Wabasha Street Reconstruction

Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation as the City works with the contractors to finish the Wabasha Street reconstruction project. While we are actively completing the few remaining work of the project, the corridor is still reduced to only one lane of traffic for efficiency and safety of both the workers and public. Here's the update on the anticipated working and timing, weather permitting:

• The installation of street lights and the final concrete sidewalk portion will be poured and completed before Thanksgiving.
• Xcel Energy is working to complete their work at the intersection of 6th Street and Wabasha before the end of the November.
• Due to supply chain issues, we have not yet received the new signal light poles. They have finally shipped and are en route to Saint Paul. Once the City receives the signal light fixtures, it will be approximately two weeks to install, wire, and activate the signals.

We are hoping that we will be able to have the signal lights operational and fully reopen Wabasha Street to traffic by December 16.

Wabasha Street has opened one lane to vehicle traffic from Kellogg Boulevard to 7th Street. Construction vehicles and crews will continue to do work along the corridor. Please expect some delays, backups, and potentially temporary closures on Wabasha Street; proceed with caution and follow all posted signs.

Over the next few weeks, construction will include:

• Striping of the road
• Installing street lights
• Installing traffic signals

Utility work by Xcel Energy will continue at the intersection of Wabasha Street and 6th Street for the next 4-6 weeks. 6th Street is limited to one lane in this area.

Work continues along Wabasha Street. Wabasha Street is closed to vehicles from Kellogg Boulevard to 6th Street, other than accessing parking ramps. 

To access parking ramps, please see the updated map:

• On September 6, access to IGH Parking Ramp on Wabasha from Kellogg Boulevard will be reopened on Sept. 6
• Starting Wednesday, September 7, people must access Lowry or Victory Parking Ramps from 5th Street, turning right (south). People will not be able to access the ramps from 4th Street as the intersection will be fully closed for construction work.
• Starting on September 7, access Lawson Parking Ramp on 5th Street only. The access on 6th Street will be closed for sidewalk work.

The contractor will start sidewalk removals on the westside of Wabasha from 6th Street to 7th Street starting the week of September 5.

Starting Monday, August 15, work will begin on Wabasha Street between 5th Street and 6th Street. The left (west) side of Wabasha Street will be closed, including the sidewalk. Access to businesses and parking ramps will be maintained. Traffic will be reduced to one lane.

A full closure of Wabasha Street from 5th Street to 6th Street will begin Monday, August 22. Street reconstruction work will continue north from Kellogg Boulevard block-by-block rather than the original plan of three separate phases. This scheduling change allows the contractor to work as efficiently as possible, minimizing disruptions, and maintaining access to businesses.

See the Wabasha Construction Update for more details.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! The construction administrator, Nick Turner, will hold another informal “meet and greet” for business owners, tenants, and residents on Friday, August 19 from 11:00 a.m. - Noon in the lobby of 370 Osbourne, next to Hep Cat.

If you have additional project questions or concerns, please contact Nick directly at nturner@alliant-inc.com.

Work continues on Phase 1, focusing between Kellogg Boulevard and 5th Street. There will be a traffic control change will  this week on . Wednesday, July 27 at 7:00 a.m., Wabasha Street will be fully closed at Kellogg Boulevard. Access to the Intercontinental Hotel ramp will come from the east side of the Wabasha Street and 4th Street intersection. Users of the Victory Parking Ramp and Lowry Parking Ramp will also use the east side of the 4th Street intersection to access these ramps. The Victory Ramp and Lowry Ramp will remain open at all times during the reconstruction of Wabasha Street.

Work from Kellogg Blvd to 4th Street:

• Areaway Waterproofing
• Tree trench installation.

Work from 4th St to 5th Street:

• Removals along west side of corridor

Work starting this week:

• Curb and sidewalk installation from Kellogg Boulevard to 4th Street
• Storm Sewer installation from 4th Street to 5th Street

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! The construction administrator, Nick Turner, will hold another informal “meet and greet” for business owners, tenants, and residents on Thursday, July 28 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. in the lobby of 370 Osbourne, next to Hep Cat. If you have additional project questions or concerns, please contact Nick directly at nturner@alliant-inc.com.

Work continues for Phase 1, focusing between Kellogg Boulevard and 5th Street. Traffic controls along Wabasha Street will not change this week, however the west side of 4th Street will close to traffic for work in the intersection beginning Thursday, July 20. Vehicles will still be allowed on to 4th Street via St. Peter Street but will have to perform a U-turn and exit back on St Peter Street. The east side of the 4th Street and Wabasha Street intersection will remain open at this time.

Work in Progress from Kellogg Blvd to 4th St:

• Storm sewer installation
• Areaway waterproofing
• Exploratory excavation for proposed tree trench

Work starting next week:

• Removals of the 4th Street intersection
• Sidewalk placement along Ramsey County Courthouse
• Tree trench excavation and installation
• Curb placement

Work completed last week:

• Waterproofing of Ramsey County Courthouse areaway
• Storm sewer installation at Kellogg Boulevard intersection
• Removals of west side up to 4th Street

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! The construction administrator, Nick Turner, will hold another informal “meet and greet” for business owners, tenants, and residents on Thursday, July 21 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. in the lobby of 370 Osbourne, next to Hep Cat. If you have additional project questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Nick directly at nturner@alliant-inc.com.

The City of Saint Paul’s Wabasha Street Reconstruction project is scheduled to begin July 11. 

Work will begin in the Phase 1 area (Kellogg Boulevard to 5th Street) and continue through the end of November 2022. Currently, the project anticipates this work to be done in three phases, which will require full road closures during the active construction phase.

Phase 1 work will start on Monday, July 11 at 7 a.m.  The road will be posted “Local access only” and will closed to through traffic. Access to and from all businesses and parking ramps will remain open with one lane of vehicle traffic. The initial work will be on the west side of the road, including the parking lane, western drive lane, and sidewalks. The contractor will maintain sidewalk access on the western side of the street during the initial phase of the project.

Business owners, tenants and residents are invited to an informal “meet and greet” with the construction administrator, Nick Turner, on Friday, July 15 from noon – 1 p.m. in the lobby of 370 Osbourne, next to Hep Cat. If you have additional project questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Nick directly at nturner@alliant-inc.com.

Alliant Engineering, Inc.
Nick Turner, PE (MN, IA)
612-767-9350 (office)
712-899-8069 (cell)
nturner@alliant-inc.com

Justin Hoellein, lead inspector
651-788-9617 (office)
763-248-0188 (cell)
jhoellein@alliant-inc.com

The City of Saint Paul’s Wabasha Street Reconstruction project is scheduled to begin July 11. Work will begin in the Phase 1 area (Kellogg Boulevard to 5th Street) and continue through the end of November 2022. Currently, the project anticipates this work to be done in three phases (see map below), which will require full road closures during the active construction phase.

The City has hired a private contractor.to lead the Wabasha Street Reconstruction project. In addition, we are working with Alliant Engineering, Inc. to provide additional “on-the-ground" field support with regular project inspections and communication updates with businesses along the corridor.

The City would like to take this opportunity to introduce the Alliant Engineering team (Nick Turner and Justin Hoellein). They will be your first go-to contacts with the daily construction project needs and questions, but please do not hesitate to reach out to the City with additional issues or concerns.

Alliant Engineering, Inc.
Nick Turner, PE (MN, IA)
612-767-9350 (office)
712-899-8069 (cell)
nturner@alliant-inc.com

Justin Hoellein, lead inspector
651-788-9617 (office)
763-248-0188 (cell)
jhoellein@alliant-inc.com

Xcel Energy Update
Xcel Energy Gas has completed natural gas line replacement on Wabasha between 4th and 6th Streets. They will continue to move north along Wabasha to Exchange Street, beyond the City's reconstruction project area.

Wabasha Street from Kellogg Boulevard to 7^th Street in downtown is scheduled for reconstruction this year. Saint Paul Public Works is scheduled to begin our work in June 2022 through the end of November 2022.

Xcel Energy Gas and other utilities have notified the City of Saint Paul that they will be doing a variety of projects on Wabasha Street between Kellogg Boulevard and Exchange Street starting in April through June 2022, prior to the City’s construction work.

This work will be done in phases, and Xcel Energy will have lane closures (primarily on the east side of Wabasha Street) starting on April 8. As of March 31, 2022, Metro Transit has relocated all bus routes and stops off Wabasha Street. This is a permanent change and bus transit/stops will no longer run on this section of Wabasha Street.

Xcel Energy and other utilities are required to maintain access for sidewalks, driveways, and ramps during construction. Please notify any tenants/businesses, employees, customers, and visitors about the project and changing parking restrictions and/or potential access issues.

The City of Saint Paul’s Wabasha Street Reconstruction Project is slated to begin in June 2022. Currently, we anticipate this work to be done in three phases (see map below), which will require full road closures during the active construction phase.

• Staging Map
• Project Map

• Project Update Letter - 4/1/22
• Project Notification Letter - 11/15/21

• Video Presentation - November 2021
• Presentation Slides - November 2021
• As referenced in the video presentation, here is the City's Areaway Policy