Ayd Mill Road

Project Details

Description
The Ayd Mill Road Improvement Project implemented a new 3-lane street design with two southbound vehicle lanes, one northbound vehicle lane and the creation of a new shared pedestrian and bicycle trail along the eastside of Ayd Mill Road. Other construction work included:

An entire mill and overlay (new asphalt)
Storm sewer work and repairs
Permanent signals
Additional lighting

Location
Ayd Mill Road between Interstate 35E and Selby Avenue

Timeline
August 2020 to November 2020

Tags

Project Documents

- Press Release - Ayd Mill Road Reopening November 7, 2020
- Press Release - Ayd Mill Road Community Meeting
- Frequently Asked Questions

Project Updates

Ayd Mill Road will reopen on November 7 at 7 a.m.

Community members invited to join Mayor Carter to bike and walk the new Ayd Mill Road trail on Saturday, November 7 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Join the Mayor at 9 a.m. for brief welcome remarks at Eleanor Graham Community Garden (located at Ashland Avenue and Hamline Avenue).

In addition to the improvements on Ayd Mill Road and installation of the new bike and pedestrian infrastructure, Saint Paul Public Works determined that the new, lower speed limit on Ayd Mill Road is 35 mph. The change in speed limit is due to the modified design and use of the roadway, and takes into account user safety, roadway access, roadway design, and adjacent land use.

To celebrate the reopening of Ayd Mill Road and the new bike and pedestrian trail, Mayor Carter invites community members to join him Saturday morning, November 7, for a socially distant bike ride or walk along the new Ayd Mill Road trail, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. The Mayor will gather socially distant with community members at the Eleanor Graham Community Garden (located at Ashland Avenue and Hamline Avenue) at 9 a.m. for brief welcome remarks. Public health guidance including masks and social distancing will be observed.

Press Release - Ayd Mill Road Reopening
- Asphalt overlay paving on Ayd Mill Road has started. South bound lanes and on/off ramp paving is ongoing. North bound lane and Selby Avenue intersection paving is complete.
- All trail pavement placed between Grand Avenue overpass and the north side of the Summit Avenue bridge.
- All trail connection pavement placed at Grand Avenue ramp and Ashland Avenue.
- Top soil placement continues between Grand Avenue and Selby Avenue.
- Seeding and stabilization is ongoing.
- New signal and lighting system wiring installation is ongoing.
- Completed erecting new road and trail light poles.
- Placement of new traffic signs is ongoing.
- Project cleanup in preparation for the bituminous overlay on Ayd Mill Road continues.
- Jefferson Avenue traffic control reduced to only impact east bound bike lane.
- Selby Avenue detour for pedestrians and west bound traffic in place to help facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety.
Contractor is paving southbound lanes of Ayd Mill Road using large equipment.The photo shows the view from northbound Ayd Mill Road between the Summit Avenue bridge and Ashland Avenue.

Steel drum roller is compacting freshly placed asphalt on northbound lane of Ayd Mill Road. The photo shows the view facing southbound from under the Selby Avenue overpass from the edge of the new trail.
- First layer of new trail pavement placed between Grand Avenue overpass and the north side of the Summit Avenue bridge.
- First layer of new trail connection pavement placed at Grand Avenue ramp and Ashland Avenue.
- Top soil placement continues between Ashland Avenue and Grand Avenue.
- Seeding and stabilization is ongoing.
- New signal and lighting system wiring installation is ongoing.
- Erecting new road and trail light poles is ongoing.
- Completed erecting signal poles at St. Clair Avenue, Grand Avenue and Ashland Avenue.
- Cleaning the sewer systems is complete.
- Placement of new traffic signs is ongoing.
- Project cleanup in preparation for the bituminous overlay on Ayd Mill Road continues.
- Jefferson Avenue traffic control reduced to only impact east bound bike lane.
- Selby Avenue detour for pedestrians and west bound traffic in place to help facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety.
Ayd Mill Road construction photo showing the southbound view from the Grand Avenue overpass as of 10.26.20.

Ayd Mill Road construction photo showing the northbound view from the Grand Avenue overpass as of 10.26.20.
- ADA compliant sidewalk placement is complete.
- Grading for the trail from Ashland Avenue to Selby Avenue is complete.
- New trail pavement placed between Selby Avenue trail connection and Summit Avenue bridge.
- Top soil placement started between Selby Avenue trail connection and Summit Avenue bridge.
- New signal and lighting system wiring installation is ongoing.
- Erecting new road and trail light poles is ongoing.
- Erecting new signal poles started at St. Clair Avenue intersection.
- Placement of new traffic signs is ongoing.
- New concrete pavement placement in areas of completed utility work and at identified pavement repair locations is complete.
- Project cleanup in preparation for the bituminous overlay on Ayd Mill Road continues.
- Jefferson Avenue traffic control reduced to only impact east bound bike lane.
- Selby Avenue detour for pedestrians and west bound traffic in place to help facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety
- New ADA compliant curb and sidewalk placed at south side of Ayd Mill Road and Selby Avenue.
- Soil bed preparation, seeding, and stabilization of the topsoil along both sides of the trail continued from St. Clair Avenue and progressed to just south of Grand Avenue.
- Grading for the trail from Ashland Avenue to Selby Avenue continues.
- New signal and lighting system wiring and base installation is ongoing.
- Erecting new road and trail lighting started at Jefferson Avenue along the trail.
- New concrete pavement continues being placed in areas of completed utility work and at identified pavement repair locations.
- Joint and crack repairs started a the south end of Ayd Mill Road and progressed to Hamline Avenue overpass.
- Project cleanup in preparation for the bituminous overlay on Ayd Mill Road has started.
- Jefferson Avenue traffic control reduced to only impact east bound bike lane.
- Selby Avenue detour for pedestrians and west bound traffic in place to help facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety.
New light poles along the new trail as seen northbound from Jefferson Avenue on 10.10.20.

Construction of Ayd Mill Road showing southbound view from Grand Avenue overpass as of 10.10.20.

Construction of Ayd Mill Road showing northbound view from Grand Avenue overpass as of 10.10.20.
- New curb placed along the east side of the north bound lane of Ayd Mill Road from the Ashland Avenue intersection to the Selby Avenue overpass.
- Graded a swale into identified boulevard areas between Lexington Parkway and Grand Avenue. See photo below of blade used to cut the swale shape into the boulevard.
- Soil bed preparation, seeding, and stabilization of the topsoil along both sides of the trail started at Jefferson Avenue and has progressed to just south of St. Clair Avenue.
- Continue grading for the trail from Ashland Avenue to Selby Avenue.
- New signal and lighting system installation is ongoing.
- New concrete pavement continues being placed in areas of completed utility work and at identified pavement repair locations.
- Joint and crack repairs started a the south end of Ayd Mill Road.
- Selby detour for pedestrians and west bound traffic in place to help facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety.
Blade used to cut the swale shape in the boulevard areas along Ayd Mill Road.
- New trail surface placed along Ayd Mill Road from Jefferson Avenue to Grand Avenue and along the St. Clair Avenue ramp.
- Completed patching on the south side of St. Clair Avenue at the new ADA ramp, landing, and trail access point.
- Started grading the trail along Ayd Mill Road from Ashland Avenue to Selby Avenue and along Ashland Avenue. Clean root cutting done to prevent damage to trees along trail work at Ashland Avenue.
- Continuing to place topsoil in median and boulevard areas.
- New signal and lighting system installation is ongoing.
- Concrete rubble processing is complete.
- New concrete pavement continues being placed in areas of completed utility work and at identified pavement repair locations.
- New ADA compliant curb places along south side of Selby Avenue.
- Selby detour for pedestrians and west bound traffic in place to help facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety.
Construction of Ayd Mill Road and the new trail surface showing the northbound view taken from the St. Clair overpass on 9.25.20.

Construction of Ayd Mill Road and the new trail surface showing the southbound view taken from the St. Clair overpass on 9.25.20.
- New concrete curb placed along northbound Ayd Mill Road from St Clair Avenue to Ashland Avenue.
- New concrete median and pavement placed for left turn lane extension on north bound Ayd Mill Road at Ashland Avenue.
- New ADA compliant curb for trail crossings placed at the Grand Avenue and Ashland Avenue intersections.
- Completed installation of new storm drainage structures in south bound Ayd Mill Road lanes.
- New curb and concrete pavement for south bound acceleration lane at the Grand Avenue onramp placed.
- New curb and concrete pavement for left turn lane from Ashland Avenue to north bound Ayd Mill Road placed.
- Began soil placement for median between the northbound lane of Ayd Mill Road and trail.
- Final grading of the trail along Ayd Mill Road between Jefferson Avenue and Grand Avenue is complete.
- New signal and lighting system installation is ongoing.
- New concrete pavement continues being placed in areas of completed utility work and at identified pavement repair locations.
- Concrete rubble is being crushed and recycled to be used as gravel under the pavement. Crushing operation started near Jefferson Avenue overpass and has progressed to the south side of the Selby Avenue overpass. Crushing operation is nearing completion.
- Selby detour for pedestrians and west bound traffic in place to help facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety.
Construction of Ayd Mill Road showing the northbound view taken from the St. Clair overpass on 9.18.20.

Construction of Ayd Mill Road showing southbound view taken from Grand overpass on 9.18.20.
- New concrete median and pavement placed for left turn lane on north bound Ayd Mill Road at St Clair Avenue and Grand Avenue.
- New ADA complaint curb, ramps, and landings placed at the Grand Avenue ramp intersection.
- Completed building the sub-base for the trail along the St Clair Avenue and Grand Avenue ramps.
- New signal and lighting system installation is ongoing.
- Installation of new storm drainage structures in the south bound Ayd Mill Road lanes is ongoing.
- Installation of new drain tile along the south bound Ayd Mill Road between Grande Avenue and St Clair Avenue is complete.
- Started building the base for the south bound acceleration lane at the Grand Avenue on ramp.
- New concrete pavement continues being placed in areas of completed utility work and at identified pavement repair locations.
- Concrete rubble is being crushed and recycled to be used as gravel under the pavement. Crushing operation started near Jefferson Avenue overpass and has progressed to south of the Selby Avenue overpass.
- Built the base for left turn lane from Ashland Avenue to north bound Ayd Mill Road.
- Building the base and grading the trail continues. Started trail building by Jefferson Avenue and have progressed to the north side of the Hamline Avenue overpass.
- Variable depth concrete milling to remove flat areas of the old pavement is complete.
- Selby detour for west bound traffic continues to help facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety.
Ayd Mill Road construction facing south from the St Clair Avenue overpass.

Ayd Mill Road construction facing north from the St Clair Avenue overpass.

Variable depth concrete milling on Ayd Mill Road.
- Pavement repairs on Ayd Mill Road are complete between St Clair Avenue and Jefferson Avenue.
- New ADA compliant curb, ramps, landings, and sidewalk placed at the St Clair Avenue ramp intersection.
- Continuing to build the sub-base for the trail along the St Clair Avenue and Grand Avenue ramps.
- New signal and lighting system installation is ongoing.
- Installation of new storm drainage structures in the north bound Ayd Mill Road lane in complete.
- Started installation of new storm drainage structures in the south bound Ayd Mill Road lanes.
- New concrete pavement continues being placed in areas of completed utility work and at identified pavement repair locations.
- Concrete rubble is being crushed and recycled to be used as gravel under the pavement. Crushing operation started near Jefferson Avenue overpass and has progressed to north of the Hamline Avenue overpass.
- Shaping the turf area between the trail and Ayd Mill Road started at Jefferson Avenue.
- Grading the new trail continues. Grading started by Jefferson Avenue and has progressed to Ashland Avenue.
- Selby detour for west bound traffic continues to help facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety.
Ayd Mill Road construction photos 9.4.20
- New base pavement placed for the Jefferson Avenue to north bound Ayd Mill Road ramp realignment.
- New concrete pavement placed in areas of completed utility work and at identified pavement repair locations.
- Started building the sub-base for the trail along the St Clair Avenue and Grand Avenue ramps.
- New signal and lighting system installation is ongoing.
- Installation of the new storm drainage structures in the north bound lane of Ayd Mill Road has moved from the Grand Avenue overpass to the Hamline Avenue overpass.
- Concrete rubble is being crushed and recycled to be used as gravel under the pavement. Crushing operation started near Jefferson Avenue overpass and has progress to north of the Summit Avenue overpass.
- Shaping the turf area between the trail and Ayd Mill Road started at Jefferson Avenue.
- Grading the new trail continues. Grading started by Jefferson Avenue and has progressed to the north side of Grand Avenue.
- Selby detour for west bound traffic continues to help facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety.
Ayd Mill Road construction facing north bound from the St Clair Avenue overpass.

Ayd Mill Road construction facing south bound from the St Clair Avenue overpass.
Work completed last week
- New curb and base pavement placed along the south side of Jefferson Avenue at the intersection with the Ayd Mill Road onramp that is being changed to accommodate traffic turning from both east and west bound vehicle traffic on Jefferson Avenue.
- New ADA compliant curb, ramps, landings, driveways and sidewalk placed on the north side of Ayd Mill Road at the Selby Avenue intersection.
- New curb placed for the ramp realignment from Jefferson Avenue to north bound Ayd Mill Road.
- Pruning trees for trail and lighting clearance and sight lines for drivers is complete.
- Rubblization of concrete pavement removals is complete.
Work this week
- New signal and lighting system installation is ongoing.
- Installation of the new storm drainage structures in the north bound lane of Ayd Mill Road has moved from St. Clair Avenue to south of the Grand Avenue overpass.
- Grading the new trail continues. Grading started by Jefferson Avenue and has progressed to the north side of St. Clair Avenue.
- Concrete rubble is being crushed and recycled to be used as gravel under the pavement. Crushing operation started near the Jefferson Avenue overpass and has progressed to the Grand Avenue overpass.
- Selby detour for west bound traffic continues to help facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety.
New curb on Ayd Mill Road at Jefferson Avenue. Overpass in background is Jefferson Avenue. Photo taken facing south east.
Work completed last week
- Selby detour for west bound traffic implemented to facilitate construction activities and maintain public safety.
- New curb placed along the north side of Jefferson Avenue at the old onramp that is being converted to a shared use trail.
- New ADA compliant curb, ramps, landings, and sidewalk placed on the south side of Grand Avenue at the top of the ramp to Ayd Mill Road.
- Installation of new storm drainage structures south of the Ayd Mill Road and St Clair Avenue intersection complete.
- Pavement sawing for removals is complete.
Work continuing this week
- Continuing to prune trees for trail clearance, lighting clearance and driver sightlines. Pruning trees is 80% complete.
- New signal and lighting system install started and will continue this week.
- Contractor is continuing to rubblize concrete pavement removals.
- Concrete rubble is being crushed and recycled to be used as gravel under the pavement.
- Realigning Jefferson Avenue to north bound Ayd Mill Road nearing completion.
- Grading the trail started by Jefferson Avenue.
The equipment currently being used on Ayd Mill Road to rubblize the concrete and mill the surface of the road is the same type of equipment we use when we mill and overlay streets throughout the city. This week an additional piece of equipment will be onsite to crush the concrete into gravel pieces. This crushing operation is done on a suspended conveyor system and not directly on the pavement surface like the milling and rubblizing. The crushing may be loud, but does not cause vibrations like the milling and rubblizing which are done directly on the road surface.
- Sewer work has begun.
- Rubblizing concrete pavement removals continues.
- Restoration of the ADA ramps at Grand Avenue has begun.
- Traffic control signs and barricades placed prior to work starting.
- Erosion control measures placed prior to work starting.
- Top soil stripped along mainline Ayd Mill Road in preparation for the trail subcut.
- Mainline and ramps 2” bituminous milling is complete.
- Pruning trees for trail clearance, lighting clearance and driver sight lines is 45% complete.
- Signal heads cabinets and poles are removed.
- Lighting system removals are 50% complete.
- Installation of new storm drainage structures began on Friday, August 7.
- Pavement sawing for removals is 70% complete.
- Contractor rubblizing concrete pavement removals.
- Realigning Jefferson Ave to north bound Ayd Mill Road has begun.
- Pavement removals for the trail at the Jefferson connection complete.
- Adjustments to the traffic signal at Hamline Avenue and Ashland Avenue will be made to accommodate traffic flow and pedestrians.
Ayd Mill Road Presentation

Thanks to everyone who completed the survey or provided comments regarding Ayd Mill Road. We received 1,138 responses to the survey and had 1,825 (and counting) views of the video presentation.

Please watch the next Ayd Mill Road Presentation video, which summarizes the survey responses and shares the traffic modeling data.
- Video Presentation
- PowerPoint Slides
- Comments or Questions about video presentation - closed on April 20, 2020.
Ayd Mill Road Community Meeting Update

Following federal and state guidelines, Saint Paul Public Works canceled the scheduled in-person community meeting on Ayd Mill Road. To continue to meet the project timeline, share project information and gather community feedback, Public Works recorded the planned in-person PowerPoint presentation as a narrated video of the slides.

Please watch the Ayd Mill Road Community Presentation video, which shares information about the history of Ayd Mill Road, the condition of the road, and alternatives that have been considered for repair and maintenance of the road, including the proposed 3-lane plan. After watching the video or viewing the PowerPoint slides of the presentation, please complete the feedback form by March 31, 2020 so we can gather your concerns and questions about the recommended proposal for Ayd Mill Road.
- Video Presentation
- PowerPoint Slides
- Feedback Form - closed on March 31, 2020
Public Works will share traffic modeling and the community's summarized feedback on Monday, April 6, 2020.

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