Traffic Alert - 5th Street Downtown Closure - Update

Via a March 27 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

Four blocks of 5th Street close to traffic next week

Crews will be making changes that will improve how people get around downtown, whether they’re driving, walking or biking

On Monday, a section of 5^th Street South by the new stadium will close, and crews will begin modifying 6^th Street so it can handle that displaced traffic. In the meantime, drivers will need to follow posted detours.

The affected four-block section of 5^th Street South between Park Ave and 11^th Avenue is one-way westbound. It runs tandem to 6^th Street, which is now one-way eastbound. Along with closing 5^th Street to traffic, crews will add one westbound lane to 6^th Street. The new westbound lane of 6^th Street is expected to open by the end of the construction season, handling the traffic that used to use 5^th Street.

This work is being performed by the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, which is coordinating it with the City. After 5^th Street closes to traffic, crews will remove the roadway and make the area part of the stadium construction site. When the stadium project is completed, the area that was once 5^th Street will include off-street bike paths. The skewed intersections along 5th Street and the concrete and chain-link barrier presently separating 5^th Street and 6^th Street will be removed, making it easier for people on foot to get around.

During this construction, the City plans to add two new traffic signals on 6^th Street at 9^th Avenue and 10^th Avenue. These signals will include audible pedestrian signals, countdown pedestrian crosswalk timers and other features. Some existing signals will be similarly upgraded.

Currently, 5^th Street handles traffic exiting from westbound Interstate 94. A joint project by the City and the Minnesota Department of Transportation will move the exit ramp from 5^th Street to 7^th’Street. Since 7^th Street crosses the entire length of downtown, traffic exiting here will have better access to downtown Minneapolis events, stores, restaurants, businesses and other destinations. Construction of the new 7^th Street exit ramp will begin this summer, with the switch from 5^th Street exit to a 7^th Street exit taking place in summer 2016.

Click here for more information on these and other street construction projects.

Click here for real-time information for lane closures and construction in downtown Minneapolis.