The city of Minneapolis is hosting a public open house at the Walker Art Center on August 4 to gather feedback about preliminary design options for the pending reconstruction of the corridor where Hennepin and Lyndale Avenues converge.
The project will stretch from Franklin Avenue to Dunwoody Boulevard, just west of Loring Park at the edge of downtown Minneapolis.
The city has secured $7.3 million in federal funds toward the $9.1 million project. City spokesman Casper Hill said that the city hopes to start construction of the project in 2015, but noted that there are factors beyond the city’s control, which could affect the project timing.
Traffic snarls are common in the busy corridor. The average daily traffic through the convergence of Hennepin and Lyndale Avenues includes more than 50,000 vehicles, about 9,000 transit users, and more than 2,000 bicyclists and pedestrians. In addition to reconstructing the roadway, the project calls for improved lane designations and bicycle/pedestrian crossings.
A website outlining the project describes problems with the current traffic configuration in the area, which is well-known for congestion: “Poor signage and confusing lane designations lead to many sideswipe crashes and weaving between lanes.”
The roadway layout will be finalized after the open house is held. Monday’s meeting will be held in the Skyline Room at the Walker Art Center—at 1750 Hennepin Avenue, located near the heart of the proposed project—from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Find additional information about the project here.