Project overview

View interactive map

Northside Greenway project location map

Project map for Northside Greenway construction, from 44th Ave N to 4th Ave N.

View the full project location map

Upcoming project timeline

• 2022-2023: Seeking federal grants for project
• 2024-2025: Engagement & design concept creation
• 2025-2026: Detailed engineering
• 2026: Construction of phase 1 starts
• 2028: Construction of phase 2 starts 

Past engagement

Previous community engagement shaped the Northside Greenway Phase 1 route. This included surveys, community events, and conversations over several years.

In 2014, 70% of the Northside residents who answered surveys liked the idea of a greenway. 60% of those who lived on the route also supported it.

The City tested a greenway in 2016 and 2017 to see how it would work. They asked people near the greenway what they thought, and 73% supported some kind of greenway, while 57% wanted a full one.

Past engagement details:

• In 2011, community members proposed a greenway on a low-traffic street in North Minneapolis.
• From 2012 to 2013, the City and others got input from the Northside residents. This feedback led to a proposed greenway route. Residents formed the Greenway Outreach Steering Committee. 
• In 2014 and 2015, the City asked people about the possible route and types of greenways.  They did a study to see how different kinds of greenways could work in the area. The Greenway Outreach Steering Committee became the Northside Greenway Council.
• In 2016 and 2017, the City made a test project called the Temporary Greenway on Irving Ave N.
• From 2020 to 2022, the City used the comments and data from the engagement to make a proposal. The Northside Greenway Phase 1 was proposed as a project in the City budget. The Capital Long Range Improvement Committee endorsed the idea. It was added to the City budget for 2026. In 2022, the City got a federal grant to help build the greenway in 2026

Greenway design options

A final greenway design has not been decided and will be shaped by future engagement.

Early Northside Greenway planning efforts resulted in three greenway options. Different designs may be used for different portions of the project route. The design on an individual block will be based on engagement and local conditions. The three greenway design options are described below.

Read more about neighborhood greenway design options

Option 1: bicycle boulevard

A bicycle boulevard option would install traffic calming and other safety improvements. Traffic calming could include traffic circles or speed humps. Safety improvements would make it easier to cross busy streets and easier to bicycle.

Option 2: half greenway

A half greenway option would include a trail. It would make the street one-way for car traffic and include on-street parking on one side. This option makes biking and walking more attractive. It also could include traffic calming with speed humps or other strategies. This option creates more green space.

Option 3: full greenway

A full greenway option would turn the street into a linear parkway with trail. An example of this is 37th Avenue North between Logan Avenue North and Oliver Avenue North. This option could include play and sports facilities, benches, or public art. Emergency vehicles could use the trail to access properties when needed. Vehicle access would be through the alley and side streets. A full greenway option would only be implemented on a block after significantly more engagement.