U of M Neighborhoods
DCC Washington Avenue Committee
When agreement was reached by the Central Corridor LRT project to create a transit/pedestrian mall on Washington Avenue at the University of Minnesota, the DCC member organizations adjacent to the U of M were concerned that traffic would increase on residential streets, as cars and trucks were diverted from Washington Avenue and cut through the neighborhoods to reach their destinations. So in 2007, a DCC committee was formed to research the issues and work with the cities, counties and MNDot to mitigate impacts resulting from the closing of Washington Avenue. In addition to the DCC's five Minneapolis neighborhoods, two Saint Paul representatives, from Saint Anthony Park and Union Park, joined the committee due to similar concerns.
Traffic Studies and Research Report
After reviewing existing traffic studies and transportation plans, and meeting with City, County and Met Council staff to clarify findings, the DCC contracted with a traffic consultant to research and prepare a report on questions of concern to the neighborhoods that were not being addressed by existing traffic studies. The resulting report emphasized the need to plan for complete streets to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists as well as vehicles, to complete plans for alternative routes for through traffic, to calm traffic and limit parking on residential streets, and to consider proposed new development plans as part of traffic projections and planning. The report was also included as part of the DCC's comments on the Supplementary Draft Environmental Impact Statement. [Link]
Washington Avenue bridge study
In the aftermath of the I-35W bridge collapse, the committee became increasingly concerned about the costs and the adequacy of plans to reconstruct the Washington Avenue bridge, a fracture critical structure that was also built more than 50 years ago. A series of meetings were scheduled with project engineers to get answers to questions about the structural integrity and anticipated life of the reconstructed bridge. Also discussed was the planned construction timetable, and measures being taken to minimize disruptions of pedestrian and bicycle traffic back and forth between the east and west bank campuses of the University of Minnesota. When the upper level pedestrian bridge was declared unsafe in 2008, the committee met with Hennepin County staff to review plans to reinforce it. As the Civil West contractor, Ames/McCrossan begins work on the Washington Avenue bridge reconstruction, starting with repairs to the piers and substructure in the fall of 2010, the committee will continue to monitor the bridge reconstruction.
Granary Road
The committee sees Granary Road, planned to run along the Burlington Northern rail trench on the north side of the east bank campus, as an essential reliever road for through traffic. Plans have been completed for the middle section, but alignments for the western part, ending at the 35W bridge ramp, and for the eastern part, going to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul border, have not yet been determined. Nor is there any agreement on if and how the road should continue through Saint Anthony Park toward Saint Paul.
Monitoring construction
With early construction of alternative roads and installation additonal traffic signals already underway around the University of Minnesota's east bank, one of the Minneapolis DCC representatives has been appointed to the U of M Construction Communication Committee (CCC) which meets twice a month to monitor progress and assess the degree to which the contractor is complying with requirements. Additional CCCs will be set up for the Prospect Park area and for the West Bank as soon as construction begins in those areas, probably in the spring of 2011. The DCC will seek representation on those CCCs as well, to be able to monitor construction impacts, signage, and responsiveness to community questions, suggestions and complaints.
Community members who live or work around the University of Minnesota are invited to join the U of M Neighborhoods Committee. Sign up and check the Opportunities to Get Involved box to indicate your interest.
