Following technical analyses, community meetings and public input, the cities of Minneapolis and Columbia Heights have proposed their latest series of redesigns for Central Avenue NE.
The redesign stretches from Central and 8th Street at the southernmost end and Central and 53rd Avenue at the northernmost. Generally, the proposal features a northbound bus lane, a southbound bus lane or both. Nearly every intersection features sidewalk-level bikeways and boulevards separating sidewalk from the road.
The bus lanes are intended to accommodate Line F, a proposed bus rapid transit line. Bus rapid transit is a style of bus service that prioritizes faster service via off-board fare payments, all-door boarding and signal priority.
The 3rd Avenue NE road at the intersection of Central Avenue NE and Spring Street NE are planned to be closed to vehicle traffic apart from business use. Similarly, 32nd Avenue may no longer connect to Central Avenue NE. Bicyclists and pedestrians will still be able to connect to the Grand Rounds Trail.
Community takeaways
In early 2025, Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) staff members collected feedback from community members in Northeast Minneapolis and Columbia Heights via online surveys, business outreach, pop-ups and meetings.
The Department’s website lists “key takeaways” from these meetings: lane reduction, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, trees and greenery, parking, roundabouts, medians and road closures.
According to the MnDOT, “the public was split on reducing the roadway from two lanes in each direction to one,” but “reducing the number of lanes will improve safety” — a common concern among community members — by simplifying turn lanes and reducing pedestrian crossings.
Community members also prioritized “bicycle and pedestrian amenities” as well as boulevards and green spaces; as such, the redesign features boulevards, bicycle lanes and new greenery.
Community members were split on the importance of on-street parking, listing the issue as either their foremost concern or as the least pressing issue. Business people were particularly keen on keeping parking. MnDOT is retaining parking on both sides of Central Avenue from 18th Avenue to 27th Avenue “based on available roadway space and community priorities.”
Feedback on roundabouts was similarly mixed, with residents citing concerns about safety and saying they needed to learn more about how to use roundabouts. (According to current diagrams, four Central Avenue intersections in Columbia Heights — 46th 1/2 and 47th Avenue; 49th Avenue; 51st Avenue; and 53rd Avenue — will feature roundabouts.)
Residents interested in learning more about the redesign visit the MnDOT’s website: https://bit.ly/CentralAvenueRedesign. Any future meetings to discuss the plan will be posted there.
A proposed redesign for the intersection of Central Avenue and Lowry Avenue. (Provided)
The connection to 3rd Avenue at Central and Spring Street will likely be closed to most vehicle traffic. (Provided)
32nd Avenue NE, the one-way road attached to Central and St. Anthony Parkway, will no longer connect to Central. (Provided)