Statement on Lowry Ave NE Reconstruction

Even before taking office in 2019, Commissioner Fernando received feedback and ideas on Lowry Ave NE (County Road 153), which she has incorporated into her positions on the project.

In recent months, the District 2 Office has received increased advocacy from community members regarding the future plans for reconstructing Lowry Ave NE. In particular, on September 23rd our office received a letter from the Our Streets coalition advocating for safer access to the corridor.

This statement outlines the work that has happened to date, the current process, and what Commissioner Fernando is advocating for as the project moves forward. 

Project history

Community partners and local leaders have sought to improve how people live, commute, walk, bike, and work along Lowry Avenue NE for over 20 years. Initially, work on Lowry Ave N from I-94 to Theodore Wirth Pkwy was prioritized over Lowry Ave NE from Marshall to Stinson. In the last decade, the pace of work towards the reconstruction of Lowry Ave NE has increased.

In 2014, Lowry Avenue Community Works convened community partners to develop a vision for the Lowry Avenue corridor east of the Mississippi River. The resulting 2015 Lowry Avenue corridor plan resulted in adopted designs for different segments, including:

  • Reconstruction of Lowry Avenue between Marshall Street and Central Avenue with wider sidewalks, wider boulevards and three travel lanes

  • Reconstruction of Lowry Avenue between Central Avenue and Stinson Boulevard with wider sidewalks, wider boulevards, two travel lanes and two east- and west-bound bicycle lanes on either side of the street

  •  Related plans, studies, and reports, including the Lowry Avenue Northeast Corridor Plan and Implementation Framework. Learn more about the plan here (PDF)

Hennepin County has been awarded $7 million in funding for reconstruction of Lowry Ave NE from Washington to Johnson from the federal government through the Met Council’s regional solicitation process.

Funding for Lowry Ave NE reconstruction was allocated in the Hennepin County five-year 2021 Capital Budget and 2021-2025 Capital Improvement Program, which will fund the design, construction and right of way for the project, which is planned for reconstruction in 2023 and 2024.

Current actions and process

Hennepin County is currently in the design phase of the project. The goal of the project is to make the corridor safer, welcoming and overall more livable to all users by implementing bicycle and pedestrian facilities and enhancing the streetscape to support a vibrant small business corridor.

Although designs are preliminary, Hennepin engineers are exploring different transportation options, such as bikeways, shared use paths and streetscape improvements oriented towards people walking and rolling, transit users, and for businesses.

Reconstruction will take place in two phases. Phase 1 (Washington to Johnson) is scheduled to begin construction in 2023 and be complete at the end of 2024. Phase 2 (Marshall to Washington) is scheduled to begin construction in 2025 and be complete at the end of 2026.

Public engagement is ongoing and multiple options will be shared with the community towards the end of this year. A preferred design will be selected in spring 2022, with additional opportunity for public input as the design details are further developed.

Design specifications that Commissioner Fernando advocated for and that Hennepin staff are currently considering for implementation

  • Conversion from 2 lanes of traffic in each direction to 1 lane of traffic in each direction with a center turn lane (4:3 conversion)

  • Protected shared use path for those who walk and roll

  • Street narrowing to encourage traffic calming

  • Ensuring safe access for freight delivery to corridor businesses

  • Streamlining the flow of safe vehicle travel

Design specifications that Commissioner Fernando will continue to advocate for

  • Partnership with the City of Minneapolis to modify or remove unsafe and/or unnecessary intersections with city streets

  • Strong connections to existing and emerging bike infrastructure along Lowry Ave NE

  • Additional pedestrian safety improvements including controlled crossings and signaling

  • Removing on-street parking from Lowry Ave NE

Design specifications that Hennepin County is unable to implement due to statute

  •  Hennepin County cannot lower the speed limit on county roads below 30 mph

  • The demonstration safety project program outlined in MNDOT Technical Memorandum 19-04-TR-01 is designed and funded for state trunk highways, not for county roads

Conclusion

Commissioner Fernando is dedicated to implementing an inclusive vision for Lowry Ave NE and to working with community advocates to design and build the safest possible version of the corridor. Thank you to everyone who has reached out. Our office welcomes your continued feedback and advocacy.

If you have further questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to Constituent Services & Policy Aide Bill Emory at bill.emory@hennepin.us

Akhilesh Menawat