For the past three years, transportation officials have been kicking around ideas on redesigning the clustered intersection of Lake Street and I-35W in south Minneapolis to improve freeway accessibility, accommodate mass transit and add amenities to serve bicyclists and pedestrians.
The latest on their efforts to bring the I-35W Transit/Access project to fruition was presented Thursday during an open house at the Colin Powell Center in Minneapolis.
Among the ideas on the table are:
- A two-level transit station to make it easier for passengers to make connections to buses at the I-35W/Lake Street stops and possibly moving the stop to the center median of I-35W to accommodate the proposed Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit line.
- Redesign the area of I-35W from 31st Street to I-94 with new entrance and exit ramps at 28th Street.
- A "Green Crescent" bicycle/pedestrian connection between Lake Street and the Midtown Greenway.
- Streetscape features, landscaping and pedestrian facilities along Lake Street, along with new turn lanes under the Lake Street bridge at I-35W and wider sidewalks
Headed by Hennepin County, partners in the project include Metro Transit, MnDOT and the City of Minneapolis.
The next open house will be on from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Whittier Community Center, 425 W. 26th Street, Minneapolis.Design concepts and recommendations for the next steps will be presented. You can find more at the I-35W Transit/Access Project web site.
