Community members gathered at an open house on Nov. 16 at the Audubon Community Center to catch a first glimpse of the plans for the 29th Avenue resurfacing project that will span from Stinson Blvd. NE to Central Ave. NE. The project is already underway, with full implementation of the resurfacing to be completed in summer 2024.
In 2022, the Audubon Neighborhood Association (ANA) led a community-organized walk along 29th that included local politicians and representatives from the city, pointing out deficits that endangered the safety of community members. The ANA has advocated for a full redesign of the road for years. After several follow-up meetings with Public Works, resurfacing instead of a full redesign has left some community members with mixed feelings.
“When we were organizing, we wanted full redesign,” said Jonathan Harms, who helped lead the walk last summer. “We wanted to really change the entire path of what this project could be. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make that. But despite that, we have seen some things that Public Works has been able to shift in their thinking. They’ve been able to say we do need more traffic calming, we do need bollards, and we do need other pieces. It’s gratifying to see the limited success that we have seen.”
Community members had a chance to meet Public Works Transportation Planner Peter Bennett, who is the project lead. Bennett said work to prepare the road for the resurfacing has already begun. Workis underway to replace all the curb ramps tomeet ADA standards, along with a mill and overlay (grinding off some of the top layer in order to make room for and secure new asphalt) that will be laid prior to the main work.
“The concept that we’re showing here tonight shows a two-way bikeway on the north side of the street, separated by plastic bollards,” Bennett described. “One [bikeway path] travels in each direction, and then parking is on the south side of the street. It’s a big change. We’re still open to feedback about that as we go.”
In addition to plastic bollards and two-way protected bike lanes, crosswalks will be painted in areas where high foot traffic occurs, including the Hayes Street four-way stop by Northeast Middle School.
Liam Davis Temple, policy aide for Council Member Elliot Payne, was at the meeting. He said the community had a big role in the fruition of the road work being completed. “It’s a testament to the community,” Temple said. “We were all here on that walk and it went from not probably getting anything to options now of bike lanes and bollard striping that hopefully will tangibly improve the street. Even though we’re not getting what we want with a full reconstruction, we’re going to definitely make the experience of people walking, biking and driving better.”
The resurfacing project will allow the city to restripe the street with the intent to improve overall safety for anyone traveling on the route in a vehicle, bike, or on foot. The city’s Transportation Action Plan (TPA) identifies 29th Avenue as a bicycle corridor. To meet the safety standards of this plan, as
well as the Vision Zero Policy and the Complete Streets Policy, work must be done to comply.
Community members also expressed concerns at the 2022 walk about speeding semis coming out of the Shoreham Yards entrance off Central Ave. NE. Temple said now that resurfacing is underway and there is a plan, it’s time to revisit how to slow down the truck traffic.
“We need to go back and work with Shoreham and work with the city to figure out how to make a plan going forward along with the street design,” he said.
Megan Wolle, who attended the walk last summer and expressed her personal concerns for community safety at the event, attended the open house feeling some disappointment. “It feels like a consolation prize,” she said. “I know that the city feels like you’re receiving this resurfacing that should make this neighborhood coalition happy, but I’m not certain that’s the overwhelming sentiment. I think a lot of us feel like we were promised a full reconstruction.”
Before the final implementation begins, the city will collect data on speeding, crashes and parking within the 29th Avenue corridor. Community outreach strategies will also continue to engage the community about the project plan.
The resurfacing will continue into 2024 and even though some community members expressed disappointment, there are no plans to stop asking for the full redesign. “There’s still so much to be done on 29th Avenue,” Harms said. “I still want to see curb margins that allow for better safety when walking on streets, places where we can add more trees and more naturally add traffic calming. There are so many things that are being left on the table by continuing with a mill and overlay. But we’re going to be here for a good long while, so we’ll continue to ask and demand for those things.”
More information about the project can be found at: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/29th-ne-ada-ramp/
Audubon Park residents looked over plans for the resurfacing of 29th Ave. NE. (Marla Khan-Schwartz)
Work on the thoroughfare has already begun and will be completed next summer. (Cynthia Sowden)