Northbound I-35W Ramp and I-94 Lane Closures

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Beginning at 5 a.m. on Monday, October 28, 2o24, the ramp from northbound I-35W to eastbound I-94 will be closed through Friday, November 29. Both directions of I-94 will also be reduced to two lanes between 11th Avenue South and Franklin Avenue Southeast.

The lane and ramp closures are necessary to allow crews to build crossovers to shift traffic during construction on I-94 in 2025. Crews will be doing maintenance and repair work on five bridges along I-94 in Minneapolis.

Visit the I-94 Minneapolis MNDOT project webpage for more information.

I-94 Construction Begins Fall 2024

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Starting in October 2024, MnDOT will begin bridge preservation and maintenance work on five bridges along I-94 in Minneapolis. Construction is expected to last through November 2025. View the project fact sheet here.

The project area includes: 

  • I-94 bridge (Dartmouth Bridge) that spans the Mississippi River 
  • Riverside Ave bridge over I-94 
  • I-94 over Cedar Ave 
  • I-94 over the Light Rail Transit (Blue Line) 
  • I-94 over Hwy 55/Hiawatha Ave 

 In fall 2024, motorists can expect overnight and some daytime lane closures on I-94 between downtown Minneapolis and the Franklin Ave bridge over I-94 to construct crossovers that will allow crews to shift traffic the following year. 

During construction in 2025, motorists can expect I-94 to be reduced to two lanes in each direction between Hwy 55/Hiawatha Ave and the Franklin Ave bridge over I-94. Crews will also need to temporarily close ramps along I-94 at Huron Blvd, Riverside Ave, Cedar Ave, and 6th St and 7th St near downtown Minneapolis.  

View I-94 project details and sign up to receive MnDOT updates by email.

Work Finishing Up on Murphy Square

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Work on the updates to Murphy Square park is expected to finish up this week, creating new east-to-west walkways lined with lights and benches across the park.

The work also included grouping tables and grills as well as grading and reseeding areas affected by the work.

This week, crews are scheduled to remove the perimeter fencing, opening the park’s pathways up for use. In some spaces within the park, fencing will remain in order to protect newly seeded ground. In other areas, seeded spaces will not have fencing. Park users are encouraged to avoid walking on the newly seeded areas this fall (see photos, below) to help new grass take root for next spring.

New path through Murphy Square with fencing on either side to protect newly seeded ground
Some areas of Murphy Square may continue to have fencing to protect newly seeded ground.
New path through Murphy Square with light-colored, seeded areas along each side
Areas affected by the renovation work in Murphy Square have been reseeded. (See the lighter areas along the path in this photo.) Park users should avoid walking on the newly seeded areas this fall.

Progress in Murphy Square

Last week, crews working in Murphy Square began surfacing new paths through the park. Light poles have already been relocated along these pathways.

Photo of newly surfaced paths going west and northwest from the east side of Murphy Square
Surfacing on new pathways through Murphy Square is underway.

The new paths align on the east side of the park with the walkway between Kennedy Center and Edor Nelson Field, providing pedestrians coming from Lot L with a route directly across the park and a route to the steps up to the quad.

Aerial map of Murphy Square depicting a curved east-west pathway and a curved pathway from the east side to the northwest corner.
New pathways in Murphy Square are designed to matched the desired walking paths between the east and west sides of the park.

Remaining work in the park includes pouring concrete for tables and benches, grading, and reseeding. That work is scheduled to be complete in mid-August. Crews will then relocate the construction fences to protect the newly seeded spaces while allowing for use of the pathways.

For additional information about the project, see the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board website.

Why’s It So Hot in Here?

With temperatures reaching the 80s the past few days, many campus buildings have been uncomfortably warm this week. Unfortunately, when sudden hot weather arrives in spring, there isn’t an immediate way to switch from heating to cooling on campus. This transition is a multi-day process involving HVAC systems in buildings from very different eras, from Old Main to Hagfors.

We are currently targeting the week of April 24 to switch to cooling, pending temperatures at that time. The forecast for this weekend and next week involve significantly cooler and more seasonable temperatures. Thanks for your patience and understanding in the meantime.

‘Til Next Year, Dome

Spring is officially here: Augsburg’s dome is coming down next week. Contractors from Yeadon will be on campus Monday through Wednesday, April 18–19, 2023, to remove the dome and ready Edor Nelson Field for spring and summer use. Working with Augsburg Facilities and Athletic Facilities staff, crews will remove lighting and other fixtures on Monday, take the dome down on Tuesday, and re-install bleachers, wind screens, field pads, and goal posts on Wednesday. On-street parking on streets bordering the dome (Butler and 23rd) will be unavailable Tuesday, April 18, and Wednesday, April 19.

Urness Hall Electrical Upgrades, December 19–21

Next week, technicians will replace Urness Hall’s existing fuse boxes with circuit breakers—an upgrade that will modernize the current system and streamline electrical service going forward. From December 19–21, power will be shut off between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on three floors per day to complete these upgrades. The upgrades are scheduled for floors 1-3 on Monday, 4-6 on Tuesday, and 7-9 on Wednesday. Residence Life will communicate to any students on campus about the daily schedule.

Power Shutoff in Anderson Music Hall Sunday Evening December 18

On Sunday evening, December 18, the power will be shut off in Anderson Music Hall in order to complete a repair in the HVAC system. The shutoff will begin at 6:00 p.m. and is expected to last 3–4 hours. Exterior building access will not be available during this time.   

Temporary Steam and Hot Water Shut Off December 12

On Monday, December 12, 2022, steam and hot water will be briefly shut off for the majority of campus in order to repair a steam line in Si Melby Hall. The shutoff will begin at 8:00 a.m. Service will be restored when the repair is completed, no later than 10:00 a.m. Hagfors Center, Luther Hall, and Oren Gateway Center will not be affected. 

The Dome Returns

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The door to the inflatable dome over Augsburg's Edor Nelson Field is attached to the deflated bubble, waiting to be set up.Leaves are falling, birds are flying south, and it’s dark by 5:15 p.m. But the surest sign of winter arrives this week: Augsburg’s dome is going up. 

Last week, athletic facilities staff undertook the multi-day process to convert Edor Nelson Field for winter use, taking down field pads, wind screens, goal posts, and the front section of the bleachers to be stored off-site until spring. 

On Monday, the dome will arrive in five pieces on flatbed trucks. Street parking on Butler will not be available through Monday as cranes offload the dome sections. Working with Augsburg facilities maintenance staff, installation crews from the manufacturer Yeadon will roll out each section on the field, secure the connections between them, and attach the dome doors. 

After three days of prep and assembly, inflation only takes about three hours. Working around snow delays, the dome should be inflated later this week and open for use by Augsburg athletic teams, local leagues, and community members the week of November 21.