New bridge won’t open until signal lights are in

Goal is to have poles installed by Oct. 22-23 ‘Back 2 Broadway’ celebration

Jennifer Mevissen
Staff Writer

Local officials are waiting to green-light the opening of the new Broadway Avenue bridge to traffic.

Cory Slagle, engineering manager on the improvement project at Washington County, told the Forest Lake City Council at Monday’s meeting that the contractor – Redstone Construction Co. – is focused on getting the signal poles up at the CR-2 ramps as well as at the intersection of 12th Street.

The original schedule was to be finished by Oct. 31, but he said the tentative goal is to be done by next weekend’s “Back 2 Broadway” celebration.

“We can’t give an exact date right now,” Slagle said, noting the update on Oct. 10 would be the last one he’d be giving to the council as construction will wrap up soon for the year.

Councilwoman Jackie McNamara asked if the county plans to continue the sanitary sewer work in 2011. The utility replacement got underway in September between 3rd and 4th streets, but was extended to include 4th and 5th streets starting Oct. 6.

“We’re not going to go any further to the east this year,” Slagle said.

He said that it gets tough to start construction this late in the season, noting the Halloween blizzard of 1991.

Utility Relocation

City Engineer Ryan Goodman reported that the watermain and forcemain relocation began this week. That utility work is necessary for construction of a pedestrian bridge overpass at CR-83 (SW 11th Ave.) and the Hardwood Creek Trail.

The relocation has been identified in the capital improvement plan for a number of years, and will result in slightly lower maintenance and energy costs. The project design and construction is estimated to be $245,000.

Once that work is completed, the bridge contractor – Sunram Construction – can build the surcharge area and start storing material for the new pedestrian bridge. The trail overpass should be done by Fall 2012.

Break-ins

Police Chief Rick Peterson told the city council there have been a rash of burglaries in Forest Lake recently. They break-ins been occurring from midnight to 6 a.m. at businesses and to residences in the daytime hours. A pry bar has been used, and he said cash is what the suspects appear to be after, in addition to stealing laptops, flat screen TVs and firearms.

He said there are some similarities in the cases, but couldn’t elaborate as the matter is under investigation.

Peterson urged citizens to provide the department with information leading to arrests, even if they don’t seem very solid.

“Sometimes the not-so-unusual turns into a very good tip,” he said.

Upcoming

Mayor Chris Johnson said the kick-off informational meeting on Oct. 5 at American Legion Post 225 to organize Forest Lake as a Yellow Ribbon community was well attended.

“I think we’re off to a good start,” he said.

Johnson thanked Councilman Jim DuFour for his involvement. There will be another meeting at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 20 at VFW Post 4210, 556 SW 12th St.

Yellow Ribbon is a comprehensive program that creates awareness for the purpose of connecting service members and their families with community support, training, services and resources.

Tags: Broadway Corridor Project