Highway 95 Weekend Closure Set for Aug. 9-12: St. Croix River Crossing Update

Highway 95 between the junction of highways 95 and 36 will close the weekend of Aug. 9-12 while crews demolish the Highway 36 flyover bridge to northbound Highway 95 as part of St. Croix River Crossing Project.

The closure is expected to begin at 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, and be complete by 5 a.m., Monday, Aug. 12, weather permitting. Highway 95 motorists should follow the signed detour route when the closure occurs.

The detour route uses Highway 36, Osgood Avenue, 47th Street N., Stagecoach Trail and Fifth Avenue N. Local access is available between Pickett Street and Point Road.

Here’s a map of the detour.

In addition, night work will begin in the Old Neighborhood area this week, MnDOT warns that nearby residents may see lights and hear noise associated with this work. 

Access to the north entrance of Sunnyside Marina from eastbound Highway 36 is not available. Sunnyside residents and marina users should use the signed alternate route. This traffic change will remain in place through fall 2013.

Access to Sunnyside Marina from Highway 95 remains unchanged.

Other Impacts/Minnesota Approach Work

Motorists will continue to experience single-lane traffic on Highway 36 east of Osgood Avenue and temporary traffic signals at the Highway 36/Highway 95 junction. This will continue through the end of September. Access to businesses along Highway 36 and Highway 95 remain open at all times.

Crews are reconstructing eastbound Highway 36 and the ramps to/from Highway 95. They are also realigning Highway 95, completing utility work and constructing trails.

The temporary bypass between Beach Road and Stagecoach Trail as well as access to local roads remains the same as previous weeks.

River impacts/Bridge foundations work

Boaters on the St. Croix River will experience no new impacts, and the no wake worker safety zone is still in effect.

Buoys remain in place along the Minnesota and Wisconsin shoreline, providing a designated work zone area and narrowed river channel to meet Coast Guard standards. The no wake zone is in place for the safety of crews working and equipment stability.

Crews continue working on the bridge foundations. They are installing caissons and excavating for pier footings through December 2013.

Read the Pioneer Press story about construction of the bridge piers.

Wisconsin Highway Impacts

Motorists traveling on Wisconsin Highway 35 north of Hudson will continue to see additional truck traffic entering and exiting the site of the former wayside in the town of St. Joseph.

For the next two weeks there will be shoulder closures in the area to accommodate the increased traffic, according to MnDOT. Trucks are hauling clean material—composed of rock, sand and mud—from the St. Croix River bottom as part of the bridge foundations contract.

Another site approximately four miles to the east on WIS 64 between 150th Avenue and County V will also be used once activities are complete at the wayside area. Motorists should expect shoulder closures when that activity occurs through fall 2013.

Future impacts near Highways 36/95 Junction

Beach Road bridge closure

The Beach Road bridge is anticipated to close in mid-August, weather permitting. Construction on the new Beach Road bridge, located just west of the existing bridge, is tentatively scheduled to begin in early-August.

Nighttime hauling to Miller Pit

Nearby residents and businesses may experience some visual and noise disruptions beginning in early-August, while crews excavate and haul excess dirt from the Highway 36/95 junction to the Miller Pit in Baytown township.

This will occur during daytime and overnight hours Monday through Saturday. This will continue through late-August. Additional nighttime hauling is possible later in the season. This work is needed to construct the Highway 36 extension to the new St. Croix Crossing.