With just ten months remaining in the construction of U.S. Bank Stadium, here are a few quick updates on construction progress and expectations moving forward:

Follow the Staircase

The east side of the stadium is beginning to look like the finished product, with all glazing, paneling, signage, stairs and entry work complete. The finished concrete staircase, located directly above the loading dock, gives stadium users their first glimpse at entering the facility from the east side. To alleviate heavy loads of soil and to maximize the load placed on the concrete structure, Mortenson Construction used 5,000 cubic yards of geofoam, a stable, lightweight, waterproof fill that is 1-2% of the weight of regular soil.

Green Thumbs at Work

Bringing the east side even further to life is the landscaping that is well underway by landscape architects Oslund and Associates. Planting of trees, shrubs and the first of nearly 3,000 perennials began last week and is ongoing. The initial work included ten Swamp White Oak and Sienna Glen Maple trees along 6th Street, Boston Ivy at the base of the fence around the parking lot in the southeast corner of the site and shrubs along 11th Avenue. Crimson Spire Oak and Hackberry trees will be planted on 11th Avenue in 2015, and 60 Triumph Elm trees will be planted on the west plaza in the spring/summer of 2016. The total landscape plan includes: 153 trees, 902 shrubs, 2,946 perennials, 462 tons of rock mulch, and 135 cubic yards of hardwood mulch.

View images of the trees and landscaping below.

Show Me the Way

The first of six "monument signs" that will be used as directional signage around U.S. Bank Stadium was installed over the weekend. Standing 30-feet tall, the signs will be easily visible and will mark stadium entry points on all four sides.

Along with the monument signs, seven 12-feet high pedestrian signs will be distributed throughout the stadium site, giving all stadium users a complete understanding of their surroundings.

View images the first monument sign below.

A Look at Upcoming Milestones

· November 2015 – ETFE/Metal Deck Roof Completion, Stadium Fully Enclosed

· Winter 2015/2016 – Ribbon Board and Video Board Installation

· March 2016 – Retractable Seating Installation

· April 2016 – Locker Rooms Completion

· May 2016 – Field Turn Installation