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Plans to rebuild failing Todd Field retaining wall include historic look and school land purchase
Summary
Project staff said the retaining wall at Todd Field is failing and the team plans to purchase land from the school district to build a new straightened retaining wall with a stone veneer to approximate the historic appearance while improving pedestrian safety and allowing wider sidewalks.
Robert Jones said the retaining wall at Todd Field is failing and that MnDOT and the city are coordinating with the school district and the heritage preservation committee to replace it. "That retaining wall, as you guys know, is at about a 35 degree angle, and it's failing," Jones said, adding the plan is to build a new wall straight up from inside the old one and add 8–10 feet of usable space.
The team described replacing the failing tunnel and sidewalk, straightening the wall to improve safety, and adding a stone veneer to better match the existing look while acknowledging the old stones are not salvageable. Jones said the project will coordinate aesthetic choices with the school and the heritage committee so the finished wall looks historic but meets modern safety and constructability standards.
