MN Highway 100

[beykite]

Maybe I'm missing something... Why is there a left turn lane on the ramp going from SB 100 to 7? Wouldn't the cars going west on 7 just use the ramp that goes directly from SB 100 to WB 7 in the top right corner?

[twincitizen]

Curious indeed. That extra ramp is completely duplicative, unless I'm missing something too.

If the NW corner can be made useful for development, why not eliminate that extra ramp and stick with the standard folded diamond?

I wonder if they considered other alternatives for the Mtka Blvd exit, such as a tight diamond or SPUI. What they're proposing is certainly better/safer than what's there now, but it isn't very imaginative. The SPUI seems pretty popular for freeway to arterial street interchanges (see new bridges in 494 corridor).

[seanrichardryan]

Here is an updated plan from the MNDOT site- Clears up some quetions.

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projec ... ncepts.pdf

[nordeast homer]

It looks like the 100 - 7 interchange is reverting more towards the allignment it used to have. I'm just excited for some of these bridges to get changed out. If you've ever gotten stuck underneath one of them in traffic and you take a close look at the structures, you wonder how you don't see chunks of concrete falling off on a regular basis.

[seanrichardryan]

Minnetonka Blvd is definatetly returning to the old format. They might even be able to salvage the roadside park that is currently cut off by the awkward 15mph NB exit ramp.

[twincitizen]

Here's a thought: BRT on Highway 100 from the Brooklyn Center bus garage to Normandale Lake Office Park. (or continue on American Boulevard to MOA if you want to get fancy.) I'm kinda surprised there aren't plans for this somewhere. It's a shame with so many of the bridges recently and soon-to-be replaced that we aren't doing this. I feel like the demand is there. The residential density ain't bad, but the concentration of jobs along this corridor is huge.

[Tcmetro]

I've thought some kind of bus route along 100 would be a good idea. The main issue I guess would be in SLP and Edina where the bus would require some odd routings along an incoherent street network to serve all the logical nodes (West End, Minnetonka Bl, 36th & Wooddale, Park Nicollet, Eden/Vernon...), but something should be done.

[blobs]

Or my wild idea:

Entirely eliminate Hwy 7. east of Hwy. 100. Reconfigure the interchange to acknowledge that most people are going north on 100 to 394 with a flyover + aux lane.

Without Hwy. 7 going through that part of SLP, all of the north-south streets can be reconnected in a standard grid pattern. Tons of land in a very high-demand area could be developed and put back on the tax rolls (and TIF it out to pay for the road reconfiguration). That silly braid intersection with Lake Street can go away, and develop that land too, maybe around a small park.

Sure, Minnetonka Blvd. and Excelsior will see some increased traffic, but SWLRT will be operating in this very same corridor soon too. Do we really need (in order, north to south) Cedar Lk Rd, Mtka Blvd, Hwy. 7, SWLRT, and Excelsior Blvd in this corridor, east of 100?

Fantastic idea.

[Ubermoose]

I attended the open house yesterday. It looks like construction starts next fall starting with the railroad and bike path bridges. After those are finished they will move onto the Minnetonka Blvd. bridge and when that is completed they will replace the Hwy. 7 bridge. The highway will have 4 lanes in each direction through this section when all is said and done. Sound walls are also going to be added.
I was disappointed to see a lack of character in the new bridge designs. I thought that they might try to add some sort of retro look or something to them since the bridges always stood out to me. Hopefully the images they had weren't the final design.

[rmc]

Does anyone know why the Holiday gas station at Highway 100 and Minnetonka closed? That place was always busy, and now were just left with that shady Marathon gas station across the street. I'm guessing it might be related to the Hwy 100 project, but I don't remember seeing that as part of it.

[Anondson]

It had to go because the 100 work will reconfigure the Minnetonka intersections with Lake and with 100

[seanrichardryan]

I always thought it odd they put a gas station where the off ramp ought to be. Good riddance.

[mattaudio]

This was a relic of the 1930s-era design of this grade-separated Lilac Way. Good riddance, but with a fond memory of when freeways were designed for Sunday afternoon drives rather than reshaping the entire built urban environment.

[twincitizen]

The above link to the plans clearly shows minimal long-term impact to Holiday's property. Perhaps the construction impacts/road closures were too much to bear and they simply decided to bail.

The finished project will eliminate their access off of Minnetonka Blvd, but full access would still be available via Vernon. The building faces Vernon with an entrance on that side, as well as facing the pumps. It's almost as if it was planned with this in mind...something doesn't smell right here.

[mamundsen]

Does anyone know why the Holiday gas station at Highway 100 and Minnetonka closed? That place was always busy, and now were just left with that shady Marathon gas station across the street. I'm guessing it might be related to the Hwy 100 project, but I don't remember seeing that as part of it.

I was wondering this exact same thing over the weekend. This was the busiest gas station around and relatively new. It would be nice if they had bought out the Marathon and moved over there.

[mattaudio]

Strange that they're still keeping the ramp from Utica to SB 100 where it is, and that they're planning for 8 lanes underneath Mtka Blvd but not extending the 8 lanes to cover the full distance between Hwy 7 and the 394 ramps.

Also, a shame they're not building a trumpet for Freeway MN 7 at 100, but rather leaving the access to CSAH 25. This could possibly be the Cedar Ave Cloverleaf of the modern era, something we regret in 30 years when this area grows up around its future rail stations. But I digress.

[woofner]

The above link to the plans clearly shows minimal long-term impact to Holiday's property.

I disagree. Circulation would be a nightmare if cars were required to enter via Vernon. Currently there are access drives to the north & south of the building, but the pointless widening of Minnetonka will cut off the southerly one, as well as cut off one of their pump aisles. Sure, there will still be a substantial amount of property there, but they will need to entirely reconfigure their site plan to operate as a gas station. (Hopefully it will be redeveloped into VMU though.)

Incidentally, the Marathon station kitty-corner was completely unprepared for the Holiday to close, and their shelves have been picked almost clean.

[twincitizen]

Matt, you just gotta roll with the punches then.

1. "End" Cr-25 with a roundabout at Ottawa/Beltline, which connects to Mtka Blvd to the north and Excelsior to the south.
2. Remove CR-25 and frontage roads east of the roundabout.
3. Institute regular street grid where possible/appropriate.
4. Watch the area flourish with development.

[Wedgeguy]

Can anyone tell me if they are going to rebuild the rail and trail bridges to allow the widening of 100 to a safer width though that bottleneck?

[HiawathaGuy]

Can anyone tell me if they are going to rebuild the rail and trail bridges to allow the widening of 100 to a safer width though that bottleneck?

Yes, these are being rebuilt. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projec ... tages.html