Dear Highland Parker,

We appreciate your posting.

Crosswalks and Stop Bars are normally repainted once per year, budget permitting. The Crosswalk and Stop Bar repainting season begins on May 1st weather permitting and ends November 15th weather permitting. The downtown zone is completed first, followed by the North, Northeast, South, Southeastern areas of Minneapolis. Painting is started in a different zone each year. Stop Bars are located at signalized intersections.

Could you let us know if there was a crosswalk here previously? If so, we would touch these up with the schedule above. Where is the crosswalk area? Are you referring to 45th and Hiawatha or 46th and Hiawatha? Crossing Hiawatha or crossing 45th and 46th? If this is located within the transit station, Metro transit would address this for you. Please let us know what is not handicap accessiable.

We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for notifying the City of Minneapolis.

Nancy

Minneapolis 311
Office 612-673-3000 Hours: 7 am - 7 pm (Monday - Friday)
Email minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov
www.minneapolismn.gov

Issue is at E 45th Street crossing Hiawatha, which has not been a marked crossing and has a median that obstructs access. This was probably not marked historically since 45th St is not a major street and lacks a full intersection for cars to access the southbound lane of Hiawatha.

With the advent of LRT, a large number of commuters now cross Hiawatha to access the north end of the LRT stations. Most are coming from 45th St, but some do come from 44th St and Hiawatha. This crossing is especially perilous during winter, and the concern then is that someone will slip into traffic. Appropriate curb cuts and a single point of crossing would make this crossing handicap accessible and less confusing for pedestrians and drivers.

Thanks for your attention!

Thank you for contacting the City of Minneapolis. You can expect a response from one of our customer service agents within two business days (*note: our business hours of operation are Monday-Friday 7 AM to 7 PM). If you wish to speak to a customer service agent immediately, please call 311.

Minneapolis 311
Office 612-673-3000
Email minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov
www.minneapolismn.gov

Dear Highland Parker,

We appreciate your reply.

Hiawatha, a.k.a. State Highway 55 and Metro Transit have a master plan for this area. This crossing has been discussed many times with this plan, and everything from installing a fence along the median to eliminate the pedestrians from crossing in this location to adding a bridge has been discussed. We realize that people cross here but we also realize this is not the safest location for a crosswalk. Also this roadway was designed for faster speeds, limited access, and commuter traffic, not ideal for all pedestrians. For the time being we will not be able to add a crossing at this location. It should be noted that the safest location to cross Hiawatha would be at the signalized intersections with the walk indication which may not necessarily be the most convenient.

If there is anything else we can help you with please contact us.

Thank you for notifying the City of Minneapolis.

Nancy

Minneapolis 311
Office 612-673-3000 Hours: 7 am - 7 pm (Monday - Friday)
Email minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov
www.minneapolismn.gov

Improvements to the 46th St crossing would be helpful, if nothing can be done here. Installing a fence would be mean-spirited. I can understand the justification for not marking it, but what's the benefit in not providing curb ramps? There are many instances like this along the Olson Hwy (also Mn/DOT, similar speed and traffic) where there are minor streets intersecting with the highway. Those (Logan, Newton, and Oliver, for example) have accessible crossings through the median.

Mn/DOT needs to address this safety issue immediately! City, County, and Mn/DoT have been warned about this for years. In fact, Metro Transit clearly planned for pedestrians to use that location to cross Hiawatha. No one expects a perfect solution. However, as originator stated earlier on: the Hiawatha median can be modified very easily to allow for handicapped access and so can the curbs on both east and west sides of Hiawatha Ave.

I havr attended several of the "master plan" meetings that the City is referencing above. Not one of the plans proposed addresses (in any manner whatsoever) the 45ths Street and Hiawatha pedestrian crossing. This is a good and useful crossing and it must be maintained. We are just asking that it be made safer. Walking south to 46th Street intersection is NOT an option because it is a full 2 block walk in reality of distance. The curbs can be modified at 45th street and markings as well as a button for pedestrians to push--which would like up a yellow light at 45th-- are all very easy to achieve and not expensive (especially compared to a fence or even a bridge.)

This crossing SHOULD be marked. At 2 different meetings I attended, this issue was brought up and from the Councilman's staff, and Hennepin Co. the response was that nothing will be done to this crossing. It will be left as is, because there haven't been any accidents yet.

At the meetings for the 46th St. LRT STE master plan (2007-2009), traffic experts studied the area in depth and concluded that the 45th St. crossing was the most viable crossing, because crossing at 46th was not user friendly, the wait times were much too long, and the vast majority of people who would be crossing Hiawatha to get to the LRT station, live to the north and east of the station. Additional housing that will be added to the area will also be north and east of the station in the near future. They recommended that the crossing be enhanced. I agree that the median should be modified to allow for roller bag luggage and strollers. Examples of streets that have medians with pedestrian access ramps through the medians can be found in St. Paul on Lexington Ave. between Summit Ave. and Marshall. The median is several blocks long, preventing cars from crossing at every block, but the pedestrian ramps allow pedestrians to do so without having to hurdle curbs in the median. This is the logical way to make a pedestrian oriented facility, like a Transit hub, pedestrian friendly.

It's worth noting that the Olson Highway (also TH 55, same speed limit and actually more lanes) has pedestrian curb cuts even where the street does not go through. Look at any of the minor street crossings between Penn Ave N and I-94. I don't see why the same treatment can't be used on Hiawatha.

please don't put a fence across the median. that would NOT be a solution to the problem and would make many people's commutes much harder. if you are going to be lazy about it then just leave it as it is but for the love of God no fence please.