Street, Road and Highway Projects

[Tcmetro]

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]

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.

[DanPatchToget]

Brooklyn Center residents and mayor oppose plan to make Highway 252 a freeway:
https://www.startribune.com/brooklyn-ce ... 600317277/

[Anondson]

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

https://content.govdelivery.com/account ... ns/38583fd

[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]

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]

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]

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!

[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.

[Trademark]

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

Love that there support for transit lanes, but once again MPLS is showing that they don't support transit and not adding lanes to reconstruction proposals.

[mattaudio]

Love that there support for transit lanes, but once again MPLS is showing that they don't support transit and not adding lanes to reconstruction proposals.

C is for Cedar. Extend the C Line from Downtown to MOA via Cedar Ave.

[J. Mc]

I was able to attend the MNDot Hwy 5/W. 7th Street Improvement Project open house yesterday. It doesn't appear they've got the highly detailed improvement concepts that were presented there posted on the project website yet. However there are lots of potential improvements to improve pedestrian crossings and calm traffic being looked at. Crossing medians/bulbs/signals, realigning the W. 7th/35E entry/exit intersections, redesigning the St. Paul Ave/W 7th intersection to a T design, wide or slightly less wide multi-use trail and retaining wall along the north side of W 7th from St. Paul Ave to Montreal Ave, a few intersection closures after St. Clair, etc. Adding dedicated bike lanes connecting in downtown St. Paul is also being included. I overheard one planner noting they had an additional section of bike lane replacing a street parking lane outside of downtown proposed, however it would probably not happen due to opposition from City of Saint Paul.

There seemed to be a fair turnout of area residents, with a mix of the usual 'NO!!', 'Ok but please keep some on street parking', and what seemed like a majority in favor of better pedestrian crossings and some intersection closures, complaints about the existing street being hard to cross or hard to see crossing cars/pedestrians when driving, add better lighting, repair the sidewalks, etc.

Timeline on construction for this has now been pushed back to 2028-2029. I asked about potential integration with the Riverview project and they are keeping in the loop on that. If one of those concepts actually becomes a certainty they will look to coordinate. However, at this point Riverview is simply a concept with different potential scenarios and not guaranteed to go forward. Repairs and improvements to W. 7th need to happen regardless so they are going forward with the planning of this and not delaying at this time. Final design is slated for Fall 2025.

Learn more at:
https://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/proje ... index.html

EDIT: I didn't notice the PDF of Scoping A.A. was posted, that has a lot of details.
https://edocs-public.dot.state.mn.us/ed ... d=30563327

[angrysuburbanite]

Note to admins: If this kind of thing isn't allowed here, feel free to delete this. Anyways,

For a project I've been working on, I compiled a brief (ok, maybe not so brief) survey to determine people's opinions on where transportation funding and legislation should go. If you are interested in taking it (everyone loves filling out surveys, right?), please use this link: https://forms.gle/F8Yv8tJhxGv5HbNs7

Thanks a ton in advance!
(yes, I do realize that posting this on an urbanism forum may skew my results... )

[rhettcarlson]

Have full time bus lanes quietly been removed from the First & Hennepin project?

I could have sworn the design layout that was linked on the project site was "2023". Now it's "2024" and the layout shows TRANSIT PRIORITY LANE/PARKING and references part-time transit priority lanes. Am I imagining this or has it changed in the last couple months?

https://www.hennepin.us/residents/trans ... -and-first

[daveybabymsp]

Have full time bus lanes quietly been removed from the First & Hennepin project?

I could have sworn the design layout that was linked on the project site was "2023". Now it's "2024" and the layout shows TRANSIT PRIORITY LANE/PARKING and references part-time transit priority lanes. Am I imagining this or has it changed in the last couple months?

https://www.hennepin.us/residents/trans ... -and-first

I think they changed it last minute. I was looking at the plans earlier this year and I’m confident it didn’t say transit/parking.

[thespeedmccool]

I sure hope they haven't changed it last minute with no input.

The posted layout still shows "BUS ONLY" road markings, so it could be just an oversight and these are still planned to be bus only.

But the big text box that reads "ADDITION OF PART-TIME TRANSIT PRIORITY LANE" makes me think we've been bamboozled.

If I were able to be mad about this nonsense anymore, I'd be furious, but this is just par for the course at this point.

[rhettcarlson]

Thanks! So I'm not the only one. I emailed the project manager to see what he says. I've recently changed my stance on full time bus lanes and think parking will provide much needed traffic calming, but it's frustrating they can just change last minute and not publicize it.

[rhettcarlson]

I sure hope they haven't changed it last minute with no input.

The posted layout still shows "BUS ONLY" road markings, so i could be just an oversight and these are still planned to be bus only.

But the big text box that reads "ADDITION OF PART-TIME TRANSIT PRIORITY LANE" makes me think we've been bamboozled.

If I were able to be mad about this nonsense anymore, I'd be furious, but this is just par for the course at this point.

If this did go the way of Hennepin South and they are just part time, I hope the times for bus-only are generous. I've also thought about dynamic signage so that they could enforce bus-only during high traffic events downtown.

[Wezle]

I have the files from the 2022 preferred design and rather than "transit priority lane/parking" it just says "12' transit lane". Nothing mentioned about parking that I can find before the 2024 layout.

[rhettcarlson]

Good call on saving. Were 24/7 lanes ever promised?