Residents and commuters in St. Louis Park are advised to adjust their routes as continued roadwork on Cedar Lake Road brings significant detours and traffic calming measures. The 2024 Cedar Lake Road Project, overseen by Eureka Construction, is entering various stages of completion, with thoroughfare closures affecting travel between Jordan Avenue and Rhode Island Avenue.
The City of St. Louis Park has provided a staging plan and detour route, urging the public to utilize posted alternatives. Temporary traffic chicanes, which guide vehicles along curving paths to curb speeding, have been installed on the 2200 block of Quebec Avenue, the 2300 block of Rhode Island Avenue, and on 24th Street. Project Engineer Aaron Wiesen expressed in a public bulletin, "These are temporary and will be removed once Cedar Lake Road is fully open to traffic."
Community institutions such as Westwood Lutheran Church and School, Park Spanish Immersion School, and the SLP Middle School on Texas Avenue have had access routes impacted. The City has provided dedicated access maps and guidance for navigating these changes. Specifically, access to Westwood is through the west stage, and Park Spanish Immersion School visitors should approach from west Highway 169. For SLP Middle School, the recommended route is via Louisiana Avenue and Wayzata Boulevard.
Paving work is a key component of the upgrades. The west stage is scheduled for the final layer of pavement on November 2, while the middle stage received its first layer on October 9. "The majority of the work is complete in the west stage besides for installation of signs, pavement markings, lighting and the rapid flashing beacons at the crossing locations," Aaron Wiesen detailed in his public communiqué. Grading and concrete installations, necessary precursors to final paving, are proceeding in the east stage where utility work has recently concluded.
The City of St. Louis Park regrets any inconvenience caused by the construction, lauding citizens' cooperation and understanding as they work towards street and utility improvements. Further information can be found in the 2024 Cedar Lake Road Improvements Newsletter and on the project's website.
