Timeline:
May 2020 - George Floyd is murdered and the intersection is closed to through traffic. Route 5 and Route 23 buses are rerouted around the intersection. Route 5 avoids Chicago Ave by using Park/Portland Ave; Route 23 travels .5 mile to 42nd St.
June 2021 - The city of Minneapolis begins to attempt to reopen the intersection. By July 2022, the intersection is reopened to traffic. The center of the intersection features the fist sculpture and stops signs at every street.
December 2022 - The METRO D Line opens with temporary stations at Park/Portland and 38th. Metro Transit deferred construction of permanent stations at 38th and Chicago until a later date.
The city of Minneapolis is working on a design for the area and they plan to develop proposals in the winter/spring of 2023. I believe Metro Transit will not operate through the intersection until proposals are identified. I'm not sure when a design is finalized or any construction might start.
City of Minneapolis website on 38th & Chicago Re-Envisioned https://www.minneapolismn.gov/governmen ... icago-ave/
In terms of a universe of alternatives, I'm interested in people's thoughts on a preferred situation. Some options:
Intersection configurations:
- Intersection is closed to traffic.
- 38th St is open to traffic; Chicago Ave is closed
- Chicago Ave is open to traffic; 38th St is closed
- Entire intersection is open
- Intersection is open to some traffic (transit, emergency vehicles maybe?)
- Regular traffic is allowed; transit is prohibited (current effective configuration)