Author Archives | by Katrina Bailey

Minneapolis City Hall renovation nears completion

The Minneapolis City Hall became home again to the mayor of Minneapolis at the end of March after two years, while the City Council and other staff must wait until early June to move in. 

Renovations include updating the building’s electrical and mechanical infrastructure, creating a new media room and office suite for the mayor’s team and remodeling the City Council chamber.

This was the third time in Minneapolis’ history that the mayor’s office moved, with the office originally in the southwest corner of the first floor. During the 1940s, building modifications moved the office from the first to the third floor, still on the southwest corner. Now, the mayor’s office is in the southeast corner of the third floor.

“After more than a year away, it feels great to be back in our historic City Hall,” Mayor Jacob Frey said. “The building is one of the most iconic in Minneapolis, and now it’s even better. I’m incredibly proud of the crews who brought it back to life—from modern technology to restored original features to a completely revamped council chamber, the transformation is nothing short of remarkable.”

Constructed between 1889 and 1905, City Hall is the central building for local government and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Original features of the building, like a staircase and molding, were uncovered in the recent renovations. 

While City Hall has been under construction, the mayor, City Council and city staff have worked out of the Minneapolis Public Service Building across the street.

Although he looks forward to moving back into City Hall, City Council Member Elliott Payne (Ward 1) said that being in the Public Service Building has allowed for deeper conditions with the city clerk, who administers elections and maintains city records. 

In the original layout of the building, the city clerk’s work area was not close to the council members, making it difficult to easily talk with them, Payne said. In the new City Hall, their offices will be combined, allowing for an easy exchange of information. 

Payne said another issue with the original layout was the varying office sizes, often leading to inequities among the council members. 

“There were ‘good and bad’ offices. Somebody would always think they had a bad office. Now, they all have the same level of amenity,” Payne said. 

In the new City Council chamber, the council members’ seating area will be pushed forward to allow more accessibility for mobility devices. Payne said he is interested in the new seating capacity since the bench moving forward may limit space. 

“(The City Council) did a budget amendment at the end of last year to improve accessibility. We were getting scrutiny with closed captions, audio and video issues,” Payne said. “We updated all of our equipment to better suit all.” 

The construction of City Hall cost around $35 million with construction expected to be complete by the end of 2025.

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Minneapolis DFL Caucus Night is Tuesday

The Minneapolis DFL Caucus Night is Tuesday, with ward conventions happening from April 26 through May 31 and a citywide convention in July.

Minneapolis residents elect delegates during the DFL caucus, one group to represent at the ward convention and one to represent at the city convention. Those delegates will attend the Minneapolis DFL conventions to either endorse a candidate or not endorse one. 

A candidate needs 60% of the delegates’ votes to earn a DFL nomination. Candidates who earn the DFL nomination are far more likely to win their election, according to a Southwest Voices article.

During ward conventions, delegates choose from two voting methods and hear from the candidates. First, the candidates give a speech on why they should be DFL endorsed, and then there will be a question-and-answer period between the candidates and delegates. 

The Minneapolis DFL Convention will take place July 19 and 20. The Minneapolis mayor, Parks and Recreation Board, City Council and Board of Estimate and Taxation positions are up for endorsement. 

To find your location, look up your precinct at the Minnesota Secretary of State Pollfinder website. The website will have “Minneapolis” followed by two numbers for “W-” and “P-“, explaining what ward and precinct you live in. 

Ward 1

Ward 1 has one hub location for DFL Caucus Night. Incumbent City Council Member Elliott Payne (Ward 1) and challenger Brian Strahan are seeking the endorsement.

Edison High School

Precincts 1 – 11

700 22nd Ave. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418

Ward 2 

Ward 2 has one hub location for DFL Caucus Night. Incumbent City Council Member Robin Wonsley (Ward 2) is an independent and identifies as a democratic socialist, so she is not seeking the DFL endorsement. Challengers Michael Baskins, Alexander Fooy and Shelley Madore are seeking the endorsement. 

Pratt Elementary School

Precincts 1 – 9

66 Malcolm Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Ward 3 

Ward 3 has two hub locations for DFL Caucus Night. Incumbent City Council Member Michael Rainville (Ward 3), as well as challengers Emilio César Rodríguez and Marcus Mills, are seeking the endorsement. 

Minneapolis Central Library

Precincts 5, 6, 10, 11, 12

Second Floor Meeting Rooms

300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55401

 

Las Estrellas Dual Language Elementary School

Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9

1201 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

Ward 4 

Ward 4 has one hub location for DFL Caucus Night. Incumbent City Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw (Ward 4), as well as challenger Marvina Haynes, are seeking the DFL endorsement. 

Camden High School

Precincts 1 – 9

4320 Newton Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN 55412

Ward 5 

Ward 5 has one hub location for DFL Caucus Night. City Council Member Jeremiah Ellison (Ward 5) announced he is not running for re-election in Ward 5, so challengers Miles Wilson, Ethropic Burnett, Pearll “Tinitha” Warren, Anndrea Young, Jovan Northington and Amber Frederick are seeking the DFL endorsement. 

North High School

Precincts 1 – 9

1500 James Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN 55411

Ward 6

Ward 6 has one hub location for DFL Caucus Night. City Council Member Jamal Osman (Ward 6) and challenger Mohamoud Hassan are seeking the DFL endorsement. 

Seward Montessori Elementary School

Precincts 1 – 9

2309 28th Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Ward 7

Ward 7 has three hub locations for DFL Caucus Night. City Council Member Katie Cashman (Ward 7), as well as challengers Paula Chesley, Elizabeth Shaffer and Corey Ryan Vest, are seeking the DFL endorsement. 

Anwatin Middle School

Precincts 1, 4, 7

256 Upton Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55405

 

Kenwood Elementary School

Precincts 2, 3, 9, 12

2013 Penn Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55405

 

Emerson Dual Language Elementary School

Precincts 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

120 W 15th St., Minneapolis, MN 55403

Ward 8

Ward 8 has one hub location for DFL Caucus Night. Soren Stevenson and Josh Bassais are seeking the DFL endorsement. Incumbent Council Member Andrea Jenkins (Ward 8) is not running for re-election.

Andersen Middle School

Precincts 1 – 11

1098 Andersen Ln., Minneapolis, MN 55407

Ward 9

Ward 9 has one hub location for DFL Caucus Night. Incumbent Council Member Jason Chavez (Ward 9) and challenger Marques Jones are seeking the DFL endorsement.

South High School

Precincts 1 – 9

3131 19th Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Ward 10 

Ward 10 has two hub locations for DFL Caucus Night. Incumbent Council Member Aisha Chughtai (Ward 10) and challenger Lydia Millard are seeking the DFL endorsement.

Whittier Elementary School

Precincts 1, 6, 7, 8, 9

2620 Grand Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55408

 

Queermunity Community Center

Precincts 2, 3, 4, 5

3036 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55408

Ward 11

Ward 11 has one hub location for DFL Caucus Night. Jamison Whiting and Mariam DeMello are seeking the endorsement. Incumbent Council Member Emily Koski (Ward 11) is running for mayor.

Justice Page Middle School

Precincts 1 – 12

1 West 49th St., Minneapolis, MN 55419

Ward 12

Ward 12 has one hub location for DFL Caucus Night. Incumbent Council Member Aurin Chowdhury (Ward 12) and challenger Becka Thompson are seeking the DFL endorsement.

Sanford Middle School

Precincts 1 – 12

3524 42nd Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Ward 13

Ward 13 has three hub locations for DFL Caucus Night. Incumbent Council Member Linea Palmisano (Ward 13) is the only candidate seeking the DFL endorsement.

Southwest High School

Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9

3414 W 47th St., Minneapolis, MN 55410

 

Mount Olivet Church

Precincts 7, 8, 10, 11, 12

5025 Knox Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55419

 

Walker Place by Vivie

Precinct 13

Chapel Room

3701 Bryant Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 5540

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City, health administrators warn about COVID-19 vaccination funding cut

The Trump administration announced around $11 billion in cuts to COVID-19 related grants nationwide on March 25. 

The Minnesota Department of Health said it is losing over $200 million in federal grant money that funded the state’s COVID-19 response, KSTP reported. This affects organizations and providers across the state, including the Minneapolis Health Department, M Health Fairview and Neighborhood HealthSource. 

The Minneapolis Health Department announced in a press release that this decision will limit the city’s support of vaccine clinics, immunization education and partnerships with other community organizers. 

The city has contracts with M Health Fairview, Odam Medical Clinic and Neighborhood HealthSource (NHS), who were all notified on March 26 that all vaccine work is to stop immediately. 

“The impact on our community is substantial. We are canceling five free vaccine clinics scheduled for April, and the future of our vaccine services in underserved communities is uncertain,” Minneapolis Health Department Commissioner Damōn Chaplin said in the release. “Decisions at the federal level threaten public health now and in the future.” 

M Health Fairview said in a statement that vaccines remain the best way to protect people and will continue to find ways to make vaccines affordable to all. 

“While the decision to eliminate these grant programs makes this work more difficult, we are committed to finding ways to extend care beyond traditional health care settings to best meet peoples’ needs and keep our community free from illness,” an M Health Fairview spokesperson said. 

The M Health Fairview website said over the past three years, about 70,000 COVID-19 vaccinations were delivered to more than 1,800 clinics across Minnesota. 

Steven Knutson, the NHS executive director, said he was frustrated by the lack of advance notice, but added that NHS has received four grant cancellations since the announcement. Anoka County and Minneapolis had awarded NHS grants to cover free vaccination clinics before they were canceled.

“We had to front-end load the costs for all of those clinics up front. We had to order all the vaccines. We had to hire the staff. We had to have all the supplies we paid for out of our bottom line. And then we would slowly get that reimbursed for each event as we held them,” Knutson said. 

Now that the money was canceled, Knutson said they are out of all costs as the money was spent upfront. He added they will not receive reimbursement, which he said is an insult to the injury. 

There are 14 federally qualified health centers in the Twin Cities area where people with limited financial resources get vaccinated, Knutson said. NHS specifically has four clinics nearby, with one in North Minneapolis, two in Northeast Minneapolis and one in Coon Rapids. 

Knutson admitted that while there is no alternative plan or funding secured yet, NHS is waiting to find out more information before canceling any more upcoming vaccine clinics. 

“I know a lot of the people that we serve have a lot going on in their life. Health care might be number 86 on their daily list of things to worry about,” Knutson said. “We make it a lot easier for them to get the care they need, whether it’s a vaccination (or) whether it’s other preventive care service.”

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Metro Gold Line buses now running

The Metro Gold Line, a 10-mile bus line connecting St. Paul, Maplewood, Landfall, Oakdale and Woodbury, started running on March 22. 

As Minnesota’s first rapid transit bus line that operates primarily within bus-only lanes, the new system will connect more people to St. Paul, according to Metro Transit spokesperson Laura Baenen. 

Baenen said this route received extensive feedback from Ramsey and Washington counties to determine where to put the stops in each city. 

The line has 16 stops running every 10 minutes during the week and 15 during the weekend, Baenen said.

“For seven out of the 10 miles, (the bus has) its own dedicated road, not a lane painted on a mixed lane road next to Interstate 94,” Baenen said.

There are around 93,500 jobs within a half mile from all the Gold Line stations, according to the Gold Line Fact Sheet.

Baenen said that about 16% of households along this route do not own a car, making St. Paul more accessible for those reliant on public transportation.

City of Maplewood spokesperson Joe Sheeran agreed and said the line helps connect people to jobs, including to the headquarters of 3M which is one of the biggest employers.

“This project highlights the collaboration between Maplewood’s neighbors, the county and a number of state agencies,” Sheeran said.

Luke McClanahan, a city planner for Oakdale, said this project’s work has been going on for 15 years with the city having planned development around the bus line.

“It just gives folks more options in terms of transportation, getting around the area than the metro,” McClanahan said. “Then, in addition to just the transportation aspect, a lot of new development has been spurred because of the new stations we have here in Oakdale.”

New apartment buildings and restaurants have sprung up in Oakdale near the Gold Line stops, including a new coffee shop by the Helmo Avenue stop, McClanahan said.

The current Gold Line route will connect to other lines of transit like the Metro Green Line and METRO B Line starting in June, as well as the METRO D line running from the Mall of America to the Northwestern suburbs, Baenen said.

With construction beginning in 2026, the Gold Line route extension would use existing bus stations to bring customers as far as the METRO Green Line’s Royalston Avenue/Farmers Market Station stop in Minneapolis, according to the website.

The tickets for the Gold Line cost $2 for adults and $1 for those with reduced fares, like youth, seniors, Medicare cardholders and people with disabilities.

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New ordinance to require cannabis, hemp businesses to register with the city

The Minneapolis City Council is considering a new ordinance requiring cannabis and hemp retailers to register with the city.

The ordinance would codify state law passed in 2024, Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management spokesperson Jim Walker said. Under the ordinance, businesses without a license may be inspected and fined. City staff will present the ordinance to the City Council’s Business, Housing & Zoning Committee on April 8. 

Zoe Thiel, manager of the city’s Small Business Team, said it is the local government’s responsibility to register all businesses in the city that sell cannabis and hemp products. 

While adult-use cannabis is not sold in stores, THC derived from hemp plants can be sold, Thiel said. Businesses will need to apply for licenses from the state, then register with the city to sell cannabis. 

The current cycle to get licenses closed on March 24. Walker said the next opening will be announced later. 

“We will hold the lottery for capped license types this summer. After that, we will consider our options,” Walker said in an email response.

Since cannabis was legalized in 2023, Hideaway in Dinkytown manager Marianna Peters said the state has continued to tinker with regulations, putting a dent in their sales. 

Two years ago, any strength of delta could be sold in any milligram amount, Peters said. Now, only Delta-9 can be sold in 50mg bags. 

“We are lucky to have other products in our shop because these regulations are really messing with small businesses,” Peters said. 

A lot of the products being sold in Hideaway, such as hemp flower disposables and THC pre-rolls, would be banned by some proposed state regulations, Peters said. 

Thiel said knowing where cannabis and hemp businesses are located is crucial for the city to be able to check that those businesses are not selling to people under 21 years old and how to contact them. 

ID checks keep Hideaway on the good side of state and city regulators, Peters said. He added that banning certain cannabis and hemp products could lead to people simply finding other, less safe places to buy what they want.

“People are going to get what they want no matter what,” Peters said. “Either we sell it to them safely or they get it from somewhere else with potential added chemicals.”

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Pizza Karma to open pending health department approval

Pizza Karma will open its fourth brick-and-mortar restaurant in Dinkytown once near the end of March or the beginning of April pending approval from the city’s health department.

The pizza is Tandoor-fired, cooked in a cylindrical oven. The fuel used in a Tandoor-fired pizza is charcoal or firewood, according to the Tandoor of India website

The restaurant serves pizza, wraps, various appetizers, salads, wings and bowls. Owner Rajesh Selvaraj said the menu represents flavors from around the world, including British, Scandinavian and Mexican. 

“It’s all about the flavors and the experience. So it’s a good and bad thing,” Selvaraj said. “The good thing is you have not tasted something like this anywhere else. The bad thing is you’re not familiar with it. You have to come and try it for you to know who we are.” 

Selvaraj said what influenced him to open a restaurant was his food truck coming to the University of Minnesota campus yearly for the College of Liberal Arts Day during Welcome Week, music events at Northrop and student communities over the summer. 

Pizza Karma is waiting for the city’s health department to issue health approval. Once it is delivered, Selvaraj said the restaurant will be ready to open. 

Along with Frank & Andrea and Mesa Pizza in Dinkytown, and Blaze Pizza and Domino’s in Stadium Village, this restaurant will become the fifth pizza place near campus.

Fourth-year student Niko Vasilopoulos said he hopes Pizza Karma will make a positive impact on the culture of Dinkytown.

“I’m hopeful that new restaurants opening will lead to more options for the student body, and since Dinkytown is a thriving hub for student life, options for students to eat and hang out there are very important,” Vasilopoulos said. 

Selvaraj said he plans for the restaurant to be open until 3 or 4 a.m. so students can come by after a night out.

Luke Wittner, a fourth-year student, said pizza places around campus are oversaturated, so being open late will give it an edge over the other nearby pizza places. 

“That’s perfect,” Wittner said. “That is a good move by him. Having a pizza place with two others close by is bold and he needs to do something to stand out.” 

Although he has no issue with Pizza Karma specifically, seeing some more variety in the restaurants near campus would have been better, third-year student Daigan Berger said. 

“At a certain point, I don’t see how adding more of the same place helps the college town,” Berger said. 

Pizza Karma’s opening date is yet to be announced, although when it does, Selvaraj said the first 100 people will receive free pizza.

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Four Minneapolis mayoral candidates speak at Coffman Union forum

The College Democrats at the University of Minnesota’s Coffman Union held a Mayoral Forum on Monday with the four major candidates for Minneapolis mayor coming in to speak. 

The room was loud with students and community members anticipating incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey, Council Member Emily Koski (Ward 11), Rev. DeWayne Davis and Sen. Omar Fateh (DFL-Minneapolis) taking the stage to respond to questions from students and the club. Council Member Robin Wonsley (Ward 2) made a guest appearance in the audience.

Each candidate had one to two minutes to answer questions. Topics of discussion ranged from diversity, equity and inclusion policies and trans rights to the war in Gaza and Minneapolis City Council relationships with the mayor. 

College Democrats President Kavya Nair said the forum was held to show students who the next mayor would be. 

“I hope the people running for mayor will see a giant group of engaged students and then internally feel like, ‘Yeah, we need to show up because these students care,’” Nair said. 

The students responded strongly to Fateh’s introduction, clapping during his opening remarks twice before he finished.

The forum was three parts, starting with the candidate introductions, then the candidates answered questions from a club member and finally, the candidates answered questions from audience members who submitted their questions via a QR code on the table. 

When asked about student protests over the Palestinian conflict and how they would address the violence in Gaza, Fateh and Davis assertively said they supported student protestors, while Koski and Frey gave milder responses.

Fateh said he has always stood in solidarity with Palestinians, both as an organizer and a state senator. 

“I’ve had Palestinian students show up in my office at the capitol talking to me about some of the concerns that they’re having, safety issues, surveillance issues and it hurts because I identify with them as a Muslim man,” Fateh said. “As mayor, you’ll have someone that is a voice for all the students, especially our Muslim students, our Palestinian students.” 

Davis echoed Fateh’s point and said he supports everyone’s right to make their voices heard without fear of reprisal from the University. 

“I want to always protect people’s right to protest and to make their voices heard,” Davis said. “I think what is happening with the college campuses, the retaliation that has come from the administration is unacceptable.

Frey, who vetoed a City Council resolution urging a ceasefire in Gaza as well as another that asked the University not to charge Morrill Hall protestors, said his stance on Gaza has not changed and said he supported a ceasefire and two-state solution. Koski said she was concerned about rising antisemitism and the attacks on free speech. 

When asked about the greatest challenge facing Minneapolis, each candidate gave a different answer. Frey said Republican President Donald Trump, Davis said affordability, Koski said division among city leaders and Fateh said the lack of city leadership at the top. 

“All of that is being halted because we can’t work together,” Koski said. “As mayor, I will make sure that I come forward as a collaborative consensus builder,  someone who’s going to really want to solve the problems.” 

Frey has been criticized for his funding choices for the Minneapolis Police Department and for vetoing the Minneapolis City Council’s proposal to research shutting down Chicago Avenue to establish George Floyd Square

“I am not someone that will back away or stand down from my values,” Frey said. “When the right thing is to do, to stand up and say, ‘No, we’re not going down that route,’ that’s exactly what I will do.” 

All four candidates, as well as two others, are seeking the DFL endorsement at the City Convention in late July. The DFL Ward Caucus Night is on April 8, where local residents will elect some of themselves to be delegates to send them to the City Convention, where a candidate can be endorsed. Locations and times for the Caucus Night can be found here.

Election day is Nov. 5. Minneapolis has a ranked-choice voting system for elections, where voters rank their top three candidates instead of selecting one.

To learn more about voting in Minneapolis, go to the City’s website.

Editor’s Note: Edits have been made for clarity. Mayor Frey vetoed a plan to research shutting down Chicago Avenue.

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Como Zoo and Conservatory to receive funding to support habitat improvement, education

A new Minnesota Senate bill would give Como Zoo and Conservatory $3.5 million for the next two years from the state’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. 

The money will go toward educational programs, habitat improvements, special exhibits, music program, and historical garden access and preservation, according to bill SF 1152

The Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, part of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, receives 19.75% of the sales tax revenue to support arts, arts education and access, and to preserve Minnesota’s history and cultural heritage, the Minnesota Legacy website said. 

Minnesotans voted for the Legacy amendment in 2008, and over $1.2 billion has been added to the fund since then, the website said. 

Senator Clare Oumou Verbeten (DFL-St. Paul), the bill’s chief author, said Como Zoo is one of the few places where everyone can go for free and have a good time. 

“A lot of times if you’re looking for something to do, it’s, ‘I’ve got to go spend money at this place to get food or get drinks or visit this attraction,’” Oumou Verbeten said. “This is one of the few places that is just free, and that’s huge for giving everyone access to the space.”

Erica Prosser, the director of Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, said the zoo is a place for people of all ages to learn about the world around them, and any funds from the Legislature will support it. 

“This investment ensures that generations of visitors, whether families, students, or lifelong learners, continue to experience high-quality educational programming, cultural celebrations, and immersive natural exhibits,” Prosser said. “It’s about keeping Como a place where everyone, regardless of background, can explore, learn and grow.” 

The zoo does a good job of creating special events for seniors, children and neurodivergent people, Oumou Verbeten said. Money through the Legacy amendment has gone to Como Zoo for a long time, she added. 

“(The zoo) partnered with Autism Minnesota to (create) Sensory Friendly Days,” Oumou Verbeten said. “I love the intention of ‘Let’s set aside dedicated time and hours for them to also enjoy the space.’ They want everybody to enjoy Como Zoo.” 

If the zoo receives this money, it will go toward pre-existing events like music during the summer months, educational tours and special exhibits like “Glass in Flight” and “Monarchs and Milkweed: A Story of Survival.”

“Funding from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund allows Como Park Zoo & Conservatory to remain a free, accessible and innovative destination for all Minnesotans,” Prosser said. “These funds directly support the programs, exhibits and experiences that inspire curiosity, foster a love for nature and connect our community to the arts, culture and conservation efforts that define Como.” 

Consideration of the Como Zoo funding will happen later in the session around April, Oumou Verbeten said. She added that she hopes the Legislature will remember how important places like Como Zoo are when voting on it later.

“We’re so lucky in Minnesota to have that dedicated fund for our arts and culture and just things that I feel like get cut all the time from budgets,” Oumou Verbeten said. “I feel like we don’t do a good enough job of valuing just the arts and creativity and how much that actually does help people learn and feel connected to their community. So I think it’s really important work.”

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Dinkytown street construction will come in 2026

Dinkytown will see more street construction in 2026 to improve accessibility and safety in the neighborhood. 

The construction, part of the Dinkytown Pedestrian Improvement Project and budgeted around $2.8 million, will focus on creating sidewalk ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in Dinkytown. Minneapolis Transportation Planning Manager Nathan Koster said students can expect construction to start as soon as summer 2026. 

Outside of improving disability accessibility in the area, the project is also looking to reduce vehicle crashes. Online survey responses and crash data are being used to figure out which areas of the neighborhood have the greatest need for accessibility and safety improvements, Mallory Rickbeil, the transportation planner for the project, said. 

“We are going to prioritize improvements like pedestrian ramp upgrades, medians, curb extensions, traffic circles and basically to figure out how we can do the most we can with the budget we have available for this project,” Rickbeil said. 

Dinkytown experienced similar construction last summer, although that was part of a separate improvement project led by Hennepin County and University of Minnesota years in the making, Koster said. Phase two of that project will begin on University Avenue later this year. 

Construction for the city-led project in 2026 will be between I-35W and 15th Avenue Southeast on the east and west, and between the BNSF train tracks and 5th Street Southeast on the north and south, Minneapolis engineer Spencer Evert said. 

The streets will be repaved in 2028, so construction next year is a good time to invest in safety improvements in Dinkytown, Koster said. 

Evert said it is a legal requirement to have Minneapolis infrastructure compliant with ADA, and the goal of the city is to get ramps installed sooner to improve accessibility and mobility citywide. 

While this project is a good first step, Executive Director of the East Bank Neighborhoods Partnership Chris Lautenschlager said more needs to be done. 

Lautenschlager said creating a crosswalk in front of the Dinkytown Target and building a roundabout near 10th Avenue and 8th Avenue would make the area safer. However, the different jurisdictions make it hard for anything to get done. 

“One jurisdiction blames the other. MnDOT blames Hennepin County and blames the city of Minneapolis. It’s a pointing match constantly about ‘We can’t do that because of this jurisdiction.

We can’t do that because of that. We can’t do it because of this rule,’” Lautenschlager said. “Well, in the meantime, people are dying.” 

The city is hosting an informational community meeting with public comments about the pedestrian improvement project, in the University Lutheran Church of Hope on March 18 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. 

Lautenschlager said he hopes this project does not get shelved and most importantly, the public perspective is valued. 

“It’s always the frustrating thing about community meetings, whether it’s led by the City or other jurisdiction, is that they come in with their own concept of what they’re going to do, and they’re just essentially checking the box and having a community meeting,” Lautenschlager said. “We would like to think that we have a valuable perspective on the area.”

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New traffic camera pilot program to start in August

Minneapolis will begin a traffic safety camera pilot program as early as August 2025 as a part of the city’s Vision Zero initiative to improve street safety. 

As city officials continue to raise the alarm about speeding and red-light running, officials hope the initiative will reduce serious traffic injuries or deaths in the city’s streets to zero, Vision Zero Program Coordinator Ethan Fawley said. 

Because of recently passed state legislation in May 2024 that gave legal authority to install these cameras, the pilot will have five cameras at first and may expand up to a maximum of 42, according to the City of Minneapolis website

Bill chief author Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (DFL-Minneapolis) said from 2022 to 2024, there were 31 traffic-related deaths in Minneapolis. 

“If 31 people died on (the) light rail, we would be up in arms,” Sencer-Mura said in a committee meeting discussing the bill. “It would be the only thing this committee would be talking about.”

Potential locations for the new cameras will be selected based on traffic safety concerns in the area and proximity to a school with at least two cameras in every ward, Fawley said.

Based on 2020 data, Fawley said there has been an increase in speeding and running red lights, with most of the deaths coming from pedestrians rather than drivers. 

“A strong majority of those folks (who died) were not themselves speeding or running red lights, they were just busting the streets or driving on their own and were killed by someone else who was,” Fawley said. “What we see from other cities and states around the country is that traffic safety cameras can play a role in improving traffic safety, and so that’s what we’re striving to do.” 

The locations with cameras will post signage alerting drivers of the cameras, Fawley said. If a vehicle goes 10 or more miles per hour over the speed limit or runs a red light, the camera will take a picture of the license plate. 

Fawley said that drivers will be given one warning with every following instance resulting in a citation mailed to the vehicle owner. 

Mendota Heights Police Chief Kelly McCarthy said in her city, where they will soon install a similar movable safety camera, the biggest complaint she gets from residents is speeding. 

“When people call and they say, ‘We want extra patrol in the street,’ and we put a squad car out there, people just change their behavior,” McCarthy said. “Then when the squad car is not there, they go back to whatever they were doing. If we can leave the camera out for a long enough period of time that hopefully we can actually change behavior.” 

When the camera was purchased, McCarthy said it put police officers in a tough position because citizens want police to perform low-level traffic enforcement and stop vehicles for minor violations, but these stops can raise concerns about racial discrimination by law enforcement. 

This program will not only improve traffic safety but also provide enforcement outside of the police department, Fawley said. 

“We not only need to improve traffic safety, we need to reduce crashes and injuries and deaths,” Fawley said. “We also need to build community trust by implementing the system fairly and equitably and efficiently and protecting privacy, so we know we have to do all those things for this to be a success and that’s really what we’re striving to do.”

This city has already chosen potential locations to install these cameras. The two closest location candidates to the University of Minnesota are on 15th Street Southeast and 5th Avenue Southeast in Dinkytown as well as 25th Avenue South and Butler Place near Cedar-Riverside.

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