urbanMSP

I assume they're now closing the oft-congested ramp from Washington to NB 35W which creates severe livability problems for Washington Ave? The ramp that this replaced for nearly all movements out of DT or the West Bank via the new Cedar-Trench Connector? No?

How odd that they neglected to mention that this project removed the transit-use shoulder from northbound 35W.

What buses travel through that area and need a shoulder transit lane?

I assume they're now closing the oft-congested ramp from Washington to NB 35W which creates severe livability problems for Washington Ave? The ramp that this replaced for nearly all movements out of DT or the West Bank via the new Cedar-Trench Connector? No?

The plan is to have both ramps available for the time being.

There are dozens of express routes that use the stretch of 35W that lost the shoulders. The 250 alone has like 30 trips per day. Please use the interactive map to look for yourself.

Let's hope that signage changes are made to direct all 35W-bound traffic coming from the CBD, government center, and Wells Fargo/Stadium parking ramp to use the new entrance via 4th Street. However, I would imagine that for the Mill District, Washington Ave is still going to be the most common sense way to enter 35W north.

I don't think closing the NB entrance is entirely necessary, but they should be able to significantly shorten the green time for the protected left turn. With less demand for this turning movement, they can shorten that full-bridge-length turn lane, providing space for a protected left turn from WB Washington to SB 35W, which currently doesn't exist. Though anyone doing that movement (NB Cedar/WB Washington to 35W South) really should be heading into the trench and using the loop ramp. If the loop stays long term, I think you could actually eliminate that left turn movement from Wash. Ave. Hence why I don't mind keeping the loop ramp, if we can just build on top of it. Retaining it actually gets cars off of Washington Ave, off the bridge anyways.

Just saw a bunch of protestors marching past my office on 35W. The whole freeway was shut down northbound. What a beautiful sight!

Ah, shit. I deleted Pip's account and then noticed the "/sarcasm" tag. Snark Week has been hard on me. Pip, if you see this post, you can reregister, sorry...

Misc discussion relocated to: https://forum.streets.mn/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3657

Do your worst!

A DDI will be built at Hwy 96 next year.
http://www.sehinc.com/sites/default/fil ... -28-14.pdf

Probably in preparation for the TCAAP project increasing the usage. Also New Brighton is building up some open space just south of this. New Brighton Exchange.

Even without the TCAAP development they've been needing to have a controlled signal there for years. There currently aren't even stop signs!

Even without the TCAAP development they've been needing to have a controlled signal there for years. There currently aren't even stop signs!

True, though most of the movements to/from north 35W would take the Hwy 10 connector which was recently freewaytized.. which makes me wonder why this needs a full DDI.

True, though most of the movements to/from north 35W would take the Hwy 10 connector which was recently freewaytized..

Not fully. There are still two at-grade intersections on 10 between 35W and 96. That said, yes most of the movements would take 10. However, because of how the 10/96 partial interchange was built, that is no longer possible for those coming from the Round Lake area They must use 96 to access northbound 35W. Those within the 35W/10/96 triangle either have to use 96 or risk a left turn onto 10 on the northeast side of the triangle.

The new ramp from 4th St to NB 35W appears to be open.

The new ramp from 4th St to NB 35W appears to be open.

Opened last week I believe. Have not heard if it has helped to relieve congestion on WASHINGTON AND University.

It will likely take time for people to become accustomed to it, or even know of its existence. Over time, it should really reduce the EB Washington to NB 35W movement. Perhaps a lesser benefit will be felt on EB University to NB 35W, since that's a little further away.

EDIT: I had honestly never considered that people coming out of downtown would avoid Washington by taking the 3rd/Central bridge to University to 35W, but it completely makes sense. It might actually be faster than taking Washington, not just in driver perception. You're right though, there will probably be some relief seen there as well. If the lights on 4th Street S to the new freeway entrance are well timed enough, it will probably draw a lot of that traffic using other routes. However, if there are long delays, say at Park/Portland or the Downtown East LRT crossing (Chicago), people could stick to their old ways.

Maybe they should do some pop-up construction on eastbound Washington Ave during afternoon rush hour to "get people accustomed to" the new ramp from the 4th Street trench.

The Washington Ave reconstruction starting next year should help out nicely in that regard. Even though the construction is just Hennepin-5th Ave, that's where the bulk of the traffic comes from too.

If that doesn't do it, a weeklong closure of the NB 35W entrance on Washington ought to be fairly convincing.

If that doesn't do it, a permanent closure of the NB 35W entrance on Washington ought to be fairly convincing.

FIFY

How about protesting something or other on the northbound Washington ramp?

UrbanMSP protest of 1/8mi bus stop spacing?

So, I drove 35W past DTE this evening for the first time in ages. I noticed that as part of the 4th Street onramp project, there was a large support replaced for the ramp from northbound 35W to westbound 3rd Street....



Is it just me, or is this 60s-vintage flyover a complete waste? Nearly all motorists on NB 35W towards north / east downtown will take 5th Street. Or even if they wanted to proceed further, they could take Washington Ave. This flyover movement doesn't even register on the AADT map, but I'd be curious to know the traffic counts. It would have probably been just as easy to remove the entire flyover instead of retrofitting a new support to span the new ramp, with the added benefit of decrease long-term replacement liabilities.