Street, Road and Highway Projects

Roads - Rails - Sidewalks - Bikeways
Mdcastle
Wells Fargo Center
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Location: Bloomington, MN

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Mdcastle » July 6th, 2021, 10:35 am

https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/b ... 764336.pdf

Scroll down to page 8. As far as I know there's no detailed layout for the entire project, but this shows a couple of key areas. The first phase will be MnPass lanes 100 to 35W, the I-35W northbound turbine ramp, and the structures and access changes at Nicollet, Portland, Chicago, and 12th.

Mdcastle
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: March 23rd, 2013, 8:28 am
Location: Bloomington, MN

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Mdcastle » July 7th, 2021, 11:10 am

I guess Bloomington city engineers think bicyclists on Xerxes at OSR ride northbound only.

Image

twincitizen
Moderator
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Location: Standish-Ericsson

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby twincitizen » July 23rd, 2021, 8:29 am

I split the Lyndale 4-3 (and Bryan reconstruction) conversation into it's own thread: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=4670

Trademark
US Bank Plaza
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Joined: March 31st, 2019, 11:22 am

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Trademark » July 23rd, 2021, 9:12 am

I guess Bloomington city engineers think bicyclists on Xerxes at OSR ride northbound only.

Image
This is so that bike riders leave bloomington and never come back. :lol:

Mdcastle
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: March 23rd, 2013, 8:28 am
Location: Bloomington, MN

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Mdcastle » July 25th, 2021, 6:09 pm

They're building a southbound only bicycle lane on Portland Ave across American Blvd as part of the I-494 project. So now we'll have a one-way pair...

schwinnletour
Metrodome
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby schwinnletour » July 28th, 2021, 10:20 am

Per the City of St. Louis Park:

Minnetonka Boulevard reconstruction planned for 2024
Hennepin County Government is reevaluating the current use and design of Minnetonka Boulevard (County Road 5), between Highway 100 and France Avenue. The county and its partners, including the City of St. Louis Park, are developing a plan for the corridor to better serve current and future users. Construction for this project is scheduled for 2024.
Minnetonka Boulevard hasn’t been reconstructed since 1952 and is nearing the end of its lifecycle. This means there’s an opportunity to think differently about the roadway and the surrounding area.
Here’s what is being looked at for this phase of engagement:
• Improved connections and accommodations for people biking, walking and rolling, including improved first- and last-mile rail connections for users traveling to the Beltline Boulevard and West Lake Street light rail stations
• Lane adjustments to provide traffic calming and help when vehicles are making turns
• Streetscape improvements, like improvements to boulevards
The county recognizes that this is an important area with a diverse population, a variety of businesses and access to city services. It is also a key connection for both local travelers and those who commute to work and school.
With these considerations in mind, the county and its partners promise to:
• Prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion
• Collaborate with community partners
• Identify and clearly communicate any impacts of proposed changes
Be on the lookout for ways to offer your feedback for the future of Minnetonka Boulevard.
Visit hennepin.us/minnetonka-boulevard to learn more and stay updated on the project. If you have questions or comments, contact Madeline Lunzer, public engagement lead, at [email protected], or Jason Staebell, project manager, at [email protected].

Hero
Landmark Center
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Joined: April 13th, 2019, 12:17 pm

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Hero » August 15th, 2021, 11:04 pm

They're building a southbound only bicycle lane on Portland Ave across American Blvd as part of the I-494 project. So now we'll have a one-way pair...
Not sure I would bike to Portland Ave. from Xerxes or vice versa. 2.5 miles X2 seems a bit much.

DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
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Joined: March 30th, 2016, 1:26 pm

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby DanPatchToget » August 16th, 2021, 3:44 pm

Construction started on the Foley Boulevard overpass crossing BNSF's mainline in Coon Rapids. Well, technically it started in June, but I noticed in a train video at that crossing there were foundations and a lot of dirt moved.

More info about it here: https://www.anokacounty.us/3706/CSAH-11 ... Separation

DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby DanPatchToget » August 17th, 2021, 8:34 pm

Are there plans to eventually add a third lane in each direction on Highway 169 between the Minnesota River and somewhere in the north metro?

Trademark
US Bank Plaza
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Joined: March 31st, 2019, 11:22 am

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Trademark » August 17th, 2021, 8:49 pm

Are there plans to eventually add a third lane in each direction on Highway 169 between the Minnesota River and somewhere in the north metro?
They built the nine mile creek bridge for 6 lanes iirc

Tcmetro
Wells Fargo Center
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Location: Chicago (ex-Minneapolitan)

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Tcmetro » August 17th, 2021, 9:34 pm

MnDot has a long term plan to add a MnPass lane and re-do some of the interchanges. One going away is General Mills Blvd. This work was part of the transit study a few years ago, but the project would still need to be funded and go through detailed engineering and construction, so it's unlikely to happen until the 2030s (assuming the MnDot stays a road-expanding "transportation" agency).

DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby DanPatchToget » August 17th, 2021, 10:08 pm

I'm calling it now: MnDOT will throw in a "BRT" line (that's actually just an over-glorified bus like the Red Line) with a Highway 169 widening so they can claim to be environmentally conscious and supporting multi-modal transportation. :roll:

Tcmetro
Wells Fargo Center
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Tcmetro » August 17th, 2021, 10:20 pm

There seemed to be a push for a 169 BRT line in the past few years, but the idea of routing on 55 combined with a midpoint intersection with the Green Line and an end at a park and ride in Shakopee gives me little confidence that it will actually be brought forward.

As for 55 BRT, I believe Metro Transit received grant money to start a precursor limited stop route to Plymouth. 55 seems like a weak corridor but it probably deserves some level of bus service, so it will be nice to see how that works out.

thespeedmccool
Union Depot
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Joined: January 29th, 2021, 1:02 pm

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby thespeedmccool » August 18th, 2021, 8:10 pm

As for 55 BRT, I believe Metro Transit received grant money to start a precursor limited stop route to Plymouth. 55 seems like a weak corridor but it probably deserves some level of bus service, so it will be nice to see how that works out.
I believe the state's transportation omnibus bill included a requirement that Metro Transit study and implement an express bus to Medina along 55. Not sure how it snuck in there, but I'm pretty sure it cleared final negotiations.

Tcmetro
Wells Fargo Center
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Tcmetro » August 25th, 2021, 7:12 pm

Hwy 77 (AV to 494) survey out: https://live.metroquestsurvey.com/?u=lz ... &popup=WTD

Three options under consideration right now:
1. Expand 2-lane sections to 3 lanes. Lowest cost, but moves traffic bottleneck north.
2. Add a lane to the whole corridor. Second lowest cost, but still has reliability issues.
3. Add a MnPass lane. Most expensive, but gives more transit advantage as well as advantages to those willing to pay.

Trademark
US Bank Plaza
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Joined: March 31st, 2019, 11:22 am

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Trademark » August 25th, 2021, 10:15 pm

Hwy 77 (AV to 494) survey out: https://live.metroquestsurvey.com/?u=lz ... &popup=WTD

Three options under consideration right now:
1. Expand 2-lane sections to 3 lanes. Lowest cost, but moves traffic bottleneck north.
2. Add a lane to the whole corridor. Second lowest cost, but still has reliability issues.
3. Add a MnPass lane. Most expensive, but gives more transit advantage as well as advantages to those willing to pay.
I don't think there'll be that much transit advantage because it doesn't seem like south of the mall there's ever that much traffic. Then again I don't live there. So I don't use it every day

DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby DanPatchToget » August 25th, 2021, 10:33 pm

Can we do none instead? Focus our resources on improving roads with safety issues, not adding another lane and in 5-10 years people will be complaining there isn't a fourth lane.

Trademark
US Bank Plaza
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Joined: March 31st, 2019, 11:22 am

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Trademark » August 26th, 2021, 10:00 am

Can we do none instead? Focus our resources on improving roads with safety issues, not adding another lane and in 5-10 years people will be complaining there isn't a fourth lane.
Most of this corridor is already 3 lanes. Adding in that third lanes in the few places where it's 2 won't induce demand, but it will reduce merging and lane movements and make people safer. As long as it stays 2 lanes north of 494. I think we should also improve the interchange with 494 and 77 to better encourage traffic to go on 494 instead of 62.

But adding a new lane or a mnpass lane is absolutely overkill for this corridor. Unless that mnpass lane is taken from a general purpose lane. (With maybe a direct exit onto 494 mnpass lane)

thespeedmccool
Union Depot
Posts: 347
Joined: January 29th, 2021, 1:02 pm

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby thespeedmccool » August 26th, 2021, 10:22 am

I would definitely go for the 2 general traffic lanes + 1 MNPass lane approach, and leave it there. There is good reason to believe that a six-lane highway reduces traffic versus a four-lane highway, but that anything above six lanes is just inducing extra demand.

Tcmetro
Wells Fargo Center
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Location: Chicago (ex-Minneapolitan)

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Postby Tcmetro » August 26th, 2021, 10:49 am

One of the wish list items that came out of the 62/494 study a few years ago is a flyover from NB 77 to WB 62. I'd also imagine they want to do some widening of the Crosstown but that will be a challenge given the land constraints.


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