Project background
Wayzata Boulevard was originally constructed as part of the state’s trunk highway system. In the mid- to late-2000s, the Minnesota Department of Transportation built the Highway 12 bypass. In 2011, MnDOT returned jurisdiction of old Highway 12 to Hennepin County as a county state aid highway. As part of that project, the roadway was overlain with bituminous to temporarily correct poor pavement surfaces. Other significant improvements of the corridor were not performed as part of MnDOT’s construction project.
A former trunk highway, the roadway was primarily designed for efficient traffic movement through the corridor, and does not adequately address many local priorities such as pedestrian mobility and safety, parking, bicycle trail connectivity, and access.
The “turn-back” of roadway jurisdiction from MnDOT to Hennepin County has allowed the county, along with the cities of Long Lake and Orono, to evaluate the roadway and identify potential improvements that deliver safe and efficient transportation while balancing the needs and desires of the local community. The county and cities are working on a design for the roadway that will serve the needs of the community.
Baseline information such as topography, soils conditions, utility information, right of way information and traffic data were gathered and analyzed by the project team. Concept designs were developed and refined based on public input for both phase 1 and phase 2 of the project.
The reconstruction is being completed in three phases.
Phase 1 reconstruction – Willow Drive to Wolf Pointe Trail
This project was completed in 2018.
View the Phase 1 design layout (PDF).
Phase 2 reconstruction – Wolf Pointe Trail to Highway 12 ramps
The project was completed in 2019.
View the Phase 2 design layout (PDF).
Phase 3 reconstruction – East of County Road 6 to Willow Drive
This project is in early design stages.