The Hennepin Avenue reconstruction project (timeline above) began on Monday and will be a four-year project that refurbishes the utilities underneath the street as well as the street, sidewalk and bikeways between Washington Avenue and 12th Street.
The reconstructed Hennepin Avenue will continue to accommodate all modes within the existing right-of-way:
- Sidewalk area able to support pedestrian activities with space for planting and furnishing zones
- One-way bikeways behind the curb
- Space for enhanced transit stops compatible with future Arterial Bus Rapid Transit service
- Generally four vehicle lanes, with Hennepin Avenue remaining a two-way street
Part of the project includes rerouting Metro Transit bus routes to Nicollet. The affected routes include the 4, 6, 12, 61 and 141. The majority of these reroutes will use 11th Street and 12th Street to connect both Hennepin and Nicollet. For more information, visit www.metrotransit.org/DT-Mpls.
The city is also preparing a public realm design concept that will cover the Hennepin Avenue corridor from the Sculpture Garden at the Walker Arts Center to the Mississippi River. The primary purpose of this exercise will be to gather public input that will influence the detailed urban planning and design for the 10- block reconstruction project. However, its findings will be applicable to future projects and improvements within the larger Hennepin Avenue Corridor area.
For more information, visit www.hennepindowntown.com.
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The 8th Street reconstruction project is also working on utility work followed by roadway reconstruction in 2019 and 2020.
The project includes reconstruction of 8th Street, from Hennepin Avenue to Chicago Avenue, in order to:
Improve the condition of the infrastructure for pedestrians, transit, and vehicles
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Improve pedestrian safety and the pedestrian realm by providing cross walks with pedestrian curb ramps, durable crosswalk markings, wider sidewalks, count-down timers, landscaping, and lighting
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Improve transit operations through the corridor by allowing for the implementation of enhanced transit amenities at select locations, including larger waiting areas for transit stops
8th Street will be reconstructed from building front to building front. This will include the removal and replacement of pavement, curb, sidewalk, driveway entrances, traffic signals, street lighting, stormwater drainage systems, and other utilities. There will be widened sidewalks, enhanced transit service/amenities, improved crosswalks, and streetscape/landscaping improvements.
For more information, visit www.8thstreetproject.com.
