The South Sixth Street reconstruction project planned for 2018 is going to create some headaches for drivers, as portions of the road are going to be closed during the project.
An open house hosted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation Tuesday night at Brainerd City Hall provided details on tentative project timelines and detours.
The project will reconstruct South Sixth Street between Highway 210 and Joseph Street in Brainerd and includes replacing water and sewer lines underneath the street. The project includes a three-lane design from Joseph Street to Quince Street, and a five-lane design from Quince Street to Highway 210.
The sidewalks will be widened and built to meet Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, said Jim Hallgren, MnDOT project manager. There will be some sidewalk closures during the project, he said, but businesses along South Sixth Street will remain open during construction. Homes will also be accessible during the project.
"Start planning alternative routes, alternatives for access for you and your customers," Hallgren said. "We just want to start the discussion."
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In general terms, the project will start with replacing things buried deepest under the road, then working toward the surface, said Tom Highum, plan development with MnDOT. This means sewer lines will be replaced first, followed by water lines, storm sewer infrastructure, then finally, the road surface, he said.
"The deep stuff's gotta happen first," Highum said.
Bids for the project will be opened on Sept. 22, Highum said, with preparation work to start in November and run through March 2018. This prep work includes the removal of trees and debris. All schedules and detours are tentative, he said, because the project contractor can propose a different schedule to get the project done faster and cheaper.
"We encourage that, because they're the ones doing the work," Highum said. "Usually, they're pretty good at fine-tuning what we've put together."
Prep work this fall and winter won't include any major reconstruction, Highum said, but there might be some lane closures involved. Heavy construction will begin in spring 2018, he said, with a target of mid-April. If the spring is mild, it could be earlier, but if the spring is cold, it could be late-April.
The project will start on the south end at Joseph Street and proceed north in phases, Highum said. A truck detour using Industrial Park Road, State Highway 25 and Highway 210 will be in place throughout the project.
Various detour phases will use Industrial Park Road, Southeast 13th Street, Oak Street and South Eighth Street to move traffic north and south. One of the crossings at Vine Street or Willow Street needs to be open during the project, Highum said, in order for people to access the College Drive bridge across the Mississippi River.
The portion of the project from Joseph Street to Willow Street must be completed by July 1, Highum said, in order to open the Willow Street intersection to east-west traffic. The contractor is only allowed to close one of the Laurel Street, Maple Street or Oak Street intersections to east-west traffic at a time, he said.
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During the Fourth of July celebration from July 1-5, South Sixth Street will be closed and detoured, Highum said. However, during those five days, every intersection from Front Street to Quince Street will be open to east-west traffic, he said.
Highum encouraged people to visit www.mndot.gov/d3/brd for news, route maps and detour information. Visitors can also sign up for email updates about the project.
The sewer lines under South Sixth Street were installed shortly after the turn of the 20th century, City Engineer Paul Sandy said, and are about 100 years old. Brainerd Public Utilities will oversee the replacement of water and sewer lines, as well as the installation of new LED streetlights.
Sewer service won't be interrupted during the project, Sandy said, because the contractor has to do the work without shutting the system off. There should only be minor interruptions in water service, he said, when the contractor is switching residents over to a temporary system.
The project is estimated to cost $7.5 million. The highway was originally constructed in 1957. MnDOT reports the existing pavement is nearing the end of its life and existing sidewalks do not meet accessibility standards.
