Greenway a smooth ride but some detours continue this fall

The resurfacing project on the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis is complete, and I've seen lots of rollerbladers taking advantage of the smooth surface.

Simon Blenski from the city's Bicycle and Pedestrian Section tells me all that's left is re-striping, which will take place sometime this fall.

(Cyclists are seen riding on the Midtown Greenway in this file photo. Photo by Jon Collins)

However, detour signs are still greeting cyclists and pedestrians connecting to the Greenway from Lake Calhoun or making their way between the Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles. The Metropolitan Council continues its work to replace a 3,500-foot stretch of sanitary sewer pipe.

That project later this month will involve work in the channel between the two lakes, which will affect boat traffic, said Tim O'Donnell, the Met Council's citizen liaison for the project.

For now and through November, bicycle and pedestrian access between Lake Calhoun and the Greenway takes a detour onto the Mall and then on James Avenue South. And motorists aren't able to get onto Lake of the Isles Parkway from East Calhoun Parkway except for on weekends. Bikes and pedestrians can still access Lake of the Isles trails from the Greenway.

Boat traffic between the two lakes will be affected around the week of Sept. 24, when crews work on the pipe underneath the channel, O'Donnell said. Crews will have to dredge part of the channel to access the pipe. Curious passersby should be able to get a good look at that work from the Greenway bridge.

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