Contact

Tom Johnson HNTB Corporation 7900 International Drive, Suite 600 Minneapolis, MN 55425 952-920-4668 tjohnson@hntb.com	Craig Twinem Hennepin County Transportation 763-745-7653 craig.twinem@co.hennepin.mn.us
Lee Wallace Lake Street Project Advisory Committee 612-276-0788 lwallace@americas.org

July 25, 2005

Minneapolis approves Lake Street design East of Hiawatha Ave.

On July 22, Minneapolis City Council approved design layouts and streetscape concepts for the reconstruction of Lake Street east of Hiawatha Ave. The design preserves two lanes to traffic moving in each direction, with no turn lanes or center medians. Streetscaping add new greenery and pedestrian amenities.

Hennepin County and the Lake Street Project Advisory Committee had initially considered reducing Lake Street to one lane in each direction plus a continuous center turn lane, but changed plans in response to public reaction collected over the past year.

Streetscape features approved

Minneapolis also approved a base level of new streetscaping including decorative lighting, tree plantings, scored sidewalks, trash receptacles and bike racks. At most intersections, sidewalks will be widened, creating "bump-outs" that reduce the length of the crosswalk, improving safety for pedestrians.

Petitions by property owners to enhance these features may be put before the city council later this year, said Lee Wallace, who represents Ward 9 on the Lake Street Project Advisory Committee.

“Businesses are talking about enhancing the streetscape the whole stretch from Hiawatha to the river,” said Wallace.

The likely city assessment of up to $175 per linear foot of Lake Street frontage for “base-level” streetscaping is less than half of the total cost, said Craig Twinem, Hennepin County’s design engineer for the project. The county will provide the majority of the cost through a combination of county and federal funds, he said.

Assessments for streetscape enhancements – such as seasonal plantings and wrought iron fencing to screen parking lots from the sidewalk – range from $120 to $150 per linear foot and would also involve the creation of a Special Service District for maintenance.

All Lake Street property owners will pay a separate assessment for the roadwork.

Lake Street in Minneapolis between Dupont Avenue and the Mississippi River is undergoing its first major reconstruction in 50 years, with work currently underway in Midtown between 5th and 14th Avenues. By 2008, Lake Street will have an entirely new roadway, sidewalks and streetscape—supporting business revitalization and livability in the corridor.

For full information on the Lake Street Reconstruction & Streetscaping project – including illustrations of the new design – visit www.lakestreet.info.

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