It seems almost as if half of Saint Paul is blocked off in Minnesota’s annual rush to finish construction before winter arrives. One road closure is of particular importance to students and faculty alike. A stretch of road running from Edgecumbe to Fairview Avenue has been under construction since Aug. 24. According to the city of Saint Paul, the streets are being resurfaced and improvements are being made for pedestrians.

Senior Anisa Deo, who drives herself to and from school, said, “I take a different way to school now because of construction that has been going by house for a while.”

The ongoing construction has made getting to school on time more difficult.

“I’ve been late a couple times because of traffic due to construction,” Deo said. She observed that the usual twenty-minute drive to her house and back from school had become a fifty-minute-long commute.

Apart from leaving her house earlier, there’s not much Deo can do.

Deo is far from the only student driver who has been running late because of the traffic buildups around areas of high construction on Fairview. As a result of how commonplace traffic-induced tardies have become, teachers are being more lenient with attendance-taking in advisory check-in.

John Cole, Director of Operations and Security, said the road closures have added a lot to his workload, but it is an expected addition and the faculty is up for the challenge.

“We have a great team and a lot of people stepped up to ensure our students, faculty, and staff get to school safely each day.”

Cole knows the road closures are inconvenient for everyone. “My best advice for student drivers during the road construction is to be patient and extra cautious. We have to allow the process to proceed through to the end of the work,” he said. “Students may want to leave 10-15 minutes earlier in the morning to allow for delays and not be late for arrival. Be sure to pay attention and abide by the traffic signs and signals on the streets around school and in the parking lots.”

Likewise, Deo urges fellow students to stay safe, even if it means they may arrive at school late. “Pay attention and drive the speed limit even if you’re going to be late. ”

Cole concurs. “Our number one goal is safety, so please, just be cautious and take your time,” he said.
The streets are due to reopen Oct. 31, 2023.