More than 20,000 cars pass through the gateway to Northeast every day. Alongside hundreds of buses, bicycles and pedestrians, car traffic that flows between Johnson Street and the entrance to 35W is immense. After two years of planning, Minneapolis Public Works has determined that in its current state, the intersection is just not meant to handle the level of traffic that it does. It is used by all modes of transportation, but wasn’t designed for them, and it’s long overdue for some quality of life improvements for the people who use it every day.
Preliminary planning has been underway on the overhaul for the Johnson/35W intersection since 2020, and was capped off with a study in August 2022 that evaluated the traffic levels for different modes of transportation. According to Luke Hanson, senior transportation planner for Public Works, his team concluded that improvements were needed to the sidewalk, crosswalk corners, public transit stops, storm water drainage and traffic control systems. The idea is that improvements across these nodes would help make the flow of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic safer, quicker and less hectic, while also bringing it up to code with ADA guidelines.
Construction on the intersection is expected to begin in 2024, but in the meantime, there is still more planning to be done. The project is now entering the design and planning phase, though it is still very early in the process. Some prototypes on potential improvement models have been drawn up, but before Public Works chooses any specifics, they want input from the public on what changes will best serve their needs.
Two preliminary models will soon be available for comment on the project’s website: minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/Johnson-st-intersection.
One features a roundabout, while the other features remodeled sidewalk corners, narrower streets, and reorganized lanes and signal lights to ease confusion over turning.
The roundabout design drew wary eyes during an open house on Thursday, Feb. 2, when community members gathered at the Northeast Recreation Center to take a sneak peek at the fruits of the preliminary evaluations. “Well, if you wanted to make Johnson Street less attractive to everyone, maybe bring that number from 20,000 to 10,000, the roundabout’s a great option,” one community member said half-jokingly to Hanson.
Hanson said the roundabout is only a very early prototype, and it may not be viable due to the sheer volume of traffic in the intersection, not just from Northeasters, but from people in Columbia Heights trying to reach the interstate. However, he and his team want to open all possible avenues for public input.
He also said the sprawling lawn immediately west of the intersection contains buried hazardous materials, which limits some of the design options. Consideration of where the city’s jurisdiction on the street ends and the state’s begins along 35W must also be taken into account.
Feedback submitted by the public will be used to draft more specific prototype designs for the intersection, which will be presented to the public for further review and commentary at another community meeting in mid-March (date to be determined).
Readers who missed the open house are encouraged to visit the project’s website, minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/Johnson-st-intersection, to submit feedback and ideas for the March presentation. Keep up to date on the project by signing up for email updates there as well. Hanson also encouraged people to reach out to him or his team (luke.hanson@minneapolismn.gov and chris.kartheiger@minneapolismn.gov).
The open ground west of the intersection of Johnson Street and 35W contains hazardous materials, which may affect design options. (Provided by City of Minneapolis)