Work crews remove the brick from N. 2nd Street crosswalk Tuesday. Later, the crosswalks were milled down and paved over with asphalt. Photo by Clay Schuldt

NEW ULM – Second N. Street and Third N. Street from Broadway to German were closed Tuesday for the removal of the brick crosswalks downtown.

Following the removal of the bricks, the concrete edge of the crosswalks were milled down and paved over with asphalt.

Last year, the New Ulm Public Works Department removed and replaced the brick crosswalks crossing Minnesota Street. This year, they returned to remove the bricks crossing the numbered streets.

New Ulm Public Works Superintendent Jeff Hoffmann said the reason for removing the brick crosswalk was because of increased deterioration during the freeze thaw cycle. Hoffmann said there were problems with the bricks crumbling and breaking. It was decided to replace everything with asphalt.

Each year, Public Works has set aside funds for the replacement of some of the brick crosswalks. Tuesday, four brick crosswalks were replaced with three more crosswalk replacements schedule for Wednesday.

Minnesota Street will be closed at 7 a.m. Wednesday from N. 1st to S. 1st for brick crosswalk removal at Center Street intersection and S. 1st intersection. The crosswalk work is expected to be complete by Wednesday evening.

Hoffmann said the brick removal proceeds a plan to seal coat Minnesota Street from Seventh N. to Third South Street later this year. Hoffmann said the seal coating will likely begin following the downtown sand volleyball tournament in early August.