Massive Duluth Road Construction Project Gets Underway

Construction on a popular Duluth road near the Hartley Nature Center got underway this week alongside an infrastructure project.

According to a Northern News Now report, construction on Woodland Avenue between Snively Road and Anoka Street began this week, which will see about 1.5 miles of road repaved and changed.

Officials with St. Louis County and the City of Duluth say that upon the completion of construction, the road will be changed from having two lanes in each direction to one wider lane in each direction with a continuous center turn lane. They also say a bike lane, enhanced pedestrian crossings, and other safety improvements will be added.

Construction is expected to last through August, but the road will remain open with lane closures for most of the duration of construction. There will be a road closure for about three weeks between St. Paul Avenue and Northfield Street, though officials have not determined when that will take place.

Alongside the road construction, a series of stormwater basins near Woodland Avenue will also be constructed just north of the entrance to Harley Park. That project will also include the replacement of existing storm sewer pipes under Woodland Avenue to redirect them to the new treatment system.

Officials say the new stormwater system will bring cleaner water, reduce erosion, and improve the wildlife habitat and water quality of Tischer Creek. Funding for the project will come from a $500,000 clean water partnership grant from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources and $1.5 million in federal funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.