Motorists: Expect More Closures During Final Phase of Hwy 100 Work

St. Louis Park officials are reminding residents that lane reductions and weekend closures on Highway 100 will continue to impact traffic.

The multi-year project is slated for completion this fall. In conjunction with the road work, the city has been replacing the water, sanitary and storm utilities that cross under Highway 100 within the project limits. The city’s share of the $60 million project cost is approximately $3 million.

Motorists should reroute to Highway 169 or Interstate 35 West to bypass the thoroughfare. They should also plan ahead to allow extra driving time. As of Friday, the highway was limited to two lanes in each direction between Minnetonka Boulevard and Highway 62.

Below, find a recap of additional information and scheduled closures.

• 77th Street Bridge over Hwy. 100 will remain closed
• Detour: EB: 77th Street to SB Hwy. 100 to I-494 to NB Hwy. 100 to EB 77th Street
• Detour: WB: 77th Street to NB Hwy. 100 to 70th Street to SB Hwy. 100 to WB 77th Street

Upcoming Weekday Closures

• Wednesday, Aug. 3 through Friday, Aug. 5
  • SB Hwy. 100 ramp to westbound I-494 will be closed W. 36th Street to 25½ Street

• 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6
  
  • NB Hwy. 100 between Hwy. 62 and I-394 will be closed
• 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13
  
  • SB Hwy. 100 between Hwy. 62 and I-394 will be closed

• Ramp from NB Hwy. 100 to 36th Street will remain closed

Through November

• Hwy. 7 between Wooddale Avenue and the Beltline Boulevard is closed. View detour map (PDF)
• All ramps to and from both directions of Hwy. 100 and Hwy. 7 are closed
• Ramp from Minnetonka Boulevard to SB Hwy. 100 is closed
• Ramp from 36th Street ramp to NB Hwy. 100 is closed, W. 36th Street to Hwy. 62

Noise
Nearby residences and businesses may experience some noise during nighttime construction work. Construction crews will be removing pavement and repaving on both sides of the interstate to build bypass lanes to carry traffic during the upcoming third lane construction.

Project Purpose

The purpose of the project is to address basic infrastructure deficiencies, improve interchange safety at both Highway 7 and Minnetonka Boulevard, and to improve the traffic operations of Highway 100 through improvements such as modifying ramp acceleration/merging spacing, and widening the highway to include three lanes in each direction. In addition, noise walls will be constructed on both sides of Highway 100 between Highway 7 and 26th Street.

As part of the construction plans, MnDOT has developed construction staging plans. Essentially, MnDOT will schedule and stage the project, including the replacement of the Highway 7 bridge in a manner that will minimize the length of road closures and traffic disruptions as much as possible. This construction will be closely coordinated with other construction projects in the city.

Background
The segment of Highway 100 between Highway 7 and County Road 5 in St. Louis Park is the last sub-standard section on Highway 100 south of Interstate 394 and is one of the most congested freeways in the Metro area. Originally built in the mid-1930’s, it is part of the first beltway around the Twin Cities.

A reconstruction project was proposed in 2000, but the estimated costs hindered the project from moving forward. Some moderate improvements were completed in 2007 in advance of the Crosstown/I-35W reconstruction. In 2008, the State Legislature passed the Chapter 152 legislation that identified among other bridges, the Highway 7 and Minnetonka Boulevard bridges as structurally deficient and in need of replacement. In 2009, the Metropolitan Council recommended this project be reassessed for potential scope reduction and cost savings.

Business Outreach
The City of St. Louis Park is committed, along with its partners, to working with neighborhood businesses throughout the project. MnDOT and the City of St. Louis Park will work directly with affected businesses on disruptions, signage, detours, marketing and more. If you’re a business owner in the area and you would like more information, please contact Joe Shamla, City of St. Louis Park, at 952.924.2552 orjshamla@stlouispark.org.

Resources
MnDOT Highway 100 project website