Street, Road and Highway Projects

Roads - Rails - Sidewalks - Bikeways
Tom H.
US Bank Plaza
Posts: 638
Joined: September 4th, 2012, 5:23 am

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by Tom H. »

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.
COLSLAW5
Landmark Center
Posts: 230
Joined: April 11th, 2018, 1:20 pm
Has thanked: 2 times

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by COLSLAW5 »

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.
Tom H.
US Bank Plaza
Posts: 638
Joined: September 4th, 2012, 5:23 am

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by Tom H. »

'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.
"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."
DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1760
Joined: March 30th, 2016, 1:26 pm

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by DanPatchToget »

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.
Mdcastle
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1244
Joined: March 23rd, 2013, 8:28 am
Location: Bloomington, MN

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by Mdcastle »

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.
Tom H.
US Bank Plaza
Posts: 638
Joined: September 4th, 2012, 5:23 am

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by Tom H. »

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.
daveybabymsp
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 146
Joined: December 30th, 2021, 12:19 pm

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by daveybabymsp »

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


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
DanPatchToget
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1760
Joined: March 30th, 2016, 1:26 pm

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by DanPatchToget »

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.
rhettcarlson
Nicollet Mall
Posts: 167
Joined: May 19th, 2015, 10:50 pm
Location: Downtown

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by rhettcarlson »

"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.
MNdible
is great.
Posts: 5951
Joined: June 8th, 2012, 8:14 pm
Location: Minneapolis
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 6 times

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by MNdible »

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?
Tcmetro
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1741
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 8:02 pm
Location: Chicago (ex-Minneapolitan)

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by Tcmetro »

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.
mplsjaromir
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1099
Joined: June 1st, 2012, 8:03 am

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by mplsjaromir »

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.
Do you have a source for information on this project? Google was not helpful.
Tcmetro
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1741
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 8:02 pm
Location: Chicago (ex-Minneapolitan)

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by Tcmetro »

mplsjaromir wrote: October 18th, 2023, 10:00 am Do you have a source for information on this project? Google was not helpful.
It was a part of this study:
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.
thespeedmccool
Rice Park
Posts: 448
Joined: January 29th, 2021, 1:02 pm

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by thespeedmccool »

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.
Anondson
IDS Center
Posts: 4709
Joined: July 21st, 2013, 8:57 pm
Location: Where West Minneapolis Once Was

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by Anondson »

Minnetonka Blvd (France Ave to TH 100) reconstruction begins Spring 2024. Will take 2 years.

https://content.govdelivery.com/account ... ns/38583fd
MidwayLuke
Block E
Posts: 21
Joined: December 13th, 2014, 12:32 pm

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by MidwayLuke »

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
angrysuburbanite
Landmark Center
Posts: 209
Joined: December 31st, 2023, 4:43 pm
Location: The southwest suburbs

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by angrysuburbanite »

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.
MidwayLuke
Block E
Posts: 21
Joined: December 13th, 2014, 12:32 pm

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by MidwayLuke »

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.
I'm with you on this.

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.
angrysuburbanite
Landmark Center
Posts: 209
Joined: December 31st, 2023, 4:43 pm
Location: The southwest suburbs

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by angrysuburbanite »

I am unfamiliar with many areas of the Twin Cities (I live in the suburbs :cry:) , 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!
Tcmetro
Wells Fargo Center
Posts: 1741
Joined: May 31st, 2012, 8:02 pm
Location: Chicago (ex-Minneapolitan)

Re: Street, Road and Highway Projects

Post by Tcmetro »

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:
  • 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.
Post Reply