Community engagement
Spring-summer 2025 engagement summary
The Central Ave (Hwy 65) Northeast project aims to create a new road design for between the Mississippi River and I-694. MnDOT and Metro Transit are working closely as this project also includes the integration of the METRO F Line, a planned bus rapid transit line between downtown Minneapolis and the Northtown Transit Center in Blaine. The project team attended and co-hosted a series of community events in the spring and summer to share proposed design changes and ask for feedback. The team shared those design details at in-person and virtual public meetings. MnDOT received feedback through a variety of means, including in-person conversations at events, the project email, and comment cards. The following is a summary of the spring and summer engagement and key themes that emerged in the Minneapolis and Columbia Heights segments on the project.
Minneapolis
Community engagement efforts in Minneapolis drew strong participation from residents, businesses, and stakeholders. Activities included an in-person public meeting at Edison High School, attended by 70 people; a virtual public meeting attended by 20 people; five community pop-up events attended by 175 people; and eight meetings with local businesses. The project team also mailed 7,040 postcards to surrounding properties to keep the community informed about the project and invite further input.
Key themes and insights:
- Multimodal safety: Overall, community members were supportive of the proposed bicycle, pedestrian, and transit improvements. They were particularly supportive of the bus lanes and sidewalk-level separated bike lanes. Many are looking forward to the METRO F Line and the improvements it will provide for transit speed and reliability.
- Traffic & lane reduction: The proposed 4-to-3 lane conversion drew both support (for safety and speed reduction) and concern (about congestion and backups). Specific intersections like Lowry Ave, St. Anthony Pkwy, and railroad crossings were flagged for potential traffic delays and emergency access issues.
- Parking: Parking near businesses is a concern, with split opinions on maintaining on-street parking versus prioritizin bus lanes. Suggestions included shared parking and off-peak bus lane use.
- Placemaking: The idea of incorporating space along Central Ave for public art installation came up at several events. Additional placemaking suggestions included plantings, boulevard trees, and pedestrian lighting.
- Construction impacts: Business owners are concerned about construction phasing and access changes. Businesses requested additional outreach and communication as construction grows nearer, especially with so many concurrent projects in the area.
Columbia Heights, Hilltop, and Fridley
The project team also saw strong participation in the northern section of the corridor in Columbia Heights, Hilltop, and Fridley. Activities included an in-person public meeting at the library, attended by 100 people; two virtual public meetings attended by 15 people; three community pop-up events attended by 135 people; and ten business meetings. The project team also mailed 5,368 postcards to surrounding properties to keep the community informed about the project and invite further input.
Key themes and insights:
- Roundabouts: Feedback on roundabouts remains mixed, with many supporting them for their safety benefits and others concerned about traffic flow, congestion, and confusion. Specific concerns include multi-lane roundabouts, perceived over-concentration of roundabouts, pedestrian safety, and a desire for driver education.
- Traffic & access: Congestion along the corridor was a top concern. Participants were also concerned about longer travel times, cut-through traffic impacting local side streets, and emergency vehicle access with the design changes.
- Pedestrian safety: Many community members expressed concern that mid-block crossings on Central Ave feel safer than intersections due to current design challenges. They also questioned how pedestrians would navigate medians and suggested barriers to discourage unsafe crossing behavior. There was also a desire for better pedestrian lighting.
- Transit lanes & stops: Community members had questions about the bus lane configuration and proposed BRT platform locations. While some were concerned about buses stopping in-lane, many others appreciated the dedicated bus lane, noting that it helps prevent buses from blocking traffic, especially during backups and emergencies.
- Parking: Participants supported maintaining on-street parking, especially near small businesses.
- Placemaking: Many community members disliked the wide concrete medians, preferring planted medians or additional green space. Some voiced concerns about maintenance of planted medians. Additional placemaking requests included street furniture, wayfinding signage, trash bins, and lighting improvements.
Next steps
The proposed layout will go through an approval process with each municipality along the corridor beginning in 2026. Once the layout is approved, the project team will work to refine and finalize the design with construction estimated to begin in 2028. The project team is planning significant community and business outreach around what to expect with construction and how to minimize impacts to this vital community and business corridor.