One lane of traffic on 1st Avenue N. in downtown Minneapolis will become a pedestrian-only area for the next few months.
Starting Monday, the southbound lane of 1st Avenue between 5th and 6th streets will be closed to vehicle traffic as the city attempts to provide more space for pedestrians downtown. The First Avenue Walkway Pilot Project will continue through October.
The city will install barriers and planters to separate the expanded walkway from the bike lane.
No on-street parking will be allowed on the west side of the block.
The parking lane of the street typically is used for vehicle traffic during rush hours.
The city plans to gather input on the pedestrian project through calls to 311, e-mails to 1stAvenueWalkway@minneapolismn.gov and on Twitter, with the hashtag #1stAveWalkway.
Erin Golden
