The formal University Ave/4th Se SE stakeholder group met this week to hear updates from City and County staff about the project and what the timeline looks like going forward. 
Do you ride or walk in the corridor? We have ways for you to get involved, too!
What is a stakeholder?
The University Ave/4th St SE stakeholder group is comprised of multiple people: business owners along the corridor, students & faculty at UMN, staff involved in transportation and planning on campus, and Coalition staff, just to name a few. All of these individuals interact with the corridor on a frequent basis and play a role in guiding the direction of the project. The groups have been invited to participate as stakeholders by the City staff that are leading the project and they represent a number of groups in the community (Marcy-Holmes neighborhood, MPIRG, Dinkytown Business Alliance, etc.)
What is important to the groups the stakeholders are representing?
Lots of things! With a variety of voices and experiences comes a variety of thoughts and ideas about what should be included in the new infrastructure. From enhanced lighting to better crosswalks, the groups that the stakeholders are representing have many infrastructure improvements they would like to see come to life. There are some recurring themes, however, that we want to highlight…
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Greening efforts (planter boxes, trees, benches)
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Higher level of protection beyond bollards
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Intersection treatments
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Safety, reduced traffic speeds
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Add access and safety for bikes
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Accessibility for disabilities, including transit users (bus, light trail)
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Attention paid to who uses the space--students, faculty, commuters
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Winter maintenance
What is the process so far?
The group has met a handful of times since our first meeting in November 2015 as the project moves closer to installation (scheduled for 2018). There are a few blog posts with meeting recaps and more detailed information about where the project currently stands. Check out posts from November and February.
Next steps
The stakeholder group will meet two mores times: May and June. These meetings will serve as a time to discuss the preliminary concepts of the project’s installation and go over the evaluation which the City put forth to assess options for the corridor related to biking, walking, transit, driving, and on-street parking.
How can you get involved?
An open house for the public is in the process of being planned! It will be held during the month of May, so be sure to keep an eye out for updates on the Coalition’s social media as well as emails. The open house will provide materials about the project and information about timeline, next steps, etc. City, County, and Coalition staff will be present to answer your questions and have a discussion!
Additionally, the University District Alliance Livability Committee is currently collecting survey responses from anyone who lives, works, studies, or commutes in the University District area. Whether this is an area you are in daily, or a space you commute through every now and then, we encourage you to take 10 minutes to give your feedback about what’s important to you for quality of life in the University District. The survey will close on April 19.
This project is a collaboration of the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, and MnDOT. For questions or comments, please contact
Simon Blenski, City of Minneapolis, [email protected]
Bob Byers, Hennepin County, [email protected]
Mackenzie Turner Bargen, MnDOT, [email protected]
