Transportation & Wayfinding

Lake Street Council tracts and shares information about ongoing and upcoming transportation projects that will impact businesses. You can find an update about current street and highway construction projects below.

We also are available to help your businesses take actions to become more accessible to customers traveling by car, bus, bike, or foot. Some ways we can help include:

Surveying your customers to help you understand their current travel patterns and needs
Setting up shared parking arrangements with nearby ramps or property owners
Applying for temporary or permanent changes to on-street parking signage in front of your property to allow for drop-off zones or handicapped parking restrictions
Installing subsidized bike racks
Requesting car-share, bike-share, and other shared mobility service zones to be installed near your business
Offering your employees subsidized bus passes, bike-share, or car-share memberships
Marketing to nearby residents who can easily walk or bike to your business

If you have questions about how local transportation projects may impact your business, or if you are interested in exploring opportunities to improve your business’s accessibility, contact Matt Kazinka at 612.823.0096 or mkazinka@lakestreetcouncil.org.

Current Projects on Lake Street

There are several transportation projects that are underway or in planning that will impact the Lake Street corridor over the next few years. Below is a short summary of those projects.

35W Reconstruction

MnDOT is in the middle of a four-year project to reconstruct Interstate 35W. The project will lead to improved access to Lake Street, but construction will have significant impacts on traffic and business access along the corridor. Several ramp closures from now until 2021, especially for northbound travelers, will lead to long detours for those traveling to and from Lake Street via 35W. The project includes the development of a new Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit station at Lake Street and I-35. The Orange Line will travel on I-35W from the southern suburbs into downtown Minneapolis.

Timeline: Currently under construction until fall 2021

For more information, visit dot.state.mn.us/35w94

Questions? Call the project hotline at 612-284-6125 or email info@35w94.com

Lake Street Reconstruction between Blaisdell & 5th Ave

Hennepin County has begun reconstructing Lake Street between Blaisdell Ave and 5th Ave. The rest of Lake Street experienced a major re-construction in the mid-2000s, but this portion was left incomplete so that it could be done in conjunction with the I-33W project. It is expected that Lake Street will be kept open, with one lane of traffic in each direction, for the entirety of the project aside from some occasional weekend or overnight closures. Parking will be eliminated along Lake Street but access to parking on side streets will be maintained where possible.

Timeline: Currently under construction until fall 2021

For more information, visit: dot.state.mn.us/35w94/lakestreet.html

Questions? Call the project hotline at 612-284-6125 or email info@35w94.com

Hiawatha-Lake Improvements

MNDOT will be repaving MN-55 (Hiawatha Avenue) in 2022, after 35W is completed. As part of that project, the Hiawatha-Lake intersection will receive a full re-design to improve traffic flow, increase safety for all users, and reduce confusion at the interchange. A series of short-term improvements were completed in 2019, including new crosswalks, reduced turn angles, and pedestrian median refuges.

Timeline: Engagement expected to begin in 2020

For more information, visit: hennepin.us/hi-lake

Questions? Contact Bob Byers at 612-596-0354 or robert.byers@hennepin.us

Bus Rapid Transit on and around Lake Street

Metro Transit has begun planning a series of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines that will provide faster and more reliable transit service to, from, and along Lake Street. BRT lines are new bus lines that substantially replace existing high-use routes to provide frequent service on days, nights and weekends. BRT lines have fewer stations than standard bus routes; they are located approximately every ½ mile and intersect with other existing transit lines. These stations include heat, lighting, security features, real-time bus departure information, and trash receptacles.

For more information, visit: metrotransit.org/abrt

Questions? Contact Katie Roth at 612-349-7772 or katie.roth@metrotransit.org

  
    Project
    Corridor
    Existing Route
    Current Stage
    Estimated Start Date
    Project Contact
    Contact Phone
    Contact Email
  

    D Line
    Chicago Ave
    Route 5
    Engineering
    2022
    Cody Olson
    (612) 349-7390
    DLine@metrotransit.org
  

    B Line
    Lake Street
    Route 21
    Station Planning
    2023
    Cody Olson
    (612) 349-7390
    BLine@metrotransit.org
  

    E Line
    Hennepin Ave
    Route 6
    Station Planning
    2024
    Sophia Ginis
    (612) 349-7409
    ELine@metrotransit.org
  

Grand Avenue Reconstruction

The City of Minneapolis will reconstruct Grand Avenue from Lake Street to 48th St W. The current draft layout includes some features that will impact traffic flow from Lake Street and parking for businesses.

Timeline: Engagement currently underway, with construction expected in 2021

For more information, visit minneapolismn.gov/cip/futureprojects/grand-ave-s

Questions? Contact Dan Edgerton at 612-207-5722 or Dan.Edgerton@minneapolismn.gov

Bryant Avenue Reconstruction

The City of Minneapolis is planning to reconstruct Bryant Avenue south of Lake Street. Bryant Ave is currently a bicycle boulevard and is prioritized as a bikeway in the City’s plans.

Timeline: Engagement beginning soon, with construction expected in 2021

For more information, visit minneapolismn.gov/cip/futureprojects/bryant-ave-s-reconstruction

Questions? Contact Liz Heyman at 612-673-2460 or Bryant.Ave.Reconstruction@minneapolismn.gov

Hennepin Avenue Reconstruction

The City of Minneapolis will soon start planning the full reconstruction of Hennepin Avenue from Lake Street to Franklin Avenue. This will be a major street reconstruction project and the design will likely include new elements to prioritize safety and efficiency of travel for buses and bicycles.

Timeline: Design will begin in 2020, with construction expected in 2023

For more information on Hennepin, visit minneapolismn.gov/cip/futureprojects/HennepinSouth

Questions? Contact Becca Hughes at 612-673-3594 or rebecca.hughes@minneapolismn.gov