There is one bright spot in the dark cloud of 2016 summer road work: The Raymond Avenue reconstruction project between Como Avenue and Energy Park Drive probably won’t begin until the Highway 280 reconstruction project ends.
That is, if the 280 project ends in early August as currently planned.
The lengthy review process for the Raymond Avenue project came to an end in May and the City of St. Paul will open bids July 6. Work could begin in August, project engineer Barb Mundahl said, or after the Minnesota State Fair ends on Sept. 5.
“Since we stipulate that the construction must cease during the State Fair, it will be up to the contractor whether they will start something in August or wait until after the fair,” she said. “The upside is that the work on 280 should be done by the time we start.”
The completion date for the Raymond Avenue project is June 30, 2017. The project will be in two stages, Mundahl said, with work being suspended over the winter. The road will be open during that time.
Through mid-July, Highway 280 traffic will continue to be restricted to a single lane in each direction between Broadway Street and Como Avenue. The highway is closed north of Broadway. There will be two weekend full-road closures to resurface the highway between Como and Broadway. Those closures are tentatively planned for late July or early August, one weekend for each direction.
You can sign up for email updates on the 280 project at www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/hwy280/.
