Updated: 2013 Woodbury Roadwork ‘Will be Disruptive’

Update: 5:05 p.m., Friday, April 12

Washington County on Friday, April 12, sent out an update on dates for road closures, which have been pushed back.

Beginning Monday, April 22, Woodbury Drive (County Road 19) will be closed from Park Crossing to south of Lake Road.

Also, beginning on Wednesday, April 17, Radio Drive will be closed from Bailey Road to south of Hargis Parkway.

Original Story, April 9

In addition to construction in several neighborhoods this summer, Woodbury will also see roadwork on two major thoroughfares: Woodbury Drive and Radio Drive.

Both projects are expected to begin April 15.

Meanwhile, Washington County plans a new layout for the Radio Drive-Bailey Road roundabout, and a traffic signal will be installed at Bailey Road and Woodlane Drive.

This summer’s roadwork “will be disruptive,” Woodbury Engineer Klayton Eckles recently told the City Council.

“We’re just going to have to live with the closures and detours,” he said.

The Radio Drive and Woodbury Drive projects will be timed to disrupt traffic as little as possible. The southern half of the Woodbury Drive work will begin after the Radio Drive construction is complete.

“Otherwise, there’s no way to get out of Woodbury,” said Paul Kauppi, assistant city engineer.

This year’s biggest road project is expected to begin April 15.

Plans call for the roadway to be expanded from two lanes to four from Park Crossing to a quarter mile south of Bailey Road.

Roundabouts will be installed at Lake and Bailey roads, and there will be trails on both sides of the street.

Check out the PDF with this post for suggested detours.

The work will be completed in phases.

Phase I

April through July. Road construction on Woodbury Drive from just south of Park Crossing/Eagle Valley Drive through Lake Road. The intersection of Woodbury Drive and Lake Road will be closed to all traffic, and detours will be in effect.

Phase II

August through November. Road construction on Woodbury Drive just south of Lake Road through Bailey Road. The intersection of Woodbury Drive and Bailey Road will be closed to all traffic and detours will be in effect.

Phase III

October through January. Installation of water reuse systems that will capture and utilize storm water runoff for irrigation of the Eagle Valley and Prestwick golf courses.

Radio Drive will be expanded from two lanes to four from Bailey Road south to Hargis Parkway.

The street will also be repaved from Hargis Parkway south to Military Road.

Check out the PDF with this post for suggested detours.

Construction on Radio Drive is also expected to begin April 15, and it should be completed by the end of July.

Officials are hoping it’s done sooner, Kauppi said.

“We’ll see how much snow we get,” he said.

Radio Drive—from Bailey Road to south of Hargis Parkway—will be closed during the project, and detours will be posted.

East Ridge High School students and users of the Bielenberg Sports Center should use the access at Pioneer Drive.

A pedestrian underpass connecting the Bielenberg Sports Center to the future Bielenberg Gardens site is also part of the plans. The city received an $860,572 grant from the Metropolitan Council to construct the tunnel.

Washington County plans to reconfigure the roundabout at Radio Drive and Bailey Road.

The entries to the roundabout along Bailey Road will be changed so the right-most lane must turn right.

The changes are expected to be made as the Radio Drive project nears completion. It will be similar to the ones being installed as part of the Woodbury Drive project.

Streets

Woodbury streets that will see construction this summer include:

• Tahoe Road
• Carver Park Drive and Carver Park Circle
• Woodlane Hills and Victoria Place
• Glen Road (Century Avenue to Radio Drive)
• Rolling Acres
• Century Avenue (Kalen Drive to Military Road)

See: 2013 Roadwork Projects for Woodbury

Signal

Work on a new traffic signal at Bailey Road and Woodlane Drive is set to begin at the end of April. The county expects it to be complete by the end of June.

From Washington County:

This project is a safety and mobility project that will realign Military Road (CR20) and reconstruct sections of Keats Avenue South (CR19) and 70th Street South (CR22). It will consolidate two closely spaced intersections at a new roundabout in northeastern Cottage Grove.

Valley Paving is the prime contractor on this project and will begin construction in April. More specific updates will be given as additional information is determined.

During the project, Keats Avenue will remain open, maintaining one lane in each direction. Military Road and 70th Street, east of Keats Avenue, will also remain open during the project. 70th Street, west of Keats Avenue, will be closed during deep pipe work in July and August. During any road closures, detour routes will be posted.

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