Dear Answer Man: Construction is taking place at U.S. Highway 14 East at Bear Creek Park where they are preparing to tunnel under Highway 14 from the south to north. It looks like they will be installing steel tubing (4-5 ft in diameter). What is taking place? — Michael Wants to Know.
Dear Michael,
We've been down this road before, but you probably shouldn't attempt to stroll from Bear Creek Park to Slatterly Park. The trail connecting those parks, which runs under Highway 14/12th Street East, will be closed for the foreseeable future.
According to Rochester Public Utilities, the construction you're seeing is part of the Marion Road Duct Bank project that is designed to serve the growing need for reliable power in southeast Rochester. Most of the work on the project in Bear Creek Park was completed in 2024, but, as you so astutely noticed, there is some digging and work being done until Highway 14 from south to north at this moment.
Raquel Hellman, communications coordinator with Rochester Public Utilities, said, "Contractors are installing steel casings under Highway 14 as part of the final phase of a new underground electric duct bank system that stretches from RPU’s Marion Road Substation into east-central and downtown Rochester."
She added that the work being done is part of that broader effort to bring reliable service to a part of town with a growing electric demand, namely southeast and downtown Rochester.
"The current phase began in late 2023 and is expected to continue through the end of summer 2025. The casing installation under Highway 14 should be completed in the next four to six weeks," Hellman said.
The duct work under the highway is only part of the project in that area, which began around April 14. In Slatterly Park East, they've removed the 10th Street pedestrian bridge and a new, improved bridge will be put in its place. While you're waiting, pedestrians, cyclists and others — roller skaters? — can either cross Bear Creek at Highway 14 or at a second bridge in Slatterly Park about 1,000 feet north of the 10th Street bridge.
All this work is connected to work being done at Soldiers Field Park where a pedestrian bridge — this one at Ninth Street — is being replaced for a similar reason — to provide support for duct work that will hold electrical cables.
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The Soldiers Field bridge should be open in mid-summer 2025. The work near Bear Creek Park and in Slatterly Park should be done later in the summer.
Hellman noted that since the work is technically being done under the highway, impacts to Highway 14 traffic are minimal. One lane was briefly closed earlier for dewatering setup, and another short closure will be needed to remove that equipment. "These steps are being taken to meet MnDOT requirements and avoid long-term traffic disruptions," she said.
Speaking of MnDOT, Hellman noted that the state agency has a separate project in the area that may cause additional temporary lane closures along Highway 14 East. That work is not related to RPU's project and is being performed by another contractor.
Once all this RPU work is done this summer, it's back to biking or walking from one park to another, creeks and rivers (the Zumbro near Soldiers Field) no longer impeding your progress.
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