Corridor's visual improvements to reflect community feedback

The East 7th St. and Arcade St. project team would like to thank the East Side Community, especially the community members who were a part of the Visual Quality Advisory Committee, and all who were able to Join us at the East 7th St. and Arcade St. Community Design Workshop held in September 2023. These efforts allowed the project team to develop the Placemaking and Urban Design Framework Guide, which will be used as the project team finalizes the design plans and prepares for construction. Highlights of the corridor's recommended visual improvements can be requested from the project team.

Highlights of the Placemaking and Urban Design Framework Guide

MnDOT engaged with the community about the potential improvements coming to East 7th St. and Arcade St., it became clear that the visual quality of the corridor was an essential improvement the community wanted to see. MnDOT sought and was granted a federal RAISE grant to improve the aesthetics and visual aspects of the corridor. A Visual Quality Advisory Committee (VQAC) consisting of community members was established. The VQAC helped the project team determine:

• Community preferences and input for the corridor
• Aesthetic and visual improvements
• Safety conditions and overall comfortability

MnDOT has collected these findings and the Placemaking and Urban Design Framework Guide for the East 7th St. and Arcade St. improvement project is anticipated to be available in summer 2024.

Defining Features

The visual quality of the corridor can be impacted through three categories:

• Design elements help minimize the impact on the surrounding environment and maximize aesthetic improvements (E.g. Lane alignments, pedestrian and cyclist facilities).

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• Aesthetic treatments enhance the appearance of necessary elements (E.g. surface finishes and pavement texture).

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• Aesthetic features enhance visual and social quality beyond basic items necessary to address safety, operations, and maintenance needs (E.g. decorative landscaping and street furniture).

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1. Visual Quality Advisory Committee (VQAC)

The VQAC consisted of community-driven members, dedicated to supporting and cultivating spaces and opportunities that enrich the communities they represent. The committee was able to:

• Create a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis to identify priorities for the corridor
• Engage in a geographic exercise to understand priority locations for visual quality improvements
• Share preferences in which intersections in the corridor to prioritize
• Attend a two-day community design workshop to collaborate with the project team and architects to design visual quality concepts

View full-size image2. Community Design Workshop

Much of the feedback from the community was shared during large group presentations and applied to the Visual Quality Improvements broadly, rather than at specific locations. Feedback from the two-day workshop includes comments from the community. Suggestions included:

• Partnering with community organizations to maintain plantings
• Establishing a clear outline of maintenance expectations for the community
• Using patterns and designs that reflect cultures in the area on concrete, benches and banners
• Reserving space for public art in the corridor
• Honoring the differences between East 7th and Arcade streets, while visually unifying both streets
• Addressing visual quality at the intersections of Maryland Ave. and Arcade St.
• Discussing visual quality improvements to the street with business owners
• Integrating natural stone into landscaping
• Visually connect to Phalen Regional Park by identifying natural resource themes in local cultures

Farnsworth Upper Campus – Pattern Design

The project continued to work with community members to develop potential patterns that could be seen throughout the corridor. To design the patterns, the project team partnered with VQAC member and Community Artist, Gita Ghei and Farnsworth Upper Campus 7th and 8th grade art students.

The student design workshops took place November 2023 during art class. Students were asked to come up with designs that they felt were representative of themselves and the East Side.

The student pattern design is currently being finalized in the Guide.

Visual Composition

This section summarizes the visual preferences for the E. 7th St. and Arcade St. corridor. The project team has applied preferences to select locations given right-of-way availability, maintenance considerations, and renderings showing visual quality treatments in certain locations to demonstrate how the streets could look once the project is completed or with additional projects in the future.

There are three different timeframes that emerged from this process:

• Immediate needs include aesthetic preferences to be incorporated into the construction package by the end of 2024.
• Intermediate needs include aesthetic preferences to be incorporated into the planting phase of this project, after roadway construction.
• Aspirational needs include the VQAC and community preferences for public art and other “add-on” visual elements outside the right-of-way, the planting phase of the project, and what the RAISE grant funds can support.

Visual Quality Design Concept Examples:

• East 7th St. and Arcade St. (1)

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• East 7th St. and Arcade St. (2)

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• Arcade St. and Neid Ln.

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• Arcade St. and Neid Ln. (Maintenance)

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• Arcade St. from Sims Ave. to Case Ave.

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• Arcade St. and Wheelock Pkwy.

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• Arcade St. and Wheelock Pkwy. (Maintenance)

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For a full list of Visual Quality Design Concepts please contact the project staff to request a copy of the Urban Design Framework Guide.

Potential Aesthetic Elements and Treatments

This section provides six proposed visual quality elements and treatments included in the visual quality design concepts for various locations:

• Pavement
• Furniture
• Lighting
• Gateway Monuments
• Public Art
• Vegetation

Maintenance

While $550k of federal RAISE grant will fund many immediate and intermediate needs, maintenance after installation is a critical concern for the VQAC and the community overall.

While MnDOT maintains trees along the corridor, MnDOT must enter partnerships with local jurisdictions, such as the City of St. Paul, to maintain any non-tree plantings. The City of St. Paul, however, has indicated they will not maintain non-tree planting, and therefore, a third-party maintenance partner must commit.

Depending on agreements made by all parties, three levels of maintenance vary for potential landscaping plans and are as follows:

• Level 1 – No Maintenance Partner

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• Level 2 – Maintenance Partner and Lower-Maintenance Plantings

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• Level 3 – Maintenance Partner and Higher-Maintenance Plantings

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MnDOT has prepared the final design layouts for East 7th St. and Arcade St. and engineering is underway. Construction for East 7th St. and Arcade St. is anticipated to begin in spring 2025. The final design layouts are a refinement of the Proposed Final Design Layouts shared in November 2022. Much of the final design layouts remain similar to what was shared previously, with some changes highlighted below based upon feedback received, one-on-one stakeholder meetings, engineering refinement, and partner coordination.

What is a final design layout?

A final design layout, or staff-approved layout, serves as documentation that the preferred alternative for a project has been selected and approved, and that the final design phase can begin. The final design layout shows the location, character, dimensions, access, and explanatory information about the road construction or improvement work being proposed. "Final layout" includes elements of the project like traffic lanes, shoulders, trails/sidewalks, turn lanes, and access points and closures. Some example elements that may follow the development of a final design layout include landscaping, pavement striping, roadway signing, lighting design, and right of way agreements.

What we heard

Previously, the East 7th St. and Arcade St. project team solicited feedback from the community on the proposed design layouts. Below are key highlights of what we heard from the community:

Next Steps

As the project team continues to work on construction plans including traffic control and regulation elements like traffic signal timing, pavement markings, and signing, we are also working on making the corridor more beautiful.

To ensure that the changes coming to East 7th St. and Arcade St. align with the priorities of the community, the project team is working with a Visual Quality Advisory Committee. This committee is composed of community-driven members who are dedicated to supporting and cultivating spaces and opportunities that enrich the communities and cultural arts in the area. The committee will help examine the existing visual quality of the corridor and provide insight into what people like and dislike seeing. There will be opportunities later this summer and early fall for the public to weigh in on the themes and concepts developed as a part of this process.

Layout refinements

Corridor-wide

• The East 7th St. and Arcade St. project began as a resurfacing project, but through community engagement and assessment, the project now includes some areas of full road reconstruction. The areas that will be fully reconstructed include the East 7th St. and Arcade St. intersection and Arcade St. between Lawson Ave. and Geranium Ave. A full reconstruction will allow MnDOT to implement safety features such as curb bumpouts for people walking and driving.
• Local bus route 61 is now part of the Better Bus Routes (BBR) program and Metro Transit has coordinated with MnDOT to start implementing changes. BBR aims to strategically consolidate or eliminate bus stops to improve the speed and reliability of the service. MnDOT and Metro Transit are making every effort possible to align any BBR implementation with the East 7th St. and Arcade St. project. All bus stops will also be made ADA-accessible.

Segment A: East 7th St. between I-94 and Mounds Blvd.

• This segment remains unchanged from the proposed final design layouts shared in November 2022.
• The “porkchop” island at the Mounds Blvd. and East 7th St. intersection was removed to improve safety for people walking and driving.

Segment B: East 7th St. between Mounds Blvd. and Minnehaha Ave.

• The “porkchop” island at the Mounds Blvd. and East 7th St. intersection was removed to improve safety for people walking and driving.
• A center median pedestrian refuge island was added to the west crossing at the Eichenwald St. and East 7th St. intersection to improve safety for people walking and bus stop access.
• The south curb line of East 7th St. was moved in by Sinnen St. to provide for a safer and shorter distance for people crossing at the existing flashing beacon in front of the Consulate of Mexico.
• Added a curb bumpout at the Minnehaha Ave. and East 7th St .intersection, and at the Beech St. intersection, to shorten the distance for people crossing, better define the parking areas, calm traffic, and discourage drivers from doing unsafe passing maneuvers.

Segment C: Arcade St. between East 7th St. and York Ave.

• This segment remains unchanged from the proposed final design layouts shared in November 2022.

Segment D: Arcade St. between York Ave. and Geranium Ave.

• Curb lines were moved into the parking areas from York Ave. to Case Ave. to better define parking areas and create more space for the boulevard areas.
• Additional curb bump-outs on Arcade St. were added at Case Ave., Cook Ave., and Geranium Ave. intersections to shorten the distance for people crossing, better define the parking areas, calm traffic, and discourage drivers from doing unsafe passing maneuvers.

Segment E: Arcade St. between Geranium Ave. and Wheelock Pkwy.

• Modified the north curb line and added curb bumpouts at Hyancinth Ave. to shorten the distance for people crossing, better define the parking areas, calm traffic, and discourage drivers from doing unsafe passing maneuvers.
• The Johnson Senior High School parking lot will be improved to provide a safe layover area for Metro Transit buses.

Segment F: Arcade St. between Wheelock Pkwy. Larpenteur Ave.

• This segment remains unchanged from the proposed final design layouts shared in November 2022.

Segment G: Arcade St. between Larpenteur Ave. and Frost Ave./Parkway Dr.

• MnDOT is partnering with St. Paul Parks and Recreation to add a new trail along the east side of Arcade St. as well as add a trail connection at Phalen Dr. with the parking lot reconstruction.

November 2022

Proposed design layouts by sections

1. Section A: East 7th St. - I-94 to Mounds Blvd.
2. Section B: East 7th St. - Mounds Blvd. to Arcade St.
3. Section C: Arcade St. - East 7th St. to York Ave.
4. Section D: Arcade St. - York Ave. to Geranium Ave.
5. Section E: Arcade St. - Geranium Ave. to Wheelock Pkwy.
6. Section F: Arcade St. - Wheelock Pkwy. to Larpenteur Ave.
7. Section G: Arcade St. - Larpenteur Ave. to Parkway Dr./Frost Ave.

Section A: East 7th Street between I-94 and Mounds Blvd.

What we heard:

• People are interested in more bike connections from downtown Saint Paul to the east side.
• People supported removal of the dedicated, free right-turn lane on eastbound East 7th St. to Mounds Blvd. Some feel removing the dedicated right-turn lane will increase traffic congestion.
• People raised concerns about traffic speed and would like an alternative that prioritizes pedestrians and bicyclists and other traffic calming measures.

Technical Findings:

• Adding bike lanes will require narrowing the road. A traffic study showed narrowing the road will impact the incoming traffic from the I-94 on-ramps, causing traffic congestion in this section of the road.
• Removal of the dedicated right turn lane from eastbound E. 7th St. to Mounds Blvd. will increase walking distances for pedestrians crossing at this intersection and impact turning movements for vehicles making a right turn. The dedicated right-turn lane from eastbound E. 7th St to Mounds Blvd. will remain in place.
• There is a lot of vehicle movement from the eastbound I-94 ramps/northbound Mounds Blvd. to westbound East 7th St.

Proposed final design improvements:

• Pedestrian safety: Addition of curb/paved median
• Reassignment of turn lanes for northbound Mounds Blvd. that includes two dedicated left-turn lanes to westbound E. 7th St., and one dedicated right-turn lane to eastbound E. 7th St.
• Green space: Boulevard (vegetation) will be installed outside the sidewalk, separated from the roadway
• Enhanced signaling: Reconstruct/replace signal at Lafayette Rd. and Mounds Blvd. intersections
• Redesign of bus pullout on eastbound East 7th St., east of Lafayette Rd.
• Moving in the curb for westbound E. 7th St. From Lafayette Rd. to John St. to make the road width consistent and widen sidewalk.

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Section B: East 7th St.between Mounds Blvd. and Minnehaha Ave.

What we heard:

• Businesses along this section rely on on-street parking, as most businesses do not have off-street parking options for employees and customers. It was important to businesses to keep on-street parking in front of their buildings.
• People were interested in having protected bike lanes to provide connections to the existing adjacent bike trails.

Technical findings:

• A parking study showed on-street parking in this section was mainly used during weekday and weekend business hours (61 spaces of approximately 105 spaces used).
• Some blocks are currently under-used (Eichwald St. to Hope St.), while others are overused (Maria Ave. to Bates Ave. and Maple St. to Eichenwald St.). Overall, parking use is 58%.
• While looking into parking and adding bike lanes, it was found that only one of the two were possible with the limited space.

Proposed final design improvement:

• Parking will remain on both sides of the road, with wider parking lanes
• Lane reduction: Four-to-three lane conversion, with two-way left turn lane
• Enhanced signaling: Signals at Maria Ave., Hope St., and Arcade St. will be replaced or reconstructed
• Pedestrian safety: some bump outs are being added; additional bump outs may be considered and will be based on whether it is possible to add more while staying within the pavement rehabilitation scope
• Bike lanes are not included in the proposed final design: There is Iimited space to provide safe, buffered bike lanes. The City of St. Paul is currently updating the Saint Paul Bicycle Plan. Learn more and provide your comments through the St. Paul Bicycle Plan website(External link).
• Additional restriping will occur per request from the City of St. Paul on E. 7th St. between Minnehaha Ave./Mendota St. and Forest St.

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Section C: Arcade St. between East 7th St. and York Ave.

What we heard:

• People preferred a four-to-three-lane conversion with one lane in each direction and a center left-turn lane.
• People suggested adding protected bike lanes with a physical barrier.

Technical findings:

• Most businesses in this section have dedicated parking lots, and a parking study showed no on-street parking was used during all counting periods.

Proposed design improvements:

• Lane reduction: four-to-three lane conversion with two-way middle turn lane
• Pedestrian safety: Wider boulevards added in many locations Enhanced signaling: Reconstruct/replace signals at E. 7th St. and Neid Ave.
• Accessibility: Pedestrian ramps proposed at many locations

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Section D: Arcade St. between York Ave. and Geranium Ave.

What we heard

• Businesses preferred to keep on-street parking for their customers
• People suggested implementing a four-to-three lane conversion in this section.
• People suggested more traffic calming measures, better road signage to distinguish parking lanes from driving lanes, and more trees and landscaping.

Technical findings:

• This section of the street is narrower than the rest of the corridor, especially between Sims Ave. and Case Ave.
• A parking study showed on-street parking in this section was used at above 50% for all counting periods during weekday and weekend business hours.

Proposed final design improvements:

• Pedestrian safety: Curb extensions at several locations
• Accessibility: Several pedestrian ramps proposed
• Enhanced signaling: Reconstruct/replace signals at Case Ave. and Magnolia Ave.

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Section E: Arcade St. between Geranium Ave. and Wheelock Pkwy.

What we heard:

• Safety for people walking, biking, and driving are important.
• People were generally in favor of the four-to-three-lane conversion with one lane in each direction and a center left-turn lane.
• Parking was essential for the businesses in this section, particularly on the northwest corner of Maryland Ave. and Arcade St. intersection, as most businesses do not have alternative parking for employees and customers.

Technical findings:

• Limited right of way in this section; no room for bump outs
• A parking study showed on-street parking was mostly used on Saturday afternoons. From Maryland Ave. to Hawthorne Ave., on-street parking was mostly used on the west side (2-7 cars in 10 spaces at all periods) and not used at all on the east side (0 cars in 6 spaces).
• Between Hawthorne Ave. and Wheelock Pkwy., a parking study showed no on-street parking was used during all counting periods.
• Removing parking around the Maryland Ave. intersection would improve safety for pedestrians, transit users and drivers; there is sufficient parking for businesses available in adjacent parking lots.
• A traffic study indicates a four-three-lane conversion is feasible along this stretch of the project corridor.
• The City of St. Paul and St. Paul Public Schools would prefer that pedestrians cross at the intersection of Clear Ave.

Proposed final design improvements:

• Lane reduction: Four-to-three lane conversion
• Median refuge: Median added at Hawthorne Ave. intersection; and extended median added at Clear Ave. to discourage mid-block crossing between Ivy Ave. and Clear Ave.
• Accessibility: Several pedestrian ramps proposed
• Enhanced signaling: Reconstruct/replace signals at Ivy Ave. and Wheelock Pkwy.
• Parking maintained around the Geranium Ave. intersection but removed around the Maryland Ave. intersection.
• Bus pull outs added at Ivy Ave. intersection

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Section F: Arcade St. between Wheelock Pkwy. Larpenteur Ave.

What we heard:

• People are interested in a trail connection from Wheelock Pkwy. to the Gateway State Trail stub at Frost Ave., and a need to improve pedestrian crossing at this intersection.
• People were in favor of removing on-street parking in this section due to low use.

Technical findings:

• A parking study indicates few to no cars park in this segment.
• The City of Saint Paul developed design alternatives for the intersection of Arcade St. and Wheelock Pkwy.

Proposed design improvements:

• Pedestrian/cyclist safety: New sidewalk on west side and grade-separated, multi-use trail on east side; new pedestrian crossing at Arcade St. and Larpenteur Ave. intersection
• Green space: Wider grass boulevards on both sides of the street
• Lane reduction: One lane in each direction with a center, left-turn lane
• The city-led redesign of the Arcade St. and Wheelock Pkwy. intersection is included in the proposed final design, which includes realignment of the intersection, narrower intersection and better connection to trails.

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Section G: Arcade St. between Larpenteur Ave. and Frost Ave./Parkway Dr.

What we heard:

• Many people supported having a multi-use trail and suggested narrowing/reducing traffic lanes to improve safety and calm traffic.
• People suggested improving intersection crossings at Larpenteur Ave. and Parkway Dr./Frost Ave.

Technical findings:

• A parking study showed no on-street parking spaces was used at all counting periods.

Proposed design improvements:

• Pedestrian/cyclist safety: Grade-separated, multi-use trail on east side of the street to create a connection from the Ground Round at Wheelock Ave. to the Gateway State Trail north of Frost Ave.
• Green space: Wider grass boulevards on both sides of the street until Phalen Dr.
• Accessibility: Several pedestrian ramps proposed
• Drivers: Removal of northbound dedicated right-turn lane at Frost Ave.
• The city-led redesign of the Arcade St. and Phalen Dr. intersection is included in the proposed final design, which realigns Phalen Dr. and parking lot connection.

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August 2022

We are improving safety for all users along East 7th St. (Hwy 5) and Arcade St. (Hwy 61) from I-94 in St. Paul to Roselawn Ave. in Maplewood. Design and engineering are underway, and construction is anticipated to begin in fall 2024.

In 2021, we provided engagement activities to gather community feedback on what improvements were needed on East 7th St. and Arcade St. From the community feedback in 2021, we put together several design ideas for improvements along East 7th St. and Arcade St. and gathered community feedback from February through June 2022 to narrow down the design ideas for each of the sections along the project corridor.

We have prepared two proposed layouts showing different design options for the project corridor. As a part of the federal RAISE grant, which are additional funds to support the community vision of better access for all, improvements for the project corridor will include:

• ADA accessibility improvements
• Safety improvements for people walking and rolling
• Curb and sidewalk improvements
• Lighting improvements
• Traffic light replacements
• Roadway resurfacing
• Stormwater drainage updates
• Streetscaping and landscaping

We have collected comments and feedback and a new proposed final layout will be available in November 2022.

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1. East 7th St. - I-94 to Mounds Blvd.

2. East 7th St. - Mounds Blvd. to Arcade St.

3. Arcade St. - East 7th St. to York Ave.

4. Arcade St. - York Ave. to Geranium Ave.

5. Arcade St. - Geranium Ave. to Wheelock Pkwy.

6. Arcade St. - Wheelock Pkwy. to Larpenteur Ave.

7. Arcade St. - Larpenteur Ave. to Parkway Dr./Frost Ave.

Section A: East 7th Street between I-94 and Mounds Blvd.

What we heard:

• People are interested in more bike connections from downtown Saint Paul to the east side.
• People supported removal of the dedicated free-right turn lane on eastbound East 7th St to Mounds Blvd. Some feel removing the dedicated right turn lane will increase traffic congestion.
• People raised concerns about traffic speed and would like an alternative that prioritizes pedestrians and bicyclists and other traffic calming measures.

Technical Findings:

• Adding bike lanes will require narrowing the road. A traffic study showed narrowing the road will impact the incoming traffic from the I-94 on-ramps, causing traffic congestion in this section of the road.
• Findings suggest removal of the dedicated right turn lane at East 7th St. and Mounds Blvd. will increase walking distances for pedestrian crossing at this intersection and impact turning movements for vehicles making a right turn. The dedicated right turn lane at Mounds Blvd. will remain in place.

Proposed design improvements:

• Redesign of bus pullout on eastbound E. 7th St.
• Curb location changes on westbound E. 7th St. between Lafayette Rd. and John St.

Section A layout (view full-size image)

Section A cross-section (view full-size image)

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Section B: East 7th St. from Mounds Blvd. to Minnehaha Ave.

What we heard:

• Businesses along this section rely on on-street parking, as most businesses do not have off-street parking options for workers and customers. It was important for businesses to keep on-street parking in front of their buildings.
• People were interested in having bike lanes to provide connections to the existing adjacent bike trails.

Technical findings:

• A parking study showed on-street parking in this section was mainly used on Saturday afternoons (55 spaces of approximately 105 spaces used).

Proposed design Improvement Alternative 1-Parking Only:

• Wider parking lanes on both sides of the street
• Installation of curb bump-outs and crossing enhancements
• Median refuges at certain locations
• Reduction of four driving lanes to three: one lane in each direction with a center, left-turn lane

Section B - Parking only layout (view full-size image)

Section B - Parking only cross-section (view full-size image)

Proposed design Improvement Alternative 2 - Bike Lanes and Parking:

• Bike lane on both sides of the street
• On-street parking lane on one side of the street (south side)
• Installation of median refuges at certain locations
• Reduction of four driving lanes to three: one lane in each direction with a center, left-turn lane

Section B - bike and parking layout (view full-size image)

Section B - bike and parking cross section (view full-size image)

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Section C: Arcade St. from East 7th St. to York Ave.

What we heard:

• People preferred a 4- to 3-lane conversion with one lane in each direction and a center left turn lane.
• If a bike lane was put in place, people suggested adding protected bike lanes with a physical separation/barrier.
• People preferred parking on the south side of the road, although they feel there are adequate business parking on the south side already.

Technical findings:

Most businesses in this section have dedicated parking lots, and a parking study showed no on-street parking was used during all counting periods.

Proposed design improvements:

• Sidewalk on both sides of the street
• Wider boulevard on both sides of the street
• 4’ Shoulder on both sides of the street
• Removal of on-street parking
• Reduction of four driving lanes to three: one lane in each direction with a center, left-turn lane

Secton C layout (view full-size image)

Secton C cross-section (view full-size image)

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Section D: Arcade St. from York Ave. to Geranium Ave.

What we heard:

• It was important for the businesses to keep on-street parking for customers in this section.
• People suggested narrowing the traffic lanes by implementing a four-to-three lane conversion in this section.
• People suggested more traffic calming measures, better road signage to distinguish parking lanes and driving lanes, and more trees and landscaping.

Technical findings:

• This section of the street is narrower than the rest of the corridor, especially between Sims Ave. and Case Ave.
• A parking study showed on-street parking in this section was used at above 50% at all counting periods.

Proposed design improvements:

• The road, sidewalk, and boulevard areas remain the same
• Curb bump-outs at several intersections

Section D layout (view full-size image)

Section D cross-section (view full-size image)

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Section E: Arcade St. from Geranium Ave. to Wheelock Pkwy.

What we heard

• Safety for people walking, biking, and driving are important.
• People were generally in favor of the 4- to 3-lane conversion with one lane in each direction and a center left turn lane.
• Parking was essential for the businesses in this section, particularly on the northwest corner of Maryland Ave. and Arcade St. intersection, as most businesses do not have alternative parking for workers and customers.

Technical findings

• A parking study showed on-street parking was mostly used on Saturday afternoons. From Maryland Ave. to Hawthorne Ave., on-street parking was mostly used on the west side (2-7 cars in 10 spaces at all periods) and not used at all on the east side (0 cars in 6 spaces).
• Between Hawthorne Ave. and Wheelock Pkwy, a parking study showed no on-street parking was used during all counting periods.
• A traffic study indicates a 4- to 3-lane conversion is feasible along this stretch of the project corridor.

Proposed design improvement Alternative 1:4 to 3 lane; No on-street parking

• Removal of on-street parking
• Installation of bump outs at several intersections
• Center median refuge at certain locations
• Shoulder on both sides of the street
• Reduction of four driving lanes to three: one lane in each direction with a center, left-turn lane

Section E - 3 lane layout (view full-size image)

Section E - 3 lane cross-section (view full-size image)

Proposed design improvement Alternative 2 – Partial 4- to 3-lane; some on-street parking:

• Removal of on-street parking except between Hawthorne Ave. and Hyacinth Ave.
• Installation of bump outs at several intersections
• Center median refuge at certain locations
• Shoulder on both sides of the street
• Reduction of four driving lanes to three: one lane in each direction with a center, left-turn lane throughout most of the section except between Rose Ave. and Hawthorne Ave.

Section E - 4 lane layout (view full-size image)

Section E - 4 lane cross-section (view full-size image)

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Section F: Arcade St. from Wheelock Pkwy. to Larpenteur Ave.

What we heard

• People are interested in a trail connection from Wheelock Pkwy. to the Gateway State Trail stub at Frost Ave, and a need to improve pedestrian crossing at this intersection.
• People were in favor of removing on-street parking in this section due to low utilization.

Technical findings

• A parking study indicates only one parked car was observed in this segment during all counting periods.
• The City of Saint Paul is developing alternatives for the intersection of Arcade St. and Wheelock Pkwy.

Proposed design improvements

• Shoulder/parking on one side of the street
• Sidewalk on one side of the street
• Center median refuges
• Wider grass boulevards on both sides of the street
• Multi-use trail on one side of the street
• Reduction of five driving lanes to three: one lane in each direction with a center, left-turn lane

Section F layout (view full-size image)

Section F cross-section (view full-size image)

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Section G: Arcade St. from Larpenteur Ave. to Frost Ave./Parkway Dr.

What we heard

• Many people supported having a multi-use trail and suggested narrowing/reducing traffic lanes to improve safety and calm traffic.
• People suggested improving crossing at Larpenteur Ave. and Frost Ave.

Technical findings

• A parking study showed no on-street parking spaces was used at all counting periods.

Proposed design improvements

• A multi-use trail on one side of the street
• A planted boulevard on one side of the street
• Removal of the northbound dedicated right-turn lane
• Removal of all on-street parking

Section G layout (view full-size image)

Section G cross-section (view full-size image)

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Community conversations in 2020-2021

What we heard from the community

To prepare for construction in 2024, the project team began conversations with the community in March 2021 that will set the foundation for a continued dialogue as MnDOT plans future improvements. In total, MnDOT received input from more than 850 individuals through a community survey, an online comment map, two virtual public meetings, and virtual meetings with nine different organizations and government entities.

In our conversations with community members, we heard safety and accessibility concerns about the condition of the roads today and ideas for the future. Key topics of interest included:

• Improving and adding sidewalks
• Adding more places to safely cross the street
• Adding lighting
• Consider adding a protected bike lane
• Reducing vehicle speeds

Overall, people expressed support for safety and accessibility improvements throughout the corridor. Many agreed that the existing conditions in the corridor needed improvement – particularly the sidewalks and vehicle speeds. MnDOT’s planned improvements seek to address those primary concerns.

These comments and community engagement activities have been compiled into a public report. For a copy of the full report, please contact us. A short overview of the feedback we heard during the virtual open houses and other community engagement activities can be viewed in the Hwy 5/East 7th St. and Hwy 61/Arcade St. Summary Report (PDF).

Upcoming

Thank you for participating in our community conversations for this project. Stay tuned for more details about what we heard from the community during public meetings this summer. Information about upcoming meetings and events will be posted as details become available. Sign up to receive email updates to be the first to know when we’re looking for community feedback..

Past

• Sep. 27 & 28, 2023: Community Design Workshop at Indigenous Roots Cultural Art Center
• Sep. 16, 2023: Information table at Fiesta Latina
• Sep. 9, 2023: Information table at the Uniquely East Side Festival
• Aug. 17, 2022: In-person public meetings
  • Public meeting presentation
• Aug. 2, 2022: National Night Out, 5-8 p.m.
• Jul.26 & 28, 2022: Business Outreach
• Jul. 24, 2022: Information table at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church Food truck event
• Jun. 28, 2022: Payne-Phalen District Council meeting
• Jun. 15, 2022: East Side Black Business Network and ESNDC meeting
• Jun. 4, 2022: Information table at Art in the Hollow
• May 26, 2022: Latinx business and ESABA meeting
• May 25, 2022: Hmong and Asian business and ESABA meeting
• May 24, 2022: Payne Phalen District Council presentation
• May 22, 2022: Information table at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church Food truck event
• May 14, 2022: Information table at AAPI Small Business Event
• May 14, 2022: Information table at Hmong Day
• May 14, 2022: Information table at Indigenous Roots Anniversary
• Feb. 15, 2022: Virtual public meeting
• Feb. 16, 2022: Virtual public meeting
  • February 15 and 16 presentation
• May 3, 2021: Virtual public meeting
• Apr. 29, 2021: Virtual public meeting

We recognize that construction projects impact your business. We want the Hwy 5 and Hwy 61 St. Paul project area business community to stay informed before, during, and after this project. This page is your one-stop resource page throughout construction. We will continue to add information, so please check back as we draw closer to construction.

Tools for businesses during construction

The following are tools to assist you as you communicate with your customers, employees, suppliers, and vendors. If you have additional questions do not hesitate to contact us.

Email for project updates

A great way to stay connected to all happenings within the project is through our weekly emailed project updates. Sign up to receive these important updates.

Project button

Embed our linkable image onto your website or Intranet for employees and customers seeking information about a construction project.

• We recommend inserting the above image in your Home, About or Contact Us page, then embedding the link to the Hwy 5 and Hwy 61 St. Paul project page within the image. The link to that page is talk.dot.state.mn.us/e7tharcade. If you require more detailed instructions about how to set up the image, please contact us.

All MnDOT projects - both new construction and rehabilitation projects - must include evaluation to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Components can include, but are not limited to adding curb cuts, truncated domes and accessible pedestrian signals.

• Read about MnDOT's transition plan to comply with the ADA.

Specifics for this project

• Replace pedestrian curb ramps and improve sidewalk crossings so they are accessible
• Improve traffic signals by adding push buttons