On June 10, Hennepin County opened up a new round of public comment on its proposed reconstruction of Lyndale Avenue from Franklin to 31st Street at an open house at SpringHouse Ministries. The centerpiece was the release of three alternative potential design concepts for the roadway, each of which is materially different from the others.
The redesign process itself has already sparked tensions in the area, pitting local business owners and residents concerned about accessibility and parking against the bike lobby and transit advocates, who want to see the addition of dedicated bike and bus lanes. Dueling protests occurred in the area in March 2024.
The flash point for the new round of public comment is likely to be “Sample Concept B,” which proposes adding a dedicated bus lane on one side of the street, which appears from the rendering to eliminate all parking on that side for the length of the roadway.
More bike lanes...
Also of note are dedicated bike lanes proposed in Sample Concepts B and C. The county states that while Lyndale is not identified as a bikeway on current city or county bike plan maps, these proposals were driven by public feedback received during the first round of public comment. If adopted, the proposed bike lanes would connect the Loring Greenway to the Midtown Greenway.
Sample Concept A comes closest to preserving the street in its current configuration, with several caveats. First, it’s a three-lane roadway with a center turn lane. For those who weren’t paying careful attention already, this cements a change from four lanes to three that was already deemed permanent in 2022.
Second, all of the concepts include additional pedestrian safety measures, such as bump-outs at crossings. Third, the width of the proposed lanes has not yet been determined. That’s a source of concern to some local business owners, who worry that enhanced boulevard space at the edge of the roadway could come at the expense of safe and convenient loading and unloading for both personal and commercial vehicles.
Why is this reconstruction necessary?
The county cites a number of reasons in its presentation materials. First and foremost is that such roadways are anticipated to have a 60-70 year functional lifespan, and Lyndale Avenue has not been comprehensively reconstructed since the 1930s. Below grade utilities also need attention. Other reasons include safety, ADA compliance and increased green space.
Bottom line?
This is your time to speak up! Want bus-only lanes? Take the survey. Like parking? Take the survey. Like bike lanes? Take the survey. You get it … .
Nota bene: use of the word “transit” in the survey appears to mean “buses,” which may be confusing for some participants.
The open house materials, available at the project website, contain additional useful information. And, for those of you who (like me) are survey-averse, you can email comments in your own words to Josh Potter, the project engineer, at josh.potter@hennepin.us.
