Cedar Avenue Bus Routes Will Be Up and Running This Spring

Construction of the bus shoulder lanes along Cedar Avenue should be complete by the end of the year, according to the Star Tribune.

More Cedar Avenue Traffic Changes Slated to Start Wednesday

A traffic signal will be removed permanently, and southbound Cedar between 136th and 150th will go down to two lanes.

Expect a couple changes to your Cedar Avenue travels this week, as road construction for a new bus rapid transit system continues: Temporary lane closures are possible between Dodd Road in Lakeville and 155th Street to work on the median, and additional southbound closures between 136th and 150th for striping and setting barriers are possible as well. Median closures at 138th and 143rd are slated to be permanent, according to the county; no left turns will be possible onto either of these roads from Cedar. Access to Upper 139th Street from Cedar also is permanently closed. Plans could change based on weather conditions. There are also some road construction projects starting in nearby Eagan and Rosemount this week. Construction on the road…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Allison Wickler

11:43 am on Monday, April 16, 2012

Have the Cedar lane closures and construction this spring been troublesome when you need to drive, or have you been able to avoid it all pretty well? I try to use side streets if possible, just in case.   more ›

Contracts, Payments for City Projects Approved by Apple Valley City Council

The council on Thursday approved a handful of contracts and payments for projects, totaling

In addition to approving a new clubhouse for Valleywood Golf Course and a final mapping of the Cobblestone Lake neighborhood's fifth addition, the Apple Valley City Council on Thursday also approved more than $57,000 in contracts and $94,000 in payments for projects. The council:

• Photos (1)

Temporary Road Closures Begin Tuesday in Apple Valley

Two side streets will be closed the rest of the week.

Temporary road closures set to begin Tuesday in Apple Valley are: These closures are part of the Cedar Avenue construction project, which is increasing the number of lanes on Cedar to accommodate a bus rapid transit system, where buses will take bus-only shoulder lanes from Lakeville and Apple Valley to the Mall of America. Bus rapid transit is set to begin near the end of 2012, though some construction will continue until the summer of 2013. To follow Cedar Avenue construction updates, visit Dakota County's website for the project.

• Photos (1)

Photos: Cedar Avenue Construction Continues in Apple Valley and Lakeville

Construction along the corridor, which is a county road, is scheduled to last through 2012.

As most Apple Valley residents have noticed, construction is in full swing along Cedar Avenue from about County Road 42 all the way to Dodd Boulevard in Lakeville. In addition to rush hour congestion, many local roads are being temporarily closed while crews lay new storm sewers and perform other work. Coming up, 160th Street is scheduled to be closed just east of the intersection at Cedar Avenue from 10 p.m. on Friday until 5 a.m. on Saturday, weather permitting. Traffic will be detoured for this closure.  The signal systems at various intersections between Dodd Boulevard and County Road 42 may also be put on flashing red (all-way stop) for short periods of time while crews do their work. About this Project Bus rapid transit along Cedar …

• Photos (41)

Tree Removal on Cedar Avenue in Apple Valley Begins

Constructions crews will remove roadside trees in preparation for lane expansions to accommodate the future bus rapid transit system.

Crews began removing trees along Cedar Avenue in Apple Valley on Wednesday, as part of the construction on Cedar Avenue to expand the roadways during 2011 and 2012 to accommodate a bus rapid transit system along the corridor. Trees along the road from 147th Street West south to 160th Street West in Apple Valley will be removed, according to a news release from Dakota County, under whose jurisdiction the construction falls. Tree removal started along the southbound side of the road.  The release says that for almost every tree removed, two will be planted upon completion of the construction; post-construction landscaping plans in 2012 include adding 1,300 shrubs and nearly 2,000 perennials, the release says, and the county will work with …

• Photos (5)

Apple Valley Patch's Week in Review

Check out stories from last week that you might have missed (or just peruse them again!).

Road construction and lane closures began on Cedar Avenue from 155th Street West in Apple Valley south to Dodd Boulevard in Lakeville on Monday, the beginning stages of widening the corridor to accommodate bus rapid transit. We also provided some photos from the first stage of the construction. Eastview High School will move up to a new class for sections in football in 2012, after the Minnesota State High School League created a Class 6A for the 32 schools in the state with the greatest enrollment. The Apple Valley Police Department's latest arrests report showed several DUI and traffic-related arrests. Apple Valley resident Dr. Marc Manley, chief prevention officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, is the primary health care …

• Photos (10)
• Videos (1)

Road Construction, Lane Closures on Cedar Avenue Begin Monday

The project is meant to pave the way for a bus rapid transit system along Cedar Avenue.

Construction on Cedar Avenue to implement a bus rapid transit system is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Monday, according to county plans, with lane closures on the southbound side between Dodd Boulevard in Lakeville and 155th Street West in Apple Valley. This week, crews are scheduled to restripe the southbound lanes along that stretch of Cedar, build concrete barriers and start taking out curbs. The project as a whole involves creating shoulders specifically for buses and widening Cedar Avenue. The goal of the bus rapid transit system planned along Cedar is to better and more quickly connect the southern suburbs with Minneapolis and St. Paul. Construction is set to continue through 2012. Stay with Apple Valley Patch for more on the …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (2)

Minnesota Zoo Construction on Track for Late Spring, Summer Completion

The four projects that are part of phase one of the Heart of the Zoo construction plan are slated to open in late spring and summer.

Even during the harsh winter weather, the Minnesota Zoo is in full swing with first phase of its Heart of the Zoo construction projects that began in the fall. Construction is on track time-wise and budget-wise, said zoo Director Lee Ehmke. Most construction work right now is taking place indoors, Ehmke said. The Target Learning Center, an indoor theater and auditorium, is scheduled to open in May, he said, while the remaining projects—a Penguins of the African Coast exhibit, the Cargill Environmental Education Center and a revamped entryway—will be done and opened in July. About $15 million of the $20 million cost of the phase-one projects comes from the state, and the remaining $5 million from Target and Cargill, Ehmke said. All three …

• Photos (4)

Apple Valley Moves Ahead with 2011 Road Projects

Garden View Drive, from Walnut Lane north to Palomino Drive, is Apple Valley's major road reconstruction project for next year.

Crews will be rebuilding 1.5 miles of Garden View Drive, from Walnut Lane to Palomino Drive, and resurfacing another 7.5 miles of Apple Valley's roads in 2011. The estimate for the projects is $4.08 million. Because Garden View qualifies for assistance from the state, all but $241,000 of the $1.254 million estimated project cost will come from the state; the rest of the funds will come from the city. Final plans and costs for the projects are scheduled to go to the City Council in February. Glen Pirie, who lives along Garden View Drive, said he recalls some type of work done on the road when he moved in seven years ago. He said the road doesn't seem to be in terrible shape now. "I've seen a lot worse," Pirie said, recalling a stretch of …

• Photos (1)