The final touches are nearly complete on a safety improvement project for the popular Midtown Greenway in south Minneapolis, a joint effort of the city, Hennepin County and local citizen groups.
The $850,000 project constructed new ramps, sidewalks, curb extensions and high-visibility crosswalks at six intersections: James Avenue, Irving Avenue, 5th Avenue, E. 28th Street, Hiawatha Avenue and Minnehaha Avenue.
Most of the improvements were completed in about two months, but it will take another couple of weeks to wrap up. Work on the Humboldt Avenue crossing is planned for next year.
Preparation for the project started in 2016. Research was done and feedback from communities along the greenway was collected by the Midtown Greenway Coalition and the Lake Street Council, along with the city and county. They evaluated existing conditions and identified potential corridor improvements.
All the locations had some common safety concerns and challenges, such as poor yielding by drivers and a lack of accessibility features.
Curb extensions were upgraded at James, Irving and 5th avenues to shorten trail crossing distances and enhance visibility of the crossing. A raised trail crossing was constructed at 5th Avenue to slow traffic and encourage drivers to yield to greenway users.
Overhead pedestrian crossing beacons were improved at E. 28th Street and Minnehaha Avenue, and new crossing signal buttons were installed at E. 28th Street and Minnehaha and Hiawatha avenues.
New raised medians at Minnehaha Avenue now provide a protected area.
David Chanen • 612-673-4465
