Hennepin/Lyndale Avenue Reconstruction
Kimley-Horn designed the reconstruction of the Hennepin/Lyndale Avenue corridor between Franklin Avenue and Dunwoody Boulevard. This corridor provides an important north-south route for automobiles and transit service in Minneapolis, and is a critical link for drivers seeking access to I-94, I-394, and high-profile institutions like the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. It is also a highly used pedestrian and bicycle corridor requiring that the roadway design balance the various modes of transportation present along this busy urban street.
More than 50 years of high traffic volumes have deteriorated the corridor’s pavement, creating safety issues; poor signage and confusing lane designations lead to sideswipe crashes and weaving; and traffic signals were in need of upgrades to improve traffic flow. Additionally, the corridor hosts more than 2,000 bike and pedestrian trips per day in the summer peak; these users must navigate many lanes of traffic to cross the roadways with limited connections.
To address these needs, Kimley-Horn provided roadway design, traffic analysis, public engagement with adjacent stakeholders, environmental documentation, and landscape design services. Key issues include utility upgrades and relocation, working within the constraints of a federal funding application, and balancing design considerations to include multiple modes of transportation.
This project called for a significant public involvement process, including a project website, three open house meetings that were attended by more than 150 people each, and more than 50 individual and group stakeholder meetings. Project area stakeholders engaged in the process include the Walker Art Center, the Basilica of St. Mary’s, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Loring Park), and neighborhood and business associations. A citizen task force also helped in the development of portions of the project design.
The project was partially financed with Federal Aid funds requiring that the plans and specifications be prepared consistent with MnDOT State Aid/Federal Aid standards. A significant portion of the project improvements were constructed on top of the I-94 Lowry Hill tunnel requiring close coordination with MnDOT. A construction phasing/staging plan was developed to maintain traffic (60,000 average daily traffic) through the project area during construction while maintaining access to the various businesses and institutions along the corridor.
Project Recognition
- 2018 National Recognition Award; American Council of Engineering Companies