After neighborhood pushback, council directs Option 3 for North Garden Street but excludes Fourth North bump‑outs

The New Ulm City Council on April 1 reopened and revised plans for the North Garden Street reconstruction project after residents pressed for changes at a packed public discussion. After hearing several neighborhood speakers, councilors directed staff to proceed with layout Option 3 — which adds bump‑outs at key crossings — but to exclude bump‑outs at the Fourth North intersection.

Residents said the center median originally proposed would limit driveway access and worsen snow drifting; the safety commission and several neighbors opposed the median. Councilors emphasized balancing pedestrian safety and snow‑removal/parking impacts.

Why it matters: North Garden is a municipal state aid route used by an estimated roughly 4,000 vehicles per day and functions as a bicycle route and access to parks. The chosen layout will affect driveway access for dozens of households, winter parking needs and pedestrian safety near parks and school‑adjacent locations.

Public comment and council discussion "I do like the bump out idea a lot better than the center median," said West The Dragon, a resident at 423 North Garden, who added that the center median “will affect each and every one of us” with driveway access and worsen snow drifting.

Lori Ludwig, also of 423 North Garden, told the council she had collected neighborhood signatures opposing a center median and thanked councilors for reopening the item. Mary Milburn of 311 North Garden said narrowing the street would reduce space used by bicyclists and raised concerns about safety when parked cars reduce sight lines.

Cindy Blickham, a long‑time resident at 411 North Garden, said the wider street historically accommodated bikes and guest parking for homes without driveways and asked about placement of bump‑outs and crosswalks.

Staff recommendations and council response Engineer Stodden and public works staff presented three layout options and recommended against bump‑outs at Fourth North because a driveway offset at that intersection complicates curb geometry. Staff noted MnDOT granted a variance for a Harmon Park parking configuration and that similar bump‑out designs are used elsewhere to slow traffic and shorten crossing distances.

Councilors repeatedly acknowledged neighborhood outreach. One councilor said traffic counts for Garden Street are “around 4,000 vehicles per day,” about half to two‑thirds of Center Street. Several councilors favored the bump‑out approach to improve pedestrian safety near parks while avoiding the access and snow‑plowing issues associated with a center median.

Decision and next steps Councilor Warmka moved and the council approved, by voice vote, the direction to proceed with layout Option 3 but without bump‑outs at Fourth North. Staff will prepare final design drawings reflecting that change and pursue necessary MnDOT variances and grant or funding steps for the 2027 reconstruction between Second North and Fifth North. Public works staff said boulevards in the preferred footprint would range roughly 8–10 feet with 6‑foot sidewalks and that boulevard maintenance would primarily be the adjacent property owner’s responsibility, whereas a center median would require city maintenance.

What remains unresolved Staff said the bike route designation will remain (signed “share the road”), not with a dedicated marked lane, and that the final design may affect on‑street parking patterns in winter. The council noted it could require a snow‑emergency parking policy similar to downtown for plow access if needed.

The council’s direction ends deliberation on a center median for the project but commits the city to final design work that balances pedestrian safety, driveway access and winter operations.