In 2019, Hennepin County will construct/improve pedestrian curb ramps at 10 intersections between Harrison Street and Stinson Boulevard. These improvements will make it easier and safer for people crossing the street along the corridor. More information will be made available when work is ready to begin.

The city and county are also advancing work for the following:

• Repaving the roadway for a smoother ride
• Converting the roadway from four to three lanes for a portion of the corridor
• Adding on-street bike lanes
• Enhancing the crossing at 5th Avenue
• Adding new spaces for people biking and walking between 5th Avenue and Pierce Street

Not all of these changes have been decided on yet. The county and city are still evaluating the feasibility of the proposed improvements. More information about the process for making these decisions appears below.

Roadway repaving

Hennepin County anticipates repaving East Hennepin Avenue between 8th and Johnson streets in 2020.

Prior to this, the county will complete a traffic analysis to determine if a four- to three-lane conversion is possible between 8th and Johnson streets.

A three-lane configuration provides one lane in each direction plus a center turn lane. This would free up space for bike lanes to better connect to planned bicycle facilities between Main and 8th streets.

Anticipated timeline

• Spring/summer 2019: community engagement
• Late summer/early fall 2019: design
• Summer 2020: repaving and restriping

Presidents Bike Boulevard crossing and trail improvements

The City of Minneapolis anticipates making improvements for people biking, walking and rolling in the corridor in 2020. They will construct a median refuge island for people crossing at 5th Avenue, as well as a new off-street bike path on the north side of East Hennepin Avenue between 5th and Pierce streets.

The sidewalk will be separate from the bike path. Buffered bike lanes are proposed on the south side of East Hennepin Avenue.

Anticipated timeline

• Spring/summer 2019: community engagement
• Late summer/ fall 2019: design
• Summer 2020: construction

More information can be found on the City of Minneapolis’s project website.

More about the bike and pedestrian improvements

Once the improvements are completed, people walking and biking will have a dedicated space, making the corridor safer for all users.

The improvements between 5th Avenue and Pierce Street will fill a gap in the Presidents Bike Boulevard, a key bike route for people traveling between downtown and Northeast Minneapolis.

This segment of the East Hennepin Avenue corridor is identified as a future on-street bicycle facility in both the Hennepin County 2040 Bicycle Transportation Plan and the City of Minneapolis Bicycle Master Plan. It is also identified as a Minneapolis Walking Route for Youth.

Hennepin County

• Jordan Kocak
  Bicycle and pedestrian coordinator
  612-543-3377
  jordan.kocak@hennepin.us

• Derek Sunstrom
  ADA project manager
  612-596-0379
  derek.sunstrom@hennepin.us

City of Minneapolis

• Trey Joiner
  Transportation planner
  612-673-3614
  Jerome.joiner@minneapolismn.gov