City Briefs - Mar 2025

Traffic safety cameras
The city plans to start a pilot traffic safety camera program this summer with five cameras that will help enforce speed limits laws. The city is conducting a survey in March and April as one way to gather feedback on potential locations. In accordance with state law, the cameras will be distributed throughout the city, within 2,000 feet of schools, at locations with traffic safety concerns and in locations that consider community feedback, crashes, vehicle speeds, equity, and other potential safety treatments. The program will run for up to four years and may expand to a maximum of 42 locations and be used to enforce traffic light laws in the future.

New Ward 10 candidate
Lydia Millard has joined the race for ward 10 city council member. This position is currently held by Aisha Chughtai who is running for reelection. Both candidates are seeking Democratic Farmer Labor Party endorsement. Millard lives in the Wedge and is a renter.

Park District 4
With the current commissioner, Elizabeth Shaffer running for city council, the voters in park district 4 will elect a new park board commissioner this year. So far, two candidates have announced campaigns for the seat: Andrew Gebo, a payment analyst at SPS Commerce and Jordan Leick, a data analyst at the city of Minneapolis.

Nicollet Ave Bridge
The city is hosting a meeting on Thursday, March 27 at 4 p.m. at the Washburn Library (5244 Lyndale Ave) to discuss plans to replace or repair the Nicollet Ave. bridge over Minnehaha Creek. The new bridge will be 60 feet, 4 inches wide and will include six-foot protected bike lanes, eight-foot pedestrian sidewalks, and two 11-foot traffic lanes.

Hennepin Ave. S reconstruction
Construction on Hennepin Ave will resume at the end of March focused on the stretch from 26th St to Douglas Ave. It will start with utility work that is expected be complete in early April after Xcel Energy upgrades facilities along the corridor and between 26th Ave. and 24th Ave. on the east side of the corridor. People can expect noise, vibration, and dust in work areas as well as lane closures, traffic delays and detours. Business access will remain open during construction.

Capital Long-Range Improvement
Committee appointments
The council has approved the appointments of three southwest residents (Juana Sandoval from Ward 10, Patrick McDougle of Ward 13 and Ryan Stitt from Ward 7) to the committee that reviews department budget requests and recommends projects and other expenditures every year as part of the city’s annual budget process.

Green Line construction
Construction related to the Light Rail Green Line extension is set to start up again on Abbott Ave S, Chowen Ave S, W 32 St and Excelsior Blvd. It will include new boulevards, sidewalks, and pedestrian ramps. Parking restrictions will be in place but local access for residents and businesses is expected to be maintained throughout the construction that will continue throughout the summer and fall.

Bike trails
Cedar Lake Trail from Bryn Mawr Station to Van White Memorial Boulevard and between Royalston Ave and the Azine Alley just west of West River Parkway is now open. The Luce Line Regional Trail bridge that crosses the freight rail corridor connecting Bryn Mawr Meadows Park with the Bassett Creek Valley Station area and the segment of the Cedar Lake Trail east of Van White Memorial Boulevard are closed but are scheduled to reopen later this year. The closed Kenilworth Trail from the Midtown Greenway to Bryn Mawr Station in Minneapolis is also expected open in 2025.

Parklets
The city is looking for three community partners to host city-owned parklets and will provide plantings, chairs, tables, patio umbrellas, and public parklet signage. Hosts are responsible for day-to-day maintenance. The deadline to apply to host a city-owned parklet is March 31.

Arts funding
The city is seeking artists to apply for their Cultural Districts Arts Fund programs that are intended to support temporary arts activations, and “bolster cultural festivals, events and spaces.” The Cultural Districts Arts Fund is available in the seven designated cultural districts across Minneapolis: 38th Street, Cedar Avenue South, Central Avenue, East Lake Street, Franklin Avenue East, Lowry Avenue North and West Broadway. The application deadline is April 15. Questions can be sent to mplsaca@minneapolis.gov.