Final Design Layouts

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:

Feature	Community feedback
Vehicle Safety	• Support for the travel lane reductions along both East 7th St. and Arcade St. to improve safety for all travelers, specifically for those who walk, bike, and take transit.
Parking	• Support for the preservation of on-street vehicle parking where needed and accepting trade-offs for less parking where demand is lower and other safety benefits can be achieved.
Pedestrian Safety	• Strong support for curb bumpouts/sidewalk extensions throughout the corridor to shorten the pedestrian crossing distance, better define the parking areas, calm traffic, and discourage unsafe vehicle passing maneuvers. • Support for pedestrian median refuge islands at key locations along the corridor to improve safety for pedestrians of all ages and abilities.
Transit	• Concern for continued coordination between MnDOT and Metro Transit to ensure transit service in the corridor is supported, enhanced, and made accessible with the project.
Aesthetics	• A call to address pedestrian-scale lighting along the corridor and to include streetscaping, beautification efforts, and landscaping.
Community Engagement	• Support for continued need to work directly with the community and stakeholders to weigh-in on final design decisions.

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.

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

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.