Go-To Card—Unlimited Refills. Go Greener—Save more than the price of gas

Kingfield and East Harriet-Farmstead residents

I-35W Access Project Summary

  • History and Background, by David Brauer, President of the Kingfield Neighborhood Association board of directors

Background

The I-35W Access Project is a transportation initiative with the aim of providing greater freeway access to the commercial area between 28th and Lake Streets. The study project began in 1997 by the Phillips Partnership and grew to include business and community representatives from impacted neighborhoods. The Smith Parker law firm was hired by the Phillips Partnership to manage the project and facilitate community participation and SEH consultants were hired as the project's primary engineering firm.

In August of 2000, the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) for the I-35W Access Project, appointed by Hennepin County, approved a Preferred Build Alternative for the construction of new ramps at Lake Street and at 38th Street. The recommendation followed a two-year process of studying various ramp alternatives and narrowing the options to a final set for continued study during the Environmental Assessment phase, which should be completed by the end of 2001.

The main components of the Preferred Build Alternative resulting from the Scoping Phase of the study include:

  • Retaining the existing 31st Street exit and entrance ramps at I-35W.
  • A new northbound entrance ramp to I-35W from Lake Street.
  • A new northbound exit ramp from I-35W to 28th Street (a.k.a. the flyover).
  • A new southbound exit ramp to Lake Street
  • A revised 5th Avenue northbound entrance ramp to mitigate congestion in the Commons area.
  • Relocation of the 35th/36th Street ramps to 38th Street to eliminate the weave problem between the 31st Street and 35th Street ramps.
  • Separate from, but related, to the project is the effort to reopen Nicollet Avenue at Lake Street and redeveloping that area.

Jump to top

38th Street Ramp Proposal

The proposal to relocate the 35th/36th Street ramps came later after ramp alternatives were identified at Lake Street and as a necessary mitigation measure for increasing on/off capability there. The various neighborhoods impacted by the relocation of the ramps have taken different positions with respect to the relocation of the ramps. Kingfield opposes the ramps due to potential traffic impacts in a new, primarily residential neighborhood, while Lyndale supports the relocation of the ramps currently located on the also primarily residential 35th/36th Streets, and Central and Bryant neighborhoods support ramps at 38th Street in the hopes that they will spur economic development opportunity east of the freeway along 38th Street.

Kingfield and Lyndale neighborhoods have joined forces to develop recommendations to mitigate the impacts of the interchange at 38th Street and continued large traffic volumes on 35th and 36th Streets. Key recommendations to date include:

  • Distribute traffic as evenly as possible among 35th/36th/38th Streets.
  • Through incentives and disincentives, direct ramp-bound traffic (particularly traffic between 36th and 38th Streets) to use Nicollet Avenue as the primary north-south route of choice, with Lyndale as the second route of choice.
  • Impose peak-hour parking restrictions on 38th Street only to Nicollet Avenue.
  • Consider off-street parking needs for businesses at 38th and Nicollet.
  • Develop a major multi-neighborhood (Lyndale, Kingfield, Bryant and Central) gateway at the interchange area, extending from 35th to 38th Streets. The redesign and rebuilding of the 35th/36th/38 Street bridges and 40th Street pedestrian bridge is currently planned for.
  • Develop an innovative ramp design for 38th Street to minimize impacts on the neighborhood.
  • Recreate 35th, 36th and 38th Streets as community connectors, with similar boulevard enhancements along the three roadways and bridges.
  • Explore the use of bump outs and other choking techniques at some non-major intersections along 35th, 36th and 38th Streets [Pillsbury, Pleasant (excluding school zone), Grand, Harriet and Garfield Avenues]. The goals are to slow traffic, increase safety, create pedestrian friendly crossways and enhance the roadways.
  • Put in textured crossways, pedestrian lighting and other pedestrian friendly features along 35th, 36th and 38th Streets and major north-south avenues - Stevens, 1st, Blaisdell, Nicollet, Grand, and Lyndale.
  • Replace and redesign existing sound walls (31st to 34th Streets) and add new walls, green-scaping and/or other freeway buffer features extending from 31st to 40th Streets.
  • A study is currently underway to determine if 35th and 36th Streets should be converted to two-way streets.

Jump to top

Lake Street Improvements and Transit Station

Lake Street, from Blaisdell Avenue on the west to 5th Avenue on the east, will be expanded and improved to accommodate traffic growth due to the proposed new ramps. These improvements include new bus-route only lanes, left-turn lanes, wide green-scaped medians and pedestrian and transit friendly designs to mitigate the addition of lanes.

A major redevelopment of the Nicollet and Lake area is also being considered, separate from the project, and it includes the reopening of Nicollet Avenue at Lake Street. As a part of the redevelopment, a study is being done to determine if 1st and Blaisdell Avenues should be converted to two-way streets.

A new transit station is also being planned at Lake Street and 35W. The design of the station is delayed until final decisions about the location and design of the freeway ramps are made.

Key Committees

  • The Project Advisory Committee (PAC) meets the last Tuesday of the month at Children's Hospital at 10 a.m.
  • The project Mitigation and Enhancement Subcommittee meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month at 10 a.m. at Lutheran Social Services.
  • The Kingfield-Lyndale Mitigation Committee meets the 1st Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at King Park.

Jump to top

Key Contacts

Project Manager
Tom Johnson, Smith Parker
612-344-1400
Lead SEH engineering consultant
Scott McBride
952-912-2623
Lead SEH Mitigation consultant
Craig Churchwood
651-490-2015
Kingfield neighborhood representative
Jeanne Massey
612-823-2859
Lyndale neighborhood representativ
Carol Mork
612-825-9402 ext. 22

Jump to top

Timeline and Public Input

The Environmental Assessment is due to be completed by year end. Public comment forums will follow and final recommendations should be made in early 2002. Phase I is scheduled for 2004, financed by a combination of federal, state, county and local funds.