Quoted from the city:

Bicycling & Pedestrian Update Subscribers,

Beginning Monday, August 13, 2012, the Midtown Greenway will experience periodic closures between Abbott Avenue South and Hiawatha Avenue South. The Kenilworth Trail between the Midtown Greenway and Cedar Lake Parkway will also experience closures.

Full closures of the trails are needed to perform joint sealing and sand sealing work that will help preserve the trail surface for at least 10 years. The closures will occur in four phases - running west to east - each lasting 2-3 days. Marked detours will be provided. The work schedule is tentative and may change due to weather conditions or construction delays. The trail will remain open on weekends.

Detours and daily updates will be posted at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/bicycles/detours.

Phase 1 - map

Midtown Greenway from Abbott Avenue South and East Calhoun Parkway

Kenilworth Trail from Midtown Greenway and Cedar Lake Parkway

Phase 2 - map

Midtown Greenway from East Calhoun Parkway and Colfax Avenue South

Phase 3 - map

Midtown Greenway from Colfax Avenue South and 10th Avenue South

Phase 4 - map

Midtown Greenway from 11th Avenue South and Hiawatha Avenue South

This work will not impact the Sabo Bridge or the Midtown Greenway east of Hiawatha.

Note: The Dean Parkway ramp at the Midtown Greenway will remained closed into September as part of the Metropolitan Council’s Sewer Improvements Project. More information about that project can be found here.

Please stay off closed trails and follow marked detours. A full closure of the trail is needed to allow crews to work safely and ensure that the new trail surface can properly dry and cure. If bicyclists and pedestrians use the trail before it is fully dry, the surface may be damaged, requiring additional, costs, maintenance and closures.

lolz

Wonder if sand sealing is that same process where they pour tar on the path and then cover it up with the little jagged grey rocks that make the surface impossible to skate on... Let's do that option

I heard of someone who rode over the closed portion after it had been oiled and sanded, then rode to Freewheel to pay big bucks to have the oil and sand removed from his expensive crabon bike.

"Road closed? Doesn't apply to me!"

I have seen many people riding and walking/jogging on the closed sections.

Stupid is as stupid does.

SLP is currently whoopin up on their trail too. i like their system more. closing 10 foot sections you just ride around. however i understand its a completely different process/fix/situation altogether.

The finished product is nicer on the Greenway than the SLP sections though.

troof. some of the small cracks they patched (that i hardly noticed) are now large bumps. i understand that they would have gotten progressively worse. but still, could be a little smoother...