West River Parkway Mudslide and Franklin Avenue Bridge Repair Update

Via a July 5 Minneapolis Park and Rec Board e-newsletter: 

Veit and Companies, a Minnesota contractor, will begin work on the permanent repairs of the failed slope (mudslide) on July 6, 2015. Initially, they will be working six days each week. The construction area, between 4th Street S and the Franklin Avenue bridge will remain closed until repairs are complete, currently estimated to be around October 31, 2015. Please use the posted detours.

The slope repair consists of constructing five retaining walls located both on MPRB property and on Fairview – University of Minnesota Medical Center property.  Please see the project webpage for further details (or go to www.minneapolisparks.org/currentprojects and select "West River Parkway Slope Repair").  

Concurrent with the repair of the failed slope, the Franklin Avenue Bridge is also undergoing reconstruction.  Hennepin County is funding and managing this project. The work on the west pier of this bridge this fall and replacement of the bridge decking (summer 2016) will affect West River Parkway. The contractor, Kraemer NA is using the south portion of Bohemian Flats to prepare the pre-cast concrete decking.  For more information on the Franklin Ave Bridge reconstruction, or to sign up for updates, please see Hennepin County's website. 

Franklin Avenue Bridge construction updates

West River Parkway closure extends south of Franklin Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis
 
West River Parkway has been closed north of the Franklin Avenue Bridge since June 2014 due to mudslide repair work that will be completed by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. 　

The closure extension is needed for construction crews to restore the bridge and apply new concrete. Hennepin County is doing this work earlier in the project so that W. River Parkway can open over the winter months once this season’s bridge and mudslide repair work are complete. 　　　　

To summarize the detours:
•North on West River Parkway to east on Franklin Avenue: No change.
•North on West River Parkway to west on Franklin Avenue: Follow E. 25th Street to S. 31st Avenue. Then take a left on Franklin Avenue.
•East on Franklin Avenue to south on W. River Parkway: No change.
•West on Franklin Avenue to south on W. River Parkway: Follow S. 31st Avenue to E. 25th Street and take a right on W. River Parkway

Alternating bike and pedestrian lane closures begin June 29
 
Starting June 29, contractors will be installing a platform underneath the Franklin Avenue Bridge. During platform installation, bike and pedestrian lanes will only be open on one side of the bridge; lane closures will alternate every few days. All pedestrians and bicyclists should watch for signs and use the correct side of the bridge each day.

Once the platform is installed under the bridge, crews will continue concrete restoration. Work on the platform installation will occur over the next three weeks.
 
Crews are manufacturing 366 concrete bridge deck panels at the Bohemian Flats site. These panels will be installed in 2016 and become the new Franklin Avenue Bridge deck.
 
Tuesday, June 23, 2015 Hennepin County Commissioner McLaughlin, Minneapolis Park Board Commissioner Vreeland, and Minnesota State Representative Kahn joined project staff for a river tour of the remnant piers.

During the tour, the elected officials accepted the concept of salvaging the 1889 remnant pier blocks and re-locating to the "Bohemian Flats" area within Minneapolis Park Board property on the western bank of the river. The salvaging process of the pier blocks was completed on June 24, 2015.
 
Hotline: 888-474-8929
Email: franklinbridge@hennepin.us
Project website