Projects

NICOLLET AVE (CSAH 52) RECONSTRUCTION – 77TH ST TO 66TH ST

PURPOSE

The Nicollet Avenue Reconstruction project is being led by Hennepin County in partnership with the City of Richfield to improve conditions for all people using the Nicollet Avenue corridor for travel. This Hennepin County project aims to:

  • Replace deteriorating pavement surfaces and walks
  • Enhance mobility and connections to planned and existing regional multi-modal routes and destinations
  • Implement a dedicated bikeway
  • Improve existing public utilities
  • Improve intersection traffic control
  • Implement traffic calming and safety measures
  • Improve transit stops for current and future transit routes
  • Leverage green infrastructure to achieve stormwater goals and enhance visual character

PROJECT FLYERS (PDF)

PROJECT GOALS

The project goals for the Nicollet Avenue Reconstruction are adapted from the City’s Pedestrian Master Plan, Safe Routes to School Comprehensive Plan and the Richfield 2040 Comprehensive Plan Transportation Chapter along with the following City of Richfield’s Guiding Principles:

ANTICIPATED PROJECT TIMELINE

  • Mid 2023 through 2024: Public Engagement and Preliminary Design
    • Open House #1: August 22nd, 2023
    • Open House #2: October 17th, 2023
    • Open House #3: February 29th, 2024
    • Open House #4: TBD (Spring 2024)
    • City Council Approval: TBD (Spring/Summer 2024)
  • 2024-2025: Final Design
  • 2026-2027: Project Construction

OPEN HOUSE #1: TUESDAY, AUGUST 22ND, 2023

Open House #1 for the Nicollet Avenue reconstruction was held at Augsburg Park Library (7100 Nicollet Ave) from 4pm – 7pm on Tuesday, August 22nd, 2023. Project staff were on hand gathering input from the public on existing challenges and strengths of the current Nicollet Avenue corridor to identify focus areas for design improvements. If you were unable to attend in person, please share your input online at the Virtual Open House.

The Open House #1 Display Boards are available for view here.

OPEN HOUSE #2: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17TH, 2023

Open House #2 for Nicollet Ave was held at the Richfield Community Center (7000 Nicollet Ave) from 4:30-6:30pm on Tuesday, October 17th. Project staff presented the problem statement created for the corridor to verify that the feedback heard in Open House #1 was adequately identified to set design goals for the project. Different options for lane configuration, bike/ped facilities, and other intersection treatments were presented for public feedback to help the design team identify tools to address problem areas on the corridor.

OPEN HOUSE #3: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29TH, 2024

Open House #3 for Nicollet Ave was held at the Richfield Community Center (7000 Nicollet Ave) from 4:30-6:30pm on Thursday, February 29th. Project staff presented three layout options for bicycle and pedestrian facilities along the corridor, as well as multiple design concepts for intersections along the corridor. If you were unable to attend, there is a Virtual Open House where feedback will be collected for several weeks after the open house date.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

  • Open House #4: TBD (Spring 2024)

CONTACT

Matt Hardegger
City of Richfield Transportation Engineer
612-861-9792
Email

Matt Huggins
Hennepin County Project Manager
612-596-0326
Email


66TH STREET AND RICHFIELD PARKWAY PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS

PURPOSE

In 2023, Richfield received Active Transportation grant funding from MnDOT to construct 4 rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs) at the 66th Street and Richfield Parkway Roundabout to improve pedestrian and bicyclist visibility and safety at the roundabout. This project will also include construction on the pedestrian curb ramps to make them ADA-compliant.

ANTICIPATED PROJECT TIMELINE

  • Late 2023: Final Design
  • Spring/Summer 2024: Project Construction

CONTACT

Matt Hardegger
Transportation Engineer
612-861-9792
Email


SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS

All demonstration projects are collaborations between the City of Richfield, Richfield Public Schools, and MnDOT through MnDOT’s Safe Routes to School program

73RD STREET AT CENTENNIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Volunteers and city staff installed a temporary demonstration project on 73rd Street between Bloomington Avenue and Cedar Avenue on Wednesday, August 16th, 2023 This project consists of a delineated trail from the Centennial parking lot to Cedar Avenue on the south side of 73rd Street, curb extensions (also known as bump outs) at several intersections, and marked crosswalks at select crossing locations. This project will be in place over winter in 2023/24. Because of this project, there will be no street parking allowed on the south side of 73rd Street from the Centennial driveway to Cedar Avenue.

The City of Richfield has received a grant through the Metropolitan Council Regional Solicitation process to permanently construct this trail in 2026, so we will be looking for feedback on what works and what doesn’t during the temporary project. A link to a survey will be posted here when available. Feedback can also be provided by contacting Transportation Engineer Matt Hardegger at 612-861-9792 or mhardegger@richfieldmn.gov.

70TH STREET AT STEM/RDLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Volunteers and city staff installed the temporary demonstration project on 70th Street at Elliot and 12th Avenues as part of Richfield’s Safe Routes to School Program, which is a national initiative to encourage students to walk and bike to school more often. The project is a temporary installation to mimic concrete medians and curb extensions (also known as bump outs) to increase safety and visibility of students walking to and from the STEM and RDLS elementary schools. The demonstration project will be removed the week of October 16th, 2023 for city crews to sweep prior to winter and maintain snow clearing operations through the winter. Following removal, the project success will be assessed and a determination to look at installing a more permanent solution will be made. To provide feedback, please fill out the project survey or contact Transportation Engineer Matt Hardegger at 612-861-9792 or mhardegger@richfieldmn.gov.

71ST STREET SIDEWALK – STEM/RDLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

In 2022, Richfield received Safe Routes to School grant money from MnDOT to fill in the “sidewalk gap” on the south side of the STEM/RDLS campus. The 6-foot-wide concrete sidewalk will run on the north side of 71st Street from Elliot Ave to 12th Ave, and include ADA-compliant pedestrian curb ramps at Elliot, 10th, 11th, and 12th Avenues. Construction of this project is scheduled for 2024.

CONTACT

Matt Hardegger
Transportation Engineer
612-861-9792
Email


65TH STREET RECONSTRUCTION – NICOLLET TO 66TH ST./RAE DR.

PURPOSE

To improve the pavement conditions, replace deteriorating sidewalks, and upgrade aging underground utilities while improving operational safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles.

Click here to view the 65th Street Reconstruction Project final layout.

PROJECT GOALS

The project goals for the 65th Street Reconstruction are adapted from the City’s Pedestrian Master Plan, Safe Routes to School Comprehensive Plan and the Richfield 2040 Comprehensive Plan Transportation Chapter along with the following City of Richfield’s Guiding Principles:

STORMWATER GOALS

This project provides an opportunity to address a long-time flooding issue in the area of 65th Street and the HUB shopping center.  Currently, this area is served by undersized storm infrastructure that is unable to adequately handle the more frequent, high intensity storms that have become more common.  The design solution will apply a regional approach to alleviate the flooding commonly experienced along 65th Street, 66th Street, and the surrounding area.

ANTICIPATED CONSTRUCTION TIMLINE

The project is currently under construction. See the Road Work Updates page for current information about construction.

CONSTRUCTION KICK-OFF OPEN HOUSE – MAY 26

OPEN HOUSE #5 (VIRTUAL/ONLINE) – JUNE 1 to JUNE 8, 2020

OPEN HOUSE #4 (VIRTUAL/ONLINE) – APRIL 20 to APRIL 27, 2020

In lieu of a traditional open house, project staff hosted a virtual open house with a dedicated website with the hope of generating comparable engagement among stakeholders. The virtual open house was hosted Monday, April 20 through Monday, April 27.

OPEN HOUSE #3 – JUNE 6, 2019

OPEN HOUSE #2 – MARCH 28, 2019

OPEN HOUSE #1- DECEMBER 12, 2018

PROJECTED TIMELINE

CONTACT

Olivia Wycklendt
Civil Engineer
612-861-9789
Email


I-494: MSP AIRPORT TO HWY 169 (MNDOT)

Project Background

MnDOT’s I-494: Airport to 169 Project is currently under construction. The City Council considered the project and approved the preliminary final layout of the project as required by state law on February 22, 2022.

MnDOT’s I-494: El proyecto Airport a 169 avanza hacia su primera fase de implementación. El Ayuntamiento consideró el proyecto y aprobó el diseño final preliminar del proyecto según lo exige la ley estatal el 22 de Febrero de 2022. Se espera que la construcción comience en el verano de 2023.

On October 13th, 2021, the City of Richfield and MnDOT held a series of public information meetings at the Richfield Municipal Center related to the future I-494: Airport to Highway 169 Project 1 implementation plan. The City Council held a Public Hearing on November 23rd, 2021 in advance of considering project approval.

If you were unable to attend the meeting, you can learn more about the project at MnDOT’s 494 project website or view a video recap of the information presented below.

To Comment: If you have questions related to I-494 construction, please visit MnDOT’s 494 project website. If you are in need of additional assistance, please contact Richfield Transportation Engineer Matt Hardegger at mhardegger@richfieldmn.gov or by calling 612-861-9792.

 

 

About this project:

I-494 is a heavily used interstate highway that joins with I-694 to create a loop around the Twin Cities Metro Area. The southwest stretch of the corridor provides direct access to major destinations such as the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America, cross city access for commuters and freight, and local access for the numerous businesses and residents along the freeway. It is also one of the most heavily congested roads in the state.

To address congestion along the southwest portion of I-494, the State of Minnesota has been working with the cities along the corridor, the I-494 Corridor Coalition and the I-35W Solutions Alliance to develop a vision for how the freeway can increase capacity and better serve the growing multimodal needs of the community.

The “I-494: Airport to Hwy 169” project will develop and construct long term solutions that will:

  • Provide a transit advantage to increase the number of people who can be efficiently moved through the corridor
  • Improve the reliability of the average rush-hour trip
  • Improve safety
  • Restore pavement to preserve infrastructure and provide a smoother ride
  • Improve drainage systems to reduce localized flooding and reduce run-off into the Minnesota River
  • Preserve existing bridges

To learn more, please visit MnDOT’s I-494: MSP Airport to Highway 169 Project Page.

Learn more about the project by visiting the project webpage and signing up for updates.