue (the blue crane pictured below) to be transported up river to the bridge site and lifted into place by Big Ben (the red crane). This work will begin the first week in May.

Bohemian Blue

Construction Update

Work scheduled for the week includes:

Continuing to work on the pre-cast segments that will eventually span the river.
Assembling the barge mounted ringer crane that will install segments.
Pouring concrete for the approach spans on the south side of the river.
Constructing the abutment for the Second Street bridges on the north side of the project.

Area residents and motorists will experience traffic issues as well as some noise and light disruptions in the coming weeks.

Work continues on the south approach span of the new bridge (above). Workers are placing rebar and preparing the forms so they can continue pouring concrete during the coming weeks.

Potential Noise Impacts

Crews will work several nights each week at the Minneapolis Cemstone concrete plant. Neighborhood residents may hear back-up alarms and other noise related to trucks loading and unloading. Cemstone officials have said they will attempt to minimize the noise.

As crews begin to relocate utilities and widen the highway on the south side of the construction site, there will be noticeable hammering as they remove the old asphalt, curbs and gutters. Back-up alarms will also be noticeable as trucks are loaded in that area.

Hammering noise will accompany falsework construction on the north side of the river.

Potential Light Impacts

Crews are working night shifts seven days a week on both sides of the river as well as in the casting yard. Lights may be noticeable between 5:30 p.m. and 4 a.m.

Potential Traffic Impacts

13th Avenue South to be Closed During Hauling Operations - Also starting this week, crews will close 13th Avenue South for up to 10 minutes at a time, several times a day, to haul pre-cast concrete segments from the casting yard exit (at 13th Avenue South and South Second Street) to the river's edge on the south side of the construction site (using the entrance at 13th Avenue South and West River Parkway). Crews plan to transport up to six segments a day, at a rate of approximately one segment every two hours. Hauling will take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. seven days a week until about June 1. Flaggers will be present while hauling is in progress, and traffic attendants will be posted at all driveways along the haul route.

Sidewalk/lane closures at Washington and University - Starting this week, the sidewalk on the north side of Washington Avenue may be closed between Seven Corners and 12th Avenue South while crews redo the curb cuts at the corners. Occasional lane closures may also be necessary during this phase of construction. Similar work will take place on University Avenue between Eighth and 10th avenues SE starting in mid-May.

Street Closures Needed at 14th Avenue South and First Street South - To allow utility relocation and widening of I-35W northbound, 14th Avenue South and First Street South (near the Seven Corners Apartments) are temporarily closed. Street parking on Second Street South and 14th Avenue is restricted to allow two-way traffic along Second Street South from 19th Avenue to the closure.

10th Avenue Bike Lane Closed - The bike lane on the west side of the 10th Avenue Bridge will be closed until further notice from 11 a.m. until noon on Saturdays--when the weekly Sidewalk Talks are in progress--to ensure the safety of everyone using the bridge. The City of Minneapolis has posted signs noting the restriction at each end of the bridge. Bikes and pedestrians are urged to use the lane on the east side of the bridge between 11 a.m. and noon.

Truck Traffic - Trucks will be departing from the construction site regularly. Truck traffic is likely on the following routes: on Second Street Southeast east to 11th Avenue Southeast; west on Second Street Southeast to Sixth Avenue Southeast, north on Sixth Avenue and then east on University Avenue; on First Street South and 19th Avenue South; from Bluff Street south on 13th Avenue South, west on Second Street South then west on 11th Avenue South.

Planning Your Route to Downtown Minneapolis - If you are planning to drive to downtown Minneapolis, you can use the links below to plan your route:

City of Minneapolis Route Planner http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/traffic/routeplannerintro.asp

Minnesota Department of Transportation

http://projects.dot.state.mn.us/35wbridge/traffic.html

Help Spread the Word

Do you know someone who would appreciate the up-to-date news, first-look pictures and detailed information you get each week? Click on the "Forward email" link at the bottom of this message to pass on a copy of this week's update with an invitation to sign up.

Getting a Closer Look

Get up-to-the minute updates about progress on the bridge - Jon Chiglo, Mn/DOT Project Manager, will describe what you can expect as the project continues. He'll appear live at 6:10 a.m., Monday, April 28 on KSTP-TV, Channel 5.