Project overview

Public Works will reconstruct nearly half a mile of 7th St. S., between 13th Ave. S. and Park Ave. in the Elliot Park neighborhood. The street is a gateway to downtown, including Hennepin County Medical Center and US Bank Stadium. Today, the street has sidewalks on both sides, three one-way vehicle lanes, and a mix of on-street metered and non-metered parking. The project will reconstruct the entire street, including: 

• Sidewalks 
• Pedestrian ramps that meet the Americans with Disabilities Act 
• Green stormwater infrastructure 
• Lighting 
• Traffic signals 
• New pavement, curbs and gutters and signage 
• Underground utilities  

Project purpose

The street was originally built in 1967, nearly 60 years ago. It is now beyond its useful lifespan and needs a complete rebuild, known as a reconstruction.

Redesigning and rebuilding

A street reconstruction is when a street is redesigned and rebuilt, not just repaved. A reconstruction looks at the entire street and updates the street, making it better for everyone. This can include:

• sidewalks
• crossings
• bikeways
• parking
• travel lanes
• bus service stops
• traffic signals
• lighting
• greening
• utilities

Safer and better streets

Streets are often rebuilt because it is an opportunity to:

• Make them safer, especially for people walking, rolling, and biking
• Fix old or worn-out out infrastructure such as pavement, sidewalks, curbs, and drainage
• Match how people actually use the street today, not how it was designed in the 1960’s
• Create a better place, with calmer traffic, easier crossings, and more comfortable sidewalks

A street reconstruction is a once in a lifetime opportunity to rebuild a street, so it is safer, easier to use, and better for the community.