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West Broadway Avenue Bridges reconstruction

County Road 81 in Minneapolis and Robbinsdale

Hennepin County, in coordination with Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, and cities of Minneapolis and Robbinsdale, is planning to reconstruct the West Broadway Avenue Bridges (County Road 81) in Minneapolis and Robbinsdale.

As part of this project, we are also making improvements at the intersection below the bridges connecting Theodore Wirth and Victory Memorial parkways, as well as Oakdale and Lowry avenues (County Road 153).

Construction is anticipated to begin in fall 2020.

project timeline image

 

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Project information

Thank you!!

Your participation has been great!

Thank you for your participation and input during the preliminary design process for the West Broadway Avenue Bridges reconstruction project.

Whether you participated in any of the 16 community events, in one-on-one visits with local businesses or through a community survey, we appreciate your involvement.

With your involvement, we developed the following goals for the project:

  • Improve safety for people traveling through the intersection connecting Theodore Wirth and Victory Memorial parkways, and Oakdale and Lowry (County Road 153) avenues
  • Improve safety for people using the off- and on-ramps on West Broadway Avenue/Bottineau Boulevard (County Road 81)
  • Improve trail connections to nearby roads and regional trails

Engineer engagement

Project design engineer, John Ekola, provides an overview of the proposed bridge and intersection features with open house attendees at Robbinsdale City Hall.

Outdoor engagement

County staff shares the project's preliminary design with Live on the Drive event attendees at Victory Memorial Drive in Minneapolis.

Sharing the preliminary design

Based on your input, we developed a preliminary design. We returned to the people and communities who provided input to share this design.

  • Infrastructure improvements, including new concrete bridges, paved roadway, curbs and gutters, and underground utility lines
  • Bike and pedestrian improvements, including Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliant ramps, added trails, sidewalks and on-street bikeways, and an expanded trail connection between Lowry and West Broadway avenues
  • Safety improvements, including shorter crosswalk distances at the intersection, added lighting underneath the bridge and realigned lanes at ramp connections to improve sight distance, and allow for safer merging

Community-focused improvements (PDF)

Next steps for project design

We are now moving forward to finalize design plans for the new bridges and intersection below. This process will include:

  • refining preliminary designs
  • completing standard environmental studies of the project area
  • developing construction timelines and staging
  • coordinating schedules and approvals with partnering cities and agencies

Final design is expected to be complete by spring 2020. Construction is anticipated to begin in fall 2020.

Look for us at events next year

As we finalize design plans, there will be opportunities for you to meet with project staff and stay informed about the project's progress at future community events in Minneapolis and Robbinsdale.

Event updates will be provided via e-mail and posted here.

Public involvement

Community engagement and outreach

Community survey

Prior to the design of the bridges and intersection below, Hennepin County and project partners evaluated opportunities to improve safety and mobility for all people.

Starting in spring 2019, the project team conducted surveys, attended local community meetings and events with the goal of identifying design needs and concepts for this reconstruction project.

Thank you for your feedback!

We thank everyone who participated in the survey on how to make the bridges and intersection below work better for your community.

Below are some key findings based on 387 survey responses and feedback.

When asking about concerns of the current bridges and intersection, more than 78 percent mentioned one of these three concerns. Shown in this graphic, top concerns were:

  • Intersection safety
  • Pedestrian and bicycle safety
  • Bridge and intersection connections

View the full summary of the survey results (PDF)

Community events 

Project staff have been active in the local community since spring 2019, participating in Minneapolis and Robbinsdale events in spring and summer 2019. We met area residents and businesses, shared proposed improvements and answered questions.

There will be additional opportunities to meet with project staff at future events to learn more about the project, and as we finalize design. Event updates will be posted here.

Preliminary design open house

The project hosted a preliminary design open house on October 8, 2019 to provide the public with information on preliminary design improvements at the West Broadway Avenue Bridges and the intersection below connecting Theodore Wirth and Victory Memorial parkways, and Oakdale and Lowry avenues.

Preliminary design renderings available

Using feedback received from the community through the community survey and at events in Robbinsdale and Minneapolis, project staff created preliminary designs with community-focused improvements for the new bridges and intersection, including:

  • Shortening trail crossings providing safer intersection crosswalks for people walking, biking and rolling.
  • Redesigning ramp connections allowing for improved sight distance and safer merging.
  • Improving trail connections to provide additional access for people walking, biking and rolling to regional trails nearby.

Community focused improvements (PDF)

View of the intersection from Oakdale Avenue

Rendering of the proposed redesign of the intersection. View from Oakdale Avenue (PDF)

View of the intersection from Theodore Wirth Parkway

Rendering of the proposed redesign of the intersection. View from Theodore Wirth Parkway (PDF)

Land acquisition

The acquisition of privately-owned real property is sometimes necessary when making improvements to county roads. The document below provides information to those whose land must be either partially acquired or acquired in its entirety by Hennepin County. This document is shared directly with these individuals. It is provided here as a resource for anyone who may have misplaced the document.

Any questions can be directed to:

Hennepin County Public Works
Land Acquisition Group
1600 Prairie Drive
Medina, MN 55340-5421
612-596-0324

Environmental review

This project will have temporary environmental impacts to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s (MPRB) Victory Memorial and Theodore Wirth parkways.

Hennepin County has taken steps to minimize all impacts to the sensitive parkways. The project has applied for a de minimis determination, which states that the proposed impacts will have no significant or lasting impacts to the parkways.

Below you can find the de minimis form. The link will be available until Saturday, April 4, 2020.

De minimis preliminary determination request (PDF)

Your comments must be submitted on or before Saturday, April 4, 2020 to John Ekola, P.E., design manager for the West Broadway Avenue Bridges reconstruction project.

Your comments can be sent via email at john.ekola@hennepin.us, or by mail to ATTN: John Ekola, Hennepin County Public Works, 1600 Prairie Drive, Medina, MN 55340. County staff will coordinate with MPRB staff in responding to substantive comments. Comments will become part of the official record and will be considered when making future project related decisions.

Project leadership and partners

Hennepin County

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

City of Minneapolis

City of Robbinsdale

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