History: Hennepin County, in coordination with the City of Minneapolis and the Metropolitan Council, is leading a project to reconstruct a segment of Glenwood Avenue from Aldrich Avenue to 10th Street. The project will enhance connections to the Southwest Green Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) Royalston station. Improvements will include upgrades to accessibility, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, streetscape and landscape, signals and drainage.

The project team began public engagement back in 2016 and 2017. More recently, the county, in coordination with local partners, launched the 2020 Partners Glenwood Avenue Corridor Convening Initiative to gather a cross-sector group of stakeholders. The project team continues to engage with the public and gather community input to best meet the project goals and community’s needs.

Agreement PW 25-20-21 with Minneapolis specifies that the county will be responsible for project delivery. The city will pay the county $1,833,134 for its share of project costs, including $1,567,097 for construction and $266,037 for engineering (received into the Public Works Transportation Project Delivery Operating Budget). The county will pay $230,000 for signal and water hydrant modifications needed for the project. Upon completion, the city will maintain the signal systems and other improvements consistent with the County of Hennepin/City of Minneapolis Road Maintenance Agreement.

The project will impact the storm sewer on MnDOT’s right of way under the I-94 bridge. Agreement PW 15-40-22 with MnDOT specifies that the county will reconstruct the storm sewer within the project limits and MnDOT will maintain it after project completion at no county cost. Funding for the project is available in CP 2999968 – Southwest LRT Partnership Participation, with expenses tracked in its associated subproject CP 2154001 – Reconstruct CSAH 40. County staff recommend that the revenues for CP 2999968 (Southwest LRT Partnership Participation) be adjusted to add the cost participation from Minneapolis in the amount of $1,567,097, increasing the total budget from $4,750,000 to $6,317,097.

This project will complement the METRO Southwest Green Line LRT Extension. Project construction is planned to begin fall 2022 with substantial completion in fall 2023.

Current Request: This request seeks authorization for the following related to the Glenwood Avenue reconstruction project, CP 2999968:

• Negotiate and execute Agreement PW 25-20-21 with the city of Minneapolis for cost participation and maintenance responsibilities, with a county receivable of $1,833,134.
• Negotiate and execute Agreement PW 15-40-22 with MnDOT for storm sewer maintenance responsibilities on MnDOT’s right of way under I-94 bridge. 
• Adjust the project revenues to add $1,567,097 in cost participation from the city of Minneapolis.
  
  

Impacts/Outcomes: This action supports the county’s disparity reduction efforts by enhancing safety and accessibility for people walking, biking and using transit and supports the county’s climate actions goals by providing accessible multi-modal facilities and enhancing a connection to light rail.

Budget table: CP 2999968 Southwest LRT Partnership Participation