Second Closure of 2nd St. Southwest in Rochester Starts Monday

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- Another portion of 2nd St. Southwest in Rochester is now closed.

See Also: New Finish Date Set for Hwy. 14 Project in Rochester 

It’s the latest closure for construction of infrastructure needed for the future Link Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT). Traffic in the area of St. Mary’s Hospital will be impacted. 

Lane closures started on 3rd Ave. Southeast late last month for work on the eastern end of the line. Traffic is reduced to a single lane in each direction from 4th St. to 8th St. Southeast until next year. 

Read More: Lane Closures Begin on 3rd Ave. Southeast in Rochester 

Crews will also be closing the intersection of 3rd Ave. and 6th St. Southeast on August 18. 

2nd St. Southwest has been closed since May between 4th Ave. and 6th Ave. Southwest to accommodate construction of an underground pedestrian tunnel that will connect a future Mayo Clinic patient care building with a future Link BRT stop. 

2nd St. Southwest Now Closed in Front of St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester

On August 11, a second portion of 2nd St. Southwest completely closed for Link BRT work. The newest closure spans from 11th Ave. to 13th Ave. Southwest. 

See Also: Rochester City Council Approves Bid That Raises Cost of Link BRT Project by More Than $20 Million 

Traffic in that section of the road, which runs along the northern side of St. Mary’s Hospital, has been reduced to a single lane in each direction since July 15. 

The closure is to accommodate construction of a subsurface tunnel that will connect St. Mary’s Hospital with a stop on the Link BRT route. 

A news release says crews will reopen 2nd St. between 11th and 12th Avenues in the late Fall. The road is scheduled to reopen at 13th Ave. Southwest by the end of the year. 

The 2nd St. closure is scheduled to expand to 14th Ave. Southwest in Mid-September. The 14th Ave. Southwest intersection will remain open to north-south traffic, officials say. 

The news release says accommodations for emergency personnel and access for local properties will be maintained during the closure.