The City of Minneapolis has received the final layout and project report for the new Interstate 35W Bridge from the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and is moving swiftly in cooperation with the State and other partners to advance the planning of the new bridge.
Receiving the bridge layout plan begins the state-mandated municipal consent process, in which MnDOT asks the Minneapolis City Council to grant its approval of the project, or offer its suggested changes. The City Council’s Transportation and Public Works Committee has set a public hearing to gather public input on the plans. The Committee scheduled the public hearing after normal work hours to make it easier for folks to attend the hearing, and selected a venue that could accommodate a large number of participants.
City of Minneapolis I-35W Bridge municipal consent public hearing
5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007
Thrivent Financial Auditorium
625 Fourth Ave. S.
MnDOT’s proposed bridge plan incorporates several key priorities that Mayor R.T. Rybak and the City Council spelled out in a Statement of Principles that they unanimously approved Aug. 17. The proposed bridge would include five lanes in each direction, including two lanes that could be devoted to Bus Rapid Transit and/or managed lanes. The plan also reflects Governor Tim Pawlenty’s direction that MnDOT design and construct a light-rail-ready bridge, which may help accommodate our future transportation needs.
The bridge would follow the same alignment as the previous bridge, but more lanes and wider shoulders mean the bridge will be about 189 feet wide, compared to the previous bridge’s 113-foot width. It will be constructed to allow future projects to improve access on the north and south end of the bridge. In a letter to the City, MnDOT also states its goal is to build a bridge that is aesthetically consistent with the area, and that respects the history and significance of the site.
On Aug. 17, the City Council and Mayor Rybak unanimously approved a Statement of Principles that outlines the City’s shared vision for the new bridge. The vision reflects the Mayor’s and Council’s firm commitment to ensuring our state builds a safe bridge as expeditiously as is reasonable, but most importantly, that we do it right and with an eye toward the future transportation needs of the people of Minneapolis and all of Minnesota. These principles are being shared with our community partners and other local, regional and State leaders to seek their support for this shared vision.
August 22, 2007