Current Status: N 3rd Street is closed from W Main Street to W Redwood Street
Contractor: R and G Construction Co. , Marshall, MN
Estimated Completion Date (weather permitting): October 2023
Project Area: The project area is N 3rd Street from W Main Street to W Redwood Street and W Lyon Street from E College Drive to N 5th Street. The project also includes the Addison Parking Lot that is located at the intersection of W Lyon Street and E College Drive.
Traffic Impacts: For Phase I of the project, N 3rd Street will be closed from W Main Street to W Redwood Street. During this closure, there will be no vehicular access to N 3rd Street.
Pedestrian access to N 3rd Street will be maintained to the maximum extent practicable while utility work is occurring in this area. Downtown patrons may park in all city-owned parking lots (Addison, Baldwin, Rose) and on W Lyon Street on either side of N 3rd Street. Sidewalks and alleys should be generally passable for customers to access businesses on N 3rd Street.
Access to the Post Office drop box must come from N 4th Street through the alley. Drop boxes are located in the alley behind the Post Office. Drop box users should use the drop box and then travel down the alley to E College Drive. The alley way will remain open for Post Office drop box users. There may be a period of time where users are not able to cross N 3rd Street using the alley, and during this time they will need to travel the alley back to N 4th Street. The Contractor will work to minimize the amount of time that this is required.
This first phase of construction may last into July. We ask for patience as we work on replacing necessary city utilities and installing a new concrete street and sidewalk surface in this area.
Phase II of the project will include the closure of W Lyon Street from E college Drive to N 5th Street.
Click Here to view the full PDF of Phase 1 Traffic Control Maps for this construction project.
Project Overview: The N 3rd Street and W Lyon Street Improvement project includes full reconstruction and utility replacement of North 3rd Street from West Main Street (US Highway 59) to West Redwood Street and West Lyon Street from East College Drive (MN Highway 19) to North 5th Street. As part of the reconstruction project, all watermain and sanitary sewer mains and services will be replaced within the Right-of-Way. The storm sewer will also be fully reconstructed. The street will be reconstructed including replacement of the sidewalks, curb and gutter, gravel base and paved surface.
Early in the process, City staff were requested to consider making changes in how N 3rd Street functions and interacts with the rest of downtown. Staff were asked to consider the following items:
- Removal of the traffic signal at the intersection of N 3rd Street and W Lyon Street
- Alternative pedestrian crossings of W Main Street in lieu of the traffic signal
- Reconfiguration of N 3rd Street from a two-way street to a one-way street
- Dedicating more space on N 3rd Street to pedestrian use
Following engineering study at the intersection of N 3rd Street and W Main Street, it was determined that the traffic signal was not warranted or required for proper traffic operations at the intersection. It was further determined that reconfiguring the one block of N 3rd Street between W Main Street and W Lyon Street from a two-way street to a one-way street would have no significant negative impacts to traffic flow and movement in the downtown district. The major benefit of the one-way configuration is wider sidewalks to create a better pedestrian environment with excellent accessibility. After significant input and review from the Downtown Business Association, the City Council authorized the project to move forward in its current form. The traffic signal at the intersection of W Main Street and N 3rd Street will remain in place and will serve as a safe pedestrian crossing of Main Street. The signal light will stay green on Main at all times until a pedestrian activates the push button to request a signal change for a pedestrian crossing.
