Street, Road and Highway Projects
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Officials recommend complete rebuild of bridge linking Duluth to Wisconsin
Funny, they only seem to put the price tag ($1.8bn) in the headline when the article is about transit projects.
Funny, they only seem to put the price tag ($1.8bn) in the headline when the article is about transit projects.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
I have always thought someone should take a similar dollar value worth of MnDot projects and compare cost and time overruns on those with transit projects. Just off the top of my head you have the Third Ave bridge and the 35w Storm water tanks that are 1 year plus over schedule and who knows how much over budget.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
'Future of transportation': Celebration marks the start of $195M rebuild of Hwy. 65 in Blaine
I think this quote may be a bit of an exaggeration for what will effectively be a freeway with sidewalks and a bike trail.
I think this quote may be a bit of an exaggeration for what will effectively be a freeway with sidewalks and a bike trail.
"This is a big deal," said Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis. "Blaine will be the multi-modal capital of the metro. This is the future of transportation."
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- Wells Fargo Center
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Looking forward to when people complain there aren't three or more lanes in each direction on this overhyped freeway.
The article also mentions "improved transit facilities", but doesn't go into detail about that. I'm guessing maybe a bus shelter or two will be thrown in somewhere.
The article also mentions "improved transit facilities", but doesn't go into detail about that. I'm guessing maybe a bus shelter or two will be thrown in somewhere.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
My take on it is that the car-haters have been doing so much shaming lately that we can't just be honest about the fact that it's simply a badly needed new freeway.
Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
I'd argue that the freeway capacity is only "badly needed" because of the vast amounts of poorly-planned, car-centric sprawl that extends for miles up towards Bethel / St Francis. As a counterexample, Highway 3 in Dakota County fills the same road hierarchy "niche" that Highway 65 does in Anoka County. The difference, of course, is that Dakota County has remained actually rural between the metro and Northfield, whereas Anoka County was allowed to sprawl into an exurban mess.
I don't think it's unfair to criticize this project as a $195M handout to exurbanites who want to live the "rural life" but still have a 10 minute drive to Chipotle.
I don't think it's unfair to criticize this project as a $195M handout to exurbanites who want to live the "rural life" but still have a 10 minute drive to Chipotle.
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- Nicollet Mall
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
As a car hater I think this is a huge improvement over the existing stroad and should reduce crashes thereby saving lives and preventing injury. It’s still obviously car centric but is about the best one can hope for in Blaine. I would be pissed about this in Minneapolis or Saint Paul but no complaints from me here
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
I agree with what Tom H said. There's a difference between "badly needed" road improvements and road projects that just help continue auto-centric sprawl that will sooner or later lead to more traffic and the same problems as before. Redesigning the at-grade intersections is a cheaper option to improve safety.
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
"expressway between 97th and 119th avenues." What's going on with 93rd? Feels like a lot of business there for MnDOT to route traffic to via frontage road.
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
As near as I can tell, they're not touching 93rd at all, which seems strange.
https://www.blainemn.gov/3629/Thrive-on-65
It appears that they're able to execute most of the project with minimal property takings, so maybe the relative density of development at that location makes improvements at 93rd too expensive?
https://www.blainemn.gov/3629/Thrive-on-65
It appears that they're able to execute most of the project with minimal property takings, so maybe the relative density of development at that location makes improvements at 93rd too expensive?
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
93rd will be part of a reconstruction that will include converting the interchange at CR 10 to a diamond. 87th will get an underpass and 85th/89th will get right-in/out only turns. 93rd will more or less be a diamond interchange.
This project will allow the addition of multi-use paths from 81st to 93rd.
This project will allow the addition of multi-use paths from 81st to 93rd.
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Do you have a source for information on this project? Google was not helpful.Tcmetro wrote: October 17th, 2023, 1:37 pm 93rd will be part of a reconstruction that will include converting the interchange at CR 10 to a diamond. 87th will get an underpass and 85th/89th will get right-in/out only turns. 93rd will more or less be a diamond interchange.
This project will allow the addition of multi-use paths from 81st to 93rd.
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
It was a part of this study:mplsjaromir wrote: October 18th, 2023, 10:00 am Do you have a source for information on this project? Google was not helpful.
https://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/proje ... mlake-slp/
There's also a third segment, which would add an interchange at Bunker Lake Blvd.
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- Rice Park
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
As far as freeway projects go, this one seems about as justifiable as they get. Hard to look at a road like Highway 65 and argue that a freeway conversion wouldn't be an improvement.
With better urban planning or transportation policy, a rural highway like this was forty years ago would have never been allowed to develop the way it has, but we're far past that point. This is maybe the least offensive metropolitan freeway project that MNDOT's pursued in a long time.
With better urban planning or transportation policy, a rural highway like this was forty years ago would have never been allowed to develop the way it has, but we're far past that point. This is maybe the least offensive metropolitan freeway project that MNDOT's pursued in a long time.
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Minnetonka Blvd (France Ave to TH 100) reconstruction begins Spring 2024. Will take 2 years.
https://content.govdelivery.com/account ... ns/38583fd
https://content.govdelivery.com/account ... ns/38583fd
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- Block E
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
Cedar Ave slated for Reconstruction between 24h St and Lake St in 2026.
Phase 2 engagement summary (PDF) (Fall 2023)
https://www.hennepin.us/-/media/hennepi ... mmary2.pdf
Open House Event:
Thursday, February 29, 2024
5 - 7 p.m.
Little Earth gymnasium – 2501 Cedar Avenue South
**lots of positive feedback for bike and bus lanes (especially from residents on Cedar Ave)
** "Overall, parking was not a priority, except for businesses." -from the pdf linked above
Phase 2 engagement summary (PDF) (Fall 2023)
https://www.hennepin.us/-/media/hennepi ... mmary2.pdf
Open House Event:
Thursday, February 29, 2024
5 - 7 p.m.
Little Earth gymnasium – 2501 Cedar Avenue South
**lots of positive feedback for bike and bus lanes (especially from residents on Cedar Ave)
** "Overall, parking was not a priority, except for businesses." -from the pdf linked above
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
What is it with businesses and parking? If you make the sidewalk outside of your shop larger, isn't it more inviting? Is it more important to get business from people living in some far-flung exurb than in the neighborhood?? I fail to see their perspective.
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- Block E
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
I'm with you on this.angrysuburbanite wrote: February 21st, 2024, 8:17 pm What is it with businesses and parking? If you make the sidewalk outside of your shop larger, isn't it more inviting? Is it more important to get business from people living in some far-flung exurb than in the neighborhood?? I fail to see their perspective.
Good news is that this corridor has very few businesses. It's mostly residential. The report of feedback implies support for parking is minimal at best. It said everyone wants bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and boulevard space and that Little Earth and the Spanish speaking community center are pushing for bus lanes.
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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
I am unfamiliar with many areas of the Twin Cities (I live in the suburbs
) , and this is one of those areas. Good to hear that the businesses are sort of in the minority here in regards to parking and street design, it will bring more benefits to them than they think. Excited to see what comes from this!

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Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects
MnDot is planning improvements to Hwy 36 and has a survey and meeting upcoming.
https://www.dot.state.mn.us/news/2024/0 ... hwy36.html
From what I can tell in the survey, MnDot is considering:
https://www.dot.state.mn.us/news/2024/0 ... hwy36.html
From what I can tell in the survey, MnDot is considering:
- Adding MnPass lanes from 35W to 61.
- Converting the Snelling cloverleaf to a folding diamond.
- Removing the Hamline interchange.
- Adding auxiliary lanes to provide more space to merge.
- Making cross roads more pedestrian and bike friendly.