Beginning tomorrow, a stretch of First Avenue East will be off-limits to both vehicular and foot traffic between First Street and Second Street as contractors dive into utility repairs. According to a Facebook post by the City of Duluth, the closure is necessary for a snarl of utility repairs and is expected to last until Friday, October 11.
Drivers and pedestrians, anticipating to wind their way through downtown Duluth, will need to detour via First Street, Lake Avenue, Second Street, and Second Avenue East. Detour signs will shepherd the flow around the construction zone. And while two lanes on Second Street will remain open, part of it - the parking lane and one travel lane at the intersection with First Avenue East will be sealed off. The alley that runs between First and Second Street won't be spared either; it's set to be inaccessible from First Avenue East. Residents and business patrons needing to use this alley will have to enter from Lake Avenue or Second Avenue East.
This segment of First Avenue East is just a part of a larger project that will eventually see closures extend from First Street to Fourth Street. As the trenches widen and the work intensifies, more disruptions loom on the horizon. Duluth’s residents can expect updates as the situation unfolds and the city's arteries are meticulously repaired, fortified for futures unseen but as surely coming as the turning of the earth.
Those parked on Second Street should prepare to scout out new spots, as the area will be signposted and the city will enforce the no-parking policy. With First Avenue East locked in the embrace of utility work, the usual hum of traffic and commerce will be rerouted. For more details and future updates on this city’s infrastructural ballet, the city encourages checking back regularly on its official Facebook page.
