Minnehaha-Hiawatha Community Works Newsletter - January 2015

Minneahaha Hiawatha Community Works banner

January 9, 2015


IN THIS ISSUE


CONTACT

Robb Luckow
Project Manager
612-348-9344

Lisa Middag
612-348-0134


ABOUT THIS PROJECT

This project is a collaboration to improve economic vitality and quality of life in the Minnehaha-Hiawatha corridor by leveraging resources to support mobility, economic development, improved natural systems, and enhanced tax base.

Learn more at www.minnehaha-hiawatha.com


Get ready for Minnehaha Avenue's reconstruction

Crews are scheduled to begin work on Minnehaha Avenue this spring, with a new road completed in fall 2016. Because of the need for extensive underground utility work, the county plans to close the road in four-block segments, but people will still have access to residential and business driveways.  

Estimated construction and road closure dates (visit the project webpage to receive updates):

  • 46th - 42nd streets:  April to July 2015
  • 42nd - 38th streets:  July to November 2015
  • 38th - 34th streets:  April to July 2016
  • 34th - Lake streets:  July to November 2016
Minnehaha Cross Section

Minnehaha Ave cross-section


What can you look forward to on the new Minnehaha Avenue? 

  • Left turn lanes added at 31st, 32nd, 38th, and 46th streets and a southbound right turn at 42nd Street to ease traffic congestion at these intersections.
  • Shorter crosswalks at intersections to reduce crossing times for pedestrians and improve visibility and sight lines for motorists. 
  • Enhanced bike lanes with a striped buffer zone and concrete pavement treatments for a safer, more comfortable ride for cyclists.
  • Pedestrian and street-level lighting to make the area feel safer for everyone.
  • Stormwater improvements and new trees to provide environmental benefits as well as a more attractive, shadier street.
  • New street furnishings and colored concrete treatment at key business nodes to create a pedestrian-friendly sense of place.

L&H Station development: Get up-to-date at a February 5 community meeting

Hennepin County and the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization will present a proposed L&H Station master plan at a community meeting on February 5, from 6 to 8 pm.  The meeting will be at the development site, the Minneapolis Public School building at 2225 East Lake Street, adjacent to the Lake Street/Midtown LRT station. The county proposes to advance this master plan for city approval and eventual construction.

As proposed, the first phase of the development — which has evolved based on extensive community consultation since the last community meeting on April 3, 2014 — would include a 100,000-square-foot Hennepin County regional service hub, 125 housing units, retail, and parking.  Learn more about the project here.

Rendering of proposed L&H Development

Rendering of L&H Station development looking northeast.


Comment on County's ADA plan

Help Hennepin County in making roads and highways more accessible, as outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), by commenting on its ADA Program Access and Transition Plan. The plan is open for public comment through January 16, 2015, and includes two main components:

  • The county’s evaluation of its current policies and practices for accessibility and ADA compliance
  • The county’s evaluation of its pedestrian ramps, sidewalks and accessible pedestrian signals

The goal of the plan is to eliminate all barriers within the sidewalk — including utility poles, fire hydrants and signs — and to make it easier for everyone to use intersections and crosswalks. Send your comments to adaplan@hennepin.us 


ADA Improvements at 46th Street

February 14th Fix-It-Clinic at Longfellow Park

Hennepin County's monthly Fix-It-Clinics provide an opportunity for residents to receive free, guided assistance from volunteers with repair skills to disassemble, troubleshoot, and fix their broken household items.  Items could include small household appliances, lamps, clothing, electronics, mobile devices, and more. 

Volunteer fixers who have skills in electrical, mechanical or electronics repair, wood working, sewing, or general tinkering are essential to making the clinics successful.

The clinic comes to Longfellow on Saturday, February 14 from 12 noon to 4 pm at the Longfellow Park Recreation Center at 36th Avenue and 35th Street.  

For more information or to volunteer, contact Nancy Lo at nancy.lo@hennepin.us or 612-348-9195. 


FixItClinic

Minneapolis offers radon test kits

The City of Minneapolis is giving away 200 radon testing kits in January, and will offer kits for $9 each after the free kits have been distributed. Thanks to a donation from the Minnesota Department of Health, the kits are available while supplies last from the customer service center at the city’s Development Review department, 250 South 4th Street, Room 300.

As the second leading cause of lung cancer, radon is responsible for about 21,000 deaths per year in the U.S. It is a naturally occurring, odorless, colorless gas that seeps into homes through cracks in the floors and walls and through gaps around utility pipes. Radon cannot be detected by the carbon monoxide detectors found in most homes.

The Minnesota Department of Health estimates about 40% of Minnesota homes have levels of radon that pose a significant health risk. Testing is important as radon problems in homes can be easily addressed. For more information, check out this fact sheet from the Hiawatha CARE project or the Minnesota Department of Health's radon website.