11th Avenue S Redesign Update from Council Member Fletcher

Friends –
 
This week, city staff from the Public Works Department came back with me to the Stonebridge to present a significantly revised plan to address the traffic concerns residents have raised about 11th Ave. S. from the river to Washington Ave.  I was really happy with the work our staff accomplished on this plan, and most attendees at the meeting seemed to agree. I know some people weren’t able to attend, and I’ve heard anecdotally that the notice didn’t get to everyone it should have, so I wanted to re-cap the meeting and send the presentation so you can get up to speed.  I’m happy to meet up or check in by phone if you have questions or comments you want to share and weren’t able to attend.
 
Here's the presentation (attached), which includes a plan for the intersection of 2nd and 10th to slow down traffic, an innovative plan for the intersection of 2nd and 11th to make that intersection safer and more appropriate, and a new layout for 11th Ave. S. between 2nd and Washington.
 
Some highlights:

• A refuge area in the middle of 2nd Street at 10th, creating a MUCH safer crossing for pedestrians, and to cause cars to slow down.
• A ‘protected intersection’ design at 2nd Street and 11th will limit cars’ ability to turn at unsafe speeds, as many currently do.
• Parking is eliminated on the Bridgewater side of 11th Ave, eliminating sightline barriers that were making it unsafe to turn out of the driveway.
• At Washington, 11th Ave will have a right turn lane, a through lane, and a left turn lane, which should ease traffic back-ups and make it easier to navigate.
• Extended the left-turn lane toward Washington, so that more cars can wait there to turn without blocking the whole street.
• Maintains safe, protected bike lanes.  

Also worth noting: Jono Cowgill tells me the Park Board is considering a stop sign at 11th and the Parkway, based on our feedback.
 
There were a couple of follow-up items based on feedback we’ve received at the meeting and since the meeting: 

• Traffic safety staff will look at sight-lines at 12th and 2nd to see if eliminating a parking space or two at that intersection would create better visibility for cars turning off of 12th.
• Some people feel strongly that we need a left turn lane on the Northbound side of 11th Ave S, as we currently have. There are significant trade-offs to squeezing in an additional lane there beyond eliminating those four parking spaces, so we’re having engineering re-look at that question to see if it’s possible without messing too many other things up. Ultimately, if traffic is flowing better, the extra lane in that direction wouldn’t be needed, and if we shorten the Southbound left turn lane to make room for a Northbound lane, we could jam up Southbound traffic and still be making that turn harder rather than easier. So, it’s not a simple question, and we probably won’t reach consensus. No matter which choice we make on this question, we’ll need to monitor traffic (as PW staff has committed to doing) to make sure we’ve made the best decision for how to use the limited space. Lanes can be repainted, so we can try something and then make adjustments.

Again, thanks to everyone who has invested time in providing feedback and helping us improve this traffic design. We’ve really gotten something significantly better because so many in the community have worked together on this. 
 
En avant,
Steve
 
Steve Fletcher
Council Member, Ward 3
City of Minneapolis – City Council
350 S. Fifth St.  - Room 307
Minneapolis, MN 55415
612-673-2203
steve.fletcher@minneapolismn.gov

11TH AVENUE SOUTH REDESIGN PRESENTATION
11TH AVENUE SOUTH REDESIGN PROJECT WEBSITE

11th Avenue S Protected Bikeway