Ribbon Cutting Event

Eyes on Main Street - November 21, 2013

Ribbon Cutting Event

What a spectacular site today! Watching the Legion Colorguard march down the street and seeing all the students walk towards us. It was an unforgettable day! Watch KTTC News tonight at 6 and 10 for a recap. It was so great for them to come and celebrate our day. Here are some photos from today, more recap later.

Palmer Ovestrud was 9 when the road was paved in the 30s!

Marlene taking a group photo!

Ribbon is cut by Nicki Ellingson, Student Council President, and Mayor Bruce Poole cut ribbon.

Detour signs are picked up!

Road opens.

News on the Street

Eyes on Main Street - Today's Date

News on the Street

Steve Pierce, Mathy Onsite Manager, said the street will be open Thursday afternoon. Hope to see many of you at the Ribbon Cutting tomorrow. Remember what the street used to look like? Check back tomorrow for updated photos of final.

Preschool Watches, Final Touches, and Highway 44 Opens

Eyes on Main Street - November 20, 2013

Preschool Watches, Final Touches, and Highway 44 Opens

Walking along Main Street last night was so exciting - seeing the new lights, the finished road, the smooth sidewalks, and more. I can't wait until spring when the landscaping begins to make downtown even more beautiful. I noticed one of the new snowflakes for the street lights was up and the festive mood is starting. I hope many of you are able to make it to the ribbon cutting tomorrow - a great event for our town that will bring the generations together by including all the students from Spring Grove Public School. The ribbon will be cut by Student Council President Nicki Ellingson and Mayor Bruce Poole.  

Check out the great photos below - some are from Monday November 18 taken by Spring Grove Communications and some are from Tuesday November 19 taken by Giants of the Earth showing the preschool students watching the final layer. Pictures are at the end of this page.

The following just came from MnDOT. 

Highway 44 in Spring Grove opens to trafficRibbon cutting ceremony scheduled                                  
ROCHESTER, Minn. – Highway 44 through downtown Spring Grove will open to traffic in the evening Friday, Nov. 22, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
 Highway 44 had been closed since June for a reconstruction project. To celebrate the completion of the reconstruction project, the city of Spring Grove has scheduled a ribbon cutting ceremony for Thursday, Nov. 21 at 1:30 p.m. Community members are invited to meet outside Ivy Grove, 101 West Main Street, and walk the new street to the 1st Avenue Northwest intersection.
 MnDOT urges motorists to always drive with caution, slow down in work zones and never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones

Here are some photos of the final layer of asphalt.

These are from Monday.

Photo by Karen Fried 

These are from Tuesday.

Main Street Ribbon Cutting

Eyes on Main Street - November 18, 2013

Main Street Ribbon Cutting this Thursday

Main Street is expected to be open either Thursday night or Friday morning, and you are all invited to the celebration hosted by the Spring Grove School and Commercial Club this Thursday. School children, teens, teachers and anyone else who wants to walk from the west side will leave school at 1:30 this Thursday, November 21. Anyone who wants to walk from the East side will meet in front of Ivy Grove/Legion at 1:30 and will walk towards the ribbon placed by the Opera House.  What a great event for our town! Please help spread the word to everyone in the Spring Grove area! Remember you can also watch it on the Spring Grove Communications web cam. 

Here are some photos from today.

Entering the Final Stages and MnDOT Update

Eyes on Main Street - November 15, 2013

Entering the Final Stages and MnDOT Update

The word on Main Street last night was that the final layer was going to begin today. When I left for work this morning, it hadn't started, but they hoped to finish it by tomorrow. Next week will be some final touches as seen in the update from MnDOT below. Watch for details on a grand opening celebration possibly next week!

Here is the update from Jeffrey Bunch - Project Engineer from MnDOT District 6-Winona. 

As a reminder, Highway 44 in downtown Spring Grove is still closed to traffic. There are people sneaking through barricades and driving through downtown.  Please remind your friends and neighbors that they need to continue to use the local detour to get around downtown.

This week in Spring Grove:

• Finishing up sidewalk and Ped ramps East of Division Ave.
• Spreading topsoil from Division Ave to the east.
• Installing light poles from Division Ave. to the east 

Next week in Spring Grove:

• Installing new street signs.
• Finishing up installing light poles east of Division Ave.
• Spreading topsoil and placing sod.
• Paving final surface lift of bituminous pavement.   

Highway 44 from Spring Grove to Highway 52:

• Finished paving final surface lift of bituminous pavement from Spring Grove to Highway 52. 
• Placing aggregate shoulders between Underpass Quarry and Highway 52.  Working from the Quarry to the east next week.
• Installing edge line rumble strips from the west end of Spring Grove to Highway 52 next week.
• Placing temporary paint striping along entire project next week.
• Flaggers and pilot car will continue to control Highway 44 single lane traffic.

MnDOT Weekly Update

Eyes on Main Street - November 8, 2013

MnDOT Weekly Update

As a reminder, Highway 44 in downtown Spring Grove is still closed to traffic. Please remind your friends and neighbors that they need to continue to use the local detour to get around downtown.

This week in Spring Grove:

• Pouring sidewalk and Ped ramps East of Division Ave.
• Placing sod from 1^st Ave NW to 3^rd Ave NW
• Installing light poles from Division Ave. to the east 

Next week in Spring Grove:

• Pouring sidewalks and Ped ramps east of Division Ave.
• Installing light poles east of Division Ave.
• Spreading topsoil and placing sod.
• Paving final surface lift of bituminous pavement (keep your fingers crossed for good weather). 

Highway 44 from Spring Grove to Highway 52:

• Paving final surface lift of bituminous pavement from Underpass Quarry to Highway 44/Highway 52 intersection.  When crews reach Highway 52 they will return to Underpass Quarry and begin paving east toward Spring Grove.
• Replacing substandard mailbox supports along Highway 44.
• Flaggers and pilot car will continue to control Highway 44 single lane traffic.

Council Update

Eyes on Main Street - November 6, 2013

Council Update

The progress seems to have slowed down, however, this week contractors installed eight new light poles on Tuesday. I (Saundy) again asked about the remaining old light poles on the east side of town. I was told these poles are here and eventually will be installed, which means the same style of light poles will run the entire length of Main Street. 

Mayor Poole was told by a customer that Asphalt plants close the week of Thanksgiving until Spring, he was going to check at the construction meeting this week. He was also checking to see if there is a penalty if the construction is not completed. As far as council knows there is not a dollar amount per day. 

The sidewalk in front of the Liquor Store was ripped out because the grade was incorrect. 

I asked why the bumpout at Ivy Grove and the Legion was not colored like the other bumpouts. It looks odd to suddenly stop. Paul Morken said the contractors made a mistake at Ivy Grove and that the Legion didn't want the color. I questioned why they allowed this change, and no one on council other than Mayor Poole and Public Works Director Morken knew of the change. Personally, I think if the contractor made an error it should be changed. Even if Mayor Poole and Director Morken made the change without the approval by council, it should be changed. Council member Vogel said it should be added to the Punch List - a list of items that needs to be changed. There was no decision made. 

Council did decide to not allow signs on the new light poles. Banners may be added to the taller lights, but this decision will be made later. Right now all the banners are being stored. 

Trees are still being planted, but some trees will be planted in the spring. I mentioned the trees at Alan Roble's home. There are already two trees planted about 5 feet from the proposed trees, and wanted  to make sure the contractors did not plant the new ones in that spot, but somewhere else along main street.