In 2027, the city will be conducting maintenance on some streets in the Excelsior and Grand area of Wolfe Park Neighborhood, including Auto Club Way. The project will include asphalt pavement rehabilitation, select underground utility repairs, and select curb and sidewalk replacement.

The 2027 Commercial Street Rehabilitation project is included in the Capital Improvement Program approved by the St. Louis Park City Council. These improvements are proposed to be paid for using city funds; there are no proposed assessments to property owners for this project.

Project scope

Staff recommends that the project include the following improvements:

• New asphalt pavement
• Spot replacement of failing curb and gutter
• Spot replacement of failing sidewalk
• Spot replacement of storm sewer manholes and catch basins based on condition
• Spot hydrant replacement

Community engagement and project approval process

The city is currently designing the project and will present the final design at an open house in the fall of 2026. Community members will have an opportunity to learn more about the upcoming maintenance and engage with the design team and city staff.
The final plans will be presented to the city council in late 2026. Once approved, construction is expected to begin sometime after the 2027 Parktacular Festival.

What to expect during construction?

• New road surface using mill and overlay technique
• Select utility repairs and select sidewalk and curb repairs
• Brick pavers within the city right of way are not owned/maintained by the city and are not included for maintenance with this project.
• The process takes two to three weeks to complete for each street segment.
• Largely, the streets will be accessible to community members.
• There will be days on which parking will be restricted for construction. In these cases, temporary “NO PARKING” signs will be posted 48 hours before construction to allow community members to make alternative parking arrangements.

What is Mill and Overlay?

Every year, the city performs street maintenance to extend the life of streets before total reconstruction is necessary, utilizing the mill and overlay technique. The street surface is overlaid with new asphalt, resulting in a street that looks and drives like new pavement.
The project will first remove a portion of the street using a large milling machine, which will grind asphalt off the top. Crews will then raise all utility access points, such as manholes and gate valves. Finally, a new layer of pavement will be placed on the surface.