Highway 3/Robert Street

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Proposed final design concept available

We have been working with the community to envision the future of Robert St. since 2020. We have heard from thousands of community members about their experiences with and priorities for Robert St. Improving safety is a top concern.

We have proposed a final design layout for Robert St., which is based on community input and technical analysis. The design focuses on improving safety for everyone in a variety of ways.

View the design and learn about what we heard from the community, and how that input was incorporated in the final design.

If you would like to review the full proposed design layout, please contact us.

About this project

We are planning significant improvements to Robert St. between Annapolis St. and Kellogg Blvd. Construction will likely occur in multiple phases from 2026-2029. By building the project in phases, road closures will be limited to the immediate area under construction.

The project will repair or replace the roadway pavement, replace sidewalks, improve safety, and will be coordinated with other infrastructure work planned along the corridor such as utility replacement and transit improvements.

We are planning for Robert St. construction to occur at the same time as work for the Metro Transit G Line to minimize disruptions to the community.

Summary of work

• Began fall 2020: Test temporary curb extensions at the intersections of Baker St. and Robert St. and Isabel St. and Robert St.
• 2026-2028: Construction of Robert St. improvements outside of the viaduct area (south of State St. and north of Cesar Chavez St.)
• 2028-2029: Construction of viaduct and roadway improvements between State St. and Cesar Chavez St.
• Complete: Repaired the George St. bridge and the viaduct between Cesar Chavez and King St. East, and repaired and resurfaced the Robert St. bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks
• Complete: Micro-surface and restripe Robert St. between Annapolis St. (south of the Mississippi River) and 11th St. in downtown St. Paul (just south of I-94)
• Complete: Repair Robert St. Bridge over the Mississippi River

We are also conducting a nearby study on South Robert St. between Mendota Rd. and Annapolis St. in West St. Paul. For more information, visit the study webpage.

Funding updates

In January 2025, this project received a $25 million RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant will fund the replacement of the viaduct between Cesar Chavez St. and King St. on Robert St. The nearly 100-year-old viaduct currently requires ongoing repairs. The grant will also cover some design elements and other roadway work on Robert St.

We are developing design concepts for the viaduct, which we will share with the public later this year. Construction of the viaduct and roadway work between State St. and Cesar Chavez St. is anticipated for 2028 and 2029.

In August 2024, the Robert St. Project also received $7 million from the Metropolitan Council's Regional Solicitation, a comprehensive transportation funding package. This will help fund the full reconstruction of the roadway.

Any future work along Robert St. will be completed in coordination with other public entities, including the City of St. Paul and the Metropolitan Council, to limit construction disruptions for residents, businesses and property owners.

Pavement markings on Robert St.

Crews have been marking underground utility lines to understand exactly where pipes, manholes and other utilities are beneath Robert St. to prepare for construction.

Lead pipe replacement

Properties eligible for the City of St. Paul’s Lead Free SPRWS program may have their water service lines replaced at no cost to property owners. Timing the replacement with road construction makes the process efficient and lessens disruptions. View eligibility and program information.

Parking study

We completed a parking study on Robert St. at eight different times in December 2023. The study showed how people are using on-street parking on Robert St. Many places that currently have on-street parking are underutilized.

Highlights of the study and input we’ve heard from the community include:

• The most highly parked block with 55% use was Wyoming St. and Winona St. on the east side of Robert St.
• 51% of survey respondents recommended adding on-street parking between Isabel St. and Cesar Chavez St.
• The second section people most often wanted to add on-street parking and improve crossings was from Winona St. to Annapolis St.
• 21% of survey respondents did not support adding any new parking on Robert St.
• A recommended solution will not be one-size-fits-all

Pedestrian safety pilot project

We installed temporary safety features at the intersections of Baker St. and Robert St. and Isabel St. and Robert St. in October 2020.

These temporary safety features, called curb extensions (or bump-outs or bulb-outs), visually and physically narrow the roadway. This creates shorter crossings for pedestrians and increases visibility for people walking and driving. Curb extensions will not take any parking away or affect access to driveways, but may make parking near the corner more difficult.

The goal of this project is to test the curb extensions before committing to them as a long-term design improvement at the intersection. While the curb extensions are in place, we are evaluating pedestrian and driver behavior and determining the impact they have on traffic, such as pedestrian usage and vehicle speeds.

There is currently no specific date for the removal of the extensions, but they will be maintained by MnDOT for the foreseeable future.

Share your thoughts on these temporary curb extensions by completing our feedback form.

Traffic impacts

All traffic impacts are tentative and weather dependent.

Upcoming

Information about upcoming traffic impacts will be posted as details become available.