[0:00] Thank you. Meeting number eight on the [0:02] Verdon Avenue and Highway 100 [0:04] interchange project. We are recording [0:07] uh and we'll post the recording [0:08] afterwards. Uh again, thanks for the [0:11] patience. Businesses are open, [0:13] accessible. We're all dealing with [0:15] noise, dust, vibration, rain, lots of [0:18] rain, and other construction related [0:21] stuff. Again, be courteous to fellow [0:23] drivers. Stop for those pedestrians in [0:25] the crosswalks on Eden Avenue and around [0:27] the roundabouts. [0:29] Um that's only going to get a little bit [0:31] worse here as we start to think about [0:33] closing these on and off ramps of 100 [0:37] starting soon for one of them. And I'll [0:39] share that in a little bit. [0:41] Project goals. We've seen this every [0:43] time, but really improving safety and [0:44] mobility for all users once the project [0:47] is complete, improving traffic [0:49] operations, consolidating those access [0:51] points, and a few of the other bullet [0:54] points there listed schedule. Uh it was [0:57] bid with a completion date of no [0:59] November 15th [1:02] of this year and there's still an issue [1:05] that we're concerned about affecting [1:07] that schedule which we'll talk about [1:09] here shortly. [1:11] This is the project from Graange Road on [1:13] the east over to the interlock and [1:17] Vernon intersection including the [1:19] parking lot and front area of Edina [1:23] Grand View Liquor on the west side of [1:25] the project. [1:29] All the various methods people should be [1:31] very familiar with all these methods of [1:33] communications better together.org is [1:36] your main source of information. We are [1:39] we have new maps that we've just [1:42] finished up that'll be posted for the [1:45] next change in the traffic operations [1:48] which I'll get into shortly. But when we [1:50] do those traffic changes, we do a lot of [1:54] updates using press releases, social [1:56] media, emails, those sorts of things. So [1:59] look for those updates coming very soon [2:02] through all those different channels [2:05] with this latest change in the traffic. [2:10] So let's zoom in at E Interlockan [2:13] Boulevard and Vernon Avenue. Uh this is [2:16] free flowing intersection. Right now [2:18] it's traffic is closest to the caribou [2:20] corner. Uh Gaus Young again is closed [2:24] at Edina Liquor. There's been lane [2:27] shifts to complete underground work. Uh [2:30] they've done the curb and gutter. [2:31] They've done some of the grading. Uh [2:33] they're going to be paving early next [2:35] week and then they're going to be [2:37] flipping traffic [2:39] over to this way. Instead of being on [2:40] the Caribou corner, they're going to [2:42] flip it over to the Dino Liquor side and [2:45] make that free flowing in this direction [2:47] so they can do the pipe work over on [2:48] this corner adjacent to Caribou. [2:52] Uh the work in front of the Dino Liquor [2:53] store will be complete early next week. [2:56] So the curbon gutter went in, they [2:59] started doing the sidewalks yesterday. [3:02] They were going to pour the rest of the [3:04] sidewalks today. Then we had a little [3:06] rainstorm. So, I don't know what their [3:08] updated schedule is right now if they're [3:11] going to continue to pour here today. [3:14] But the concrete work will be done this [3:15] week and they're coming in at 6:00 a.m. [3:18] on Monday morning to pave the parking [3:20] lot for here. And then they'll pave this [3:24] intersection too where the green arrows [3:26] are so traffic can move over. They'll [3:29] pave one layer through everything and [3:31] then they'll come back and pave the [3:32] second layer of pavement on the parking [3:35] lot around 10:00 a.m. roughly. So, all [3:38] the paving should be done at noon. We [3:40] just don't want people parking on that [3:41] new asphalt Monday afternoon. So, I know [3:46] liquor operations are deciding when to [3:48] open that store. Sidewalks will be open, [3:50] accessible, but the parking lot itself [3:52] will still be closed until Tuesday [3:54] morning. and then we'll have our sign [3:56] shop come and do the pavement markings [3:59] for the parking stalls [4:01] uh later that week very early in the [4:04] morning. That's the update on that [4:06] intersection. [4:08] The other issue that we're concerned [4:09] about that we talked about at the last [4:11] meeting was this Excel power line that [4:14] was horizontally and vertically [4:16] different than what we thought in the [4:17] plans. This is the west support for the [4:21] Vernon Avenue bridge. Here's the [4:23] railroad. Uh, it was struck and [4:25] repaired. There's some old agreements [4:27] between CPKC Rail and Excel. Doesn't [4:31] cover this line. The railroad says you [4:34] need a new agreement. Excel was willing [4:37] to move this. Our contractors willing to [4:39] help move it, but without agreements. [4:42] New agreements showing this line, not an [4:44] aerial line. Railroad won't approve the [4:46] work and Excel won't do the work. So, [4:48] they are in that process right now [4:50] requiring permits and agreements. Uh [4:53] there has been some movement on the [4:55] plans the last week. We're hoping this [4:57] stuff gets [4:59] uh cleared up, everything signed and [5:02] permitted in the next couple weeks. [5:04] Otherwise, it's going to be some major [5:05] impacts to the schedule. [5:08] And again, Ediana, Henipin County, and [5:10] Mindot have any control over these two [5:11] agencies. They have to work it out. We [5:14] keep asking every couple days on where [5:16] they're at. Um, but we're concerned and [5:19] hopefully we can just get it figured out [5:21] and continue to work on this. And I'll [5:23] show you the difference on the east side [5:24] versus the west side of this bridge on [5:26] where they're at from a construction [5:27] standpoint here in some pictures. [5:31] But the impacts you're going to see in [5:32] the next week, it's scheduled for [5:35] Monday, July 21st. [5:37] We're calling this the road closures [5:39] detours for stage three. Stage three was [5:43] the both ramps on the east side on and [5:45] off and the west side. They're going to [5:47] break that into two parts. So part one [5:51] is this east side over by Graange Road [5:55] and City Hall. [5:57] So this will be the first stage 3A part [6:00] one. So northbound onramp is scheduled [6:03] to be closed July 21st until late May. [6:07] that allows them to build a noise wall [6:09] that connects down by Miniha Creek and [6:11] comes up this tree line all the way up [6:14] to 50th Street. So, they can make room [6:16] and build that noise wall, store [6:17] equipment, do the grading operations, [6:19] all the stuff that's needed that they [6:21] can't do when traffic is using that [6:22] on-ramp. [6:26] Now, I'm going to show you [6:29] a map that shows what the detour is. And [6:31] can you see this map now, Liz, or [6:34] someone? [6:36] Yep, I can see it. [6:37] Okay, great. So, this is the interactive [6:39] GIS map that's on better together. This [6:41] is what's out there today. So, all the [6:43] green, you can take the southbound exit [6:46] ramps around Hilltop [6:48] and you can currently take northbound [6:50] 100 off of 50th. You notice these other [6:53] tabs on the top. So, 3A [6:57] part one is this one where you're [7:00] closing that on-ramp. So, it's all red [7:02] Xed out. So, how do you get on to [7:05] northbound 100? There's two options [7:09] shown on this map. The local option is [7:12] you use the frontage roads, the purple, [7:14] and go down the Benton Avenue. And [7:16] there's an on-ramp right here [7:19] at that location to get on northbound. [7:21] So, that's more the local route. Use [7:23] either frontage road and Benton Avenue. [7:26] The official detour route. The regional [7:28] one is you go down, get on southbound [7:31] 100 at Eden, [7:34] go all the way on it all the way down [7:35] the highway 62. Take eastbound 62, loop, [7:41] take that exit, then loop again on the [7:44] northbound 100, and then you are at [7:46] northbound 100. Continue on your way. [7:51] During this [7:53] phase 3A part one, the little northbound [7:56] off-ramp to Graange is still going to be [7:58] open and the southbound 100 exit ramp is [8:02] still going to be open. So, we're [8:03] closing one additional ramp here. It's [8:05] that northbound 100. [8:13] We'll go back and at some point later [8:16] this summer, we still don't know exact [8:18] dates, part two will occur, and this [8:21] will I think will have the most impact [8:22] to traffic is when we close the west [8:25] side or the southbound off-ramps. [8:28] We don't know dates yet, but we're [8:30] starting to develop the maps for that. [8:32] And the detours will be very similar [8:34] where you can use Benton Avenue or [8:35] Highway 62. [8:37] So, look for more information on that [8:39] coming. We're really focusing on just [8:42] that part one of 3A with that northbound [8:46] I 100 on-ramp at 50th closing July [8:51] 21st. [8:55] Now some pictures. So on the left hand [8:57] side, this picture was from four weeks [8:58] ago when we had this meeting. You're [9:00] looking at the Vonnies looking towards [9:03] uh city hall towards the east. You can [9:06] see they were just starting to do this [9:09] uh supports to protect that building. [9:12] Picture down here was from two weeks ago [9:13] where they had the forms for the [9:15] foundation of the bridge. They had the [9:16] sheet sheeting all installed to protect [9:19] that Dean's building. That was from two [9:21] weeks ago. This middle right picture was [9:25] from something I took a couple days ago [9:27] where the foundation was poured. And [9:29] then this morning, here's another one [9:31] where they're starting to form up uh the [9:33] bridge supports uh on that foundation. [9:36] So, you can see the different stages of [9:38] construction related to the east [9:42] abupment of the Vernon Avenue bridge. [9:45] Here's that location of the Excel power [9:47] lines. That's that underground line [9:50] that's in the way. You can see no work [9:52] has occurred there. We would love to see [9:54] it looking the same as the east side. So [9:56] that's how far behind we are about four [9:59] weeks when you do kind of the math here [10:01] of our meetings and where they were at. [10:04] Um so concerned with that schedule there [10:07] you can see the difference in the two [10:09] sides. [10:11] Looking at Edina Liquor the one picture [10:14] here you're looking towards the front [10:16] door standing next to the cleaners [10:18] looking towards Hawthorne Court. This [10:21] was from Monday when they had the curb [10:23] done. [10:25] picture in the middle. The two pictures [10:27] on the right hand side were from this [10:28] morning. So they got the ped ramps [10:30] poured. They were ready to pour the [10:32] sidewalks and then we had that little [10:34] blast of rain today. So they might be [10:36] pouring that now. You can see they did [10:38] the front step area. They're putting the [10:40] ADA compliant ramps in then pouring [10:43] those sidewalks today and tomorrow uh [10:46] weather permitting. [10:49] Same area looking the other direction [10:51] back towards the west. You can see the [10:53] curbs that were installed, new traffic [10:56] signal base here. Um, this was from [11:00] beginning of the week, end of last week. [11:02] And then here's a picture from [11:05] this morning where the sidewalks been [11:07] poured. The base for the new signal [11:09] poles there and they're getting ready to [11:11] pour those additional sidewalks [11:14] front of the liquor store. [11:17] Picture on the left is the retaining [11:19] wall next to Hawthorne Court. So they [11:21] continue to fill in the pieces and pour [11:22] that that wall as they get it framed up. [11:26] And then the really one that you can see [11:28] some big headway on is this picture on [11:30] the right. So you're looking at the west [11:33] abutments, west support of the Highway [11:36] 100 bridge that's closest to us, but [11:39] that middle median support. You can see [11:41] the forms have been pulled and you can [11:43] start to see that concrete support for [11:45] the bridge that's in the median of [11:47] Highway 100. and we're looking towards [11:49] city hall as way in the background. This [11:52] is the one that's really showing a lot [11:53] of progress as they start to pull those [11:56] forms. Um, you know, they'll continue to [11:59] work [12:00] in the east and west and the median to [12:02] finish it up. [12:05] And again, this is what it's going to [12:06] look like after construction. Some [12:08] renderings of that with the wide [12:10] sidewalks and additional left turn lanes [12:12] of the bridge. Then here you can start [12:15] to see that support that median peers [12:18] that I just showed you looking like the [12:22] graphics here in this picture from being [12:26] on northbound 100. [12:30] With that, I'm going to stop sharing [12:34] and see if there's any questions. [12:39] Nicole, you got your hand up. What do [12:41] you got? [12:42] I do. When you say south ramps, that's [12:45] plural for both [12:48] like the south the the ramp that goes [12:52] from Eden onto a highway 100 south. [12:55] That's [12:55] that one will be open forever. [12:58] That will be open for the duration of [13:00] the project. [13:02] Okay. [13:02] Eden Avenue to go southbound 100 will be [13:05] open for the duration of the project. [13:07] Okay. [13:08] We have plans to close that ramp after [13:10] the entire project is done. But for the [13:13] 21st, it's just northbound [13:16] onramp to northbound 100 off of 50th. [13:19] That little slip lane is the only one [13:20] that's closing on the 21st. [13:22] Okay, great. Thank you. [13:24] Yeah, great question. Thank you. Uh, [13:28] Anelopey, I see a hand up. I don't I'll [13:30] see if I can unmute you. [13:36] Hi. [13:37] Hey, you can do it yourself. What [13:39] question you got? [13:39] I can do it myself. Yeah. Um, okay. So, [13:42] I live right on the corner of [13:44] Interlockan and Vernon, and it's a hot [13:47] mess express, as we all know, trying to [13:49] turn that corner. Um, and I've noticed [13:54] that they're they're doing stuff on the [13:56] other side. Are are they going to change [13:59] the turn lane there? [14:01] coming from say Jerry's onto Interlockan [14:05] or turning from Interlockan towards [14:07] Jerry's right on the corner by Caribou. [14:11] So permanently or just during [14:13] just in the near future because I'm just [14:15] noticing a lot of people are maybe my [14:18] age or older are very confused there. [14:22] Yes. So they'll be shifting traffic most [14:25] likely next week. So right now you're [14:27] driving right on that corner of Caribou, [14:31] right? [14:32] All the traffic is going to be shifted [14:33] to the corner of basically the liquor [14:36] store. So you'll be on the other side. [14:38] So it's going to make it a less less of [14:40] a tight corner to swing through there. [14:42] So it should be a little easier to [14:43] navigate. [14:44] Um so you'll be pushed towards Holiday [14:46] and pushed towards the Grand View Liquor [14:48] Store. [14:49] Okay. Okay. And then also up um when you [14:53] turn because a lot of us turn in to go [14:57] to the liquor or not liquor store to [14:59] Walgreens or whatever [15:00] y [15:02] that is that going to be better [15:05] um people don't really know what to do [15:07] there when they're trying to go straight [15:09] or turn from [15:12] um [15:15] what's that road? Well, it's ver onto [15:18] the little driveway into Walgreens and [15:20] Jerry. So, there's a turn lane there. [15:22] No, but they don't. [15:23] Nobody supposed to use it, but we can [15:25] look at the traffic control. [15:27] Yeah, we'll take a peek at you guys [15:29] taking a peek. [15:30] Yep. [15:31] Because I think a lot of I mean, for a [15:32] while it was fine, but now that you've [15:34] done this new switch, it's really got [15:37] people confused. There's a ton of [15:38] honking, a ton of crankiness. So, [15:42] Yep. [15:42] Yeah. [15:42] Yeah. With this traffic shift next week, [15:44] we have an opportunity to look at all [15:46] those things. So, [15:47] we have Derek and the contractor John on [15:49] the call, so they both heard that. So, [15:51] we can check that out next week and make [15:52] sure it's all clear as we do that [15:54] traffic shift next week. [15:56] Thank you. I appreciate it. [15:58] Thank you. [16:01] Other questions? I don't see anything in [16:03] the chat. [16:06] Any other questions? We'll be posting [16:09] new maps to the website. [16:11] Um, check it out. Like I mentioned, [16:13] we'll be blasting out a lot of this [16:15] information about the July 21st [16:18] closure. We're going to do a no new [16:20] social media video this week to get that [16:23] out. [16:28] And the options are the frontage roads [16:29] that local detour down the Benton or [16:31] down the Highway 62 then coming back up [16:35] northbound 100. [16:42] Okay, not seeing any other questions. If [16:44] you do have some after this, just reach [16:46] out to me and I'm happy to help answer [16:49] those. So, thanks everybody for joining [16:52] this meeting and we'll see you in two [16:54] weeks. Thank you. [16:56] Thank you, Chad. [16:57] Thank you.