ROCHESTER — Continued construction of tunnels to serve an eventual loading dock east of Mayo Clinic’s Methodist Hospital will close a block of First Avenue Northwest.
Starting Monday, the street will be completely closed between West Center and First streets, directly east of the hospital campus.
The closure, which is expected to extend through July 31, makes way for continued construction of service, utility and pedestrian tunnels to connect the hospital to the planned loading dock facility, which will be constructed on the site of the former Days Inn.
The new facility will replace the existing hospital loading dock, which will be demolished as Mayo Clinic expands its proton beam therapy program in the nearby Jacobson Building.
In addition to closing the block of First Avenue immediately north of West Center Street, the tunnel work will reduce First Avenue traffic to a single lane in each direction between northwest First and Second streets.
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Access to the existing Mayo Clinic loading dock will be maintained from First Street Northwest, and a temporary pedestrian access route will be installed along the east side of First Avenue Northwest, between West Center and First streets.
