City prepares for 29th Avenue street improvements

The following article was submitted by Minneapolis Public Works:

The City of Minneapolis, Public Works Department is preparing to perform street improvements in your neighborhood in 2023 and 2024. These improvements include upgrading deficient pedestrian curb ramps to meet American with Disabilities (ADA) Federal Guidelines and a 2-inch milling and installation of a new asphalt surface on 29th Avenue NE. This street was originally built in 1958 and these improvements, shown on the above map, will extend the useful life of the street.

This work is planned over two years, with the pedestrian curb ramp work in 2023 and the street mill and overlay in 2024. Along with the pedestrian curb ramp work, we invite public and private utilities to upgrade their facilities so future disruption can be minimized on the new street and street corners.

CenterPoint Energy has expressed an interest to improve their gas mains, services and meters along this project, so we are coordinating their work with ours.

The ADA pedestrian curb ramp work planned in 2023 will be paid for by property tax dollars. The work in 2024, which is the mill and overlay work is funded by property tax dollars along with special assessments to the adjacent property owners. There will be two meetings in 2024 which will go into more detail on this subject, these meetings will be scheduled in 2024.

The mill and overlay in 2024 provides an opportunity to improve the traffic safety and mobility of 29th Ave NE by adjusting the existing roadway striping to be more in line with City policies (Complete Streets, Vision Zero, Transportation Action Plan) and community needs. Additional engagement will occur in the spring of 2023 to discuss striping improvements for 29th Ave NE between Central and Stinson Avenues.

Public Works and CenterPoint Energy Staff will be in attendance in the Waite Park Community meeting on January 26th at 7:00 pm to meeting and discuss this further.