MnDOT presents roundabout and hybrid freeway options for Highway 7; Minnetonka officials press for pedestrian safety near high school

St. Paul-based Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) project staff updated the Minnetonka City Council on a Highway 7 corridor study on June 9, laying out a technical recommendation that favors roundabouts on the western portion of the corridor and a hybrid solution that converts the eastern portion to freeway in later phases.

The presentation, led by Paul Glaser and MnDOT project manager Faith Shaw, described four high-level alternatives for different segments of the corridor and framed the hybrid approach as a balance between safety, mobility and impacts. “We are here today to share a little bit about the revised or refined proposed alternative for the study area,” Faith Shaw, MnDOT project manager, said at the start of the presentation.

Why it matters: Highway 7 has a notable crash history and is a high-speed, high-volume route that crosses multiple cities. Changes to the corridor would affect safety for motorists and nonmotorized users and could require major capital funding and years of construction and right-of-way work.

What MnDOT presented: For the western segment (near the Minnetonka/Chanhassen area), MnDOT’s technical recommendation is a corridor with roundabouts and a median barrier, which the agency said addresses side-road mobility and safety without the higher impacts of other intersection treatments. For the central/eastern segment through Minnetonka, MnDOT evaluated at-grade options (roundabouts/RCIs), full freeway conversion with grade separations and a hybrid that combines roundabouts on the west end and a freeway conversion beginning near Vine Hill and County Road 101.

The hybrid alternative, MnDOT said, fits current traffic volumes: it retains roundabouts from Highway 41 to roughly Old Market Road and converts the eastern portion near 101 to freeway with grade separations or interchanges at a limited number of locations. MnDOT engineers said the freeway option scores highest on mobility and safety but has the highest cost and impacts; the hybrid balances cost, mobility and safety.

Pedestrian and bicycle crossings were a focus of council questions. Councilmember Simon O’Malley asked directly about Minnetonka High School, which sits near the corridor, and whether the hybrid approach would protect student crossings. Paul Glaser and MnDOT staff replied that pedestrian improvements are being investigated: at-grade alternatives may require grade-separated pedestrian overpasses near the high school, while freeway conversion would include grade separations that separate pedestrians from high-speed traffic.

Timing, costs and next steps: MnDOT said the study team will finish public engagement, finalize a recommended alternative this summer and publish a final report in September with estimated costs and an implementation plan. Officials cautioned that the work would be phased over many years and that funding has not been identified for construction: MnDOT and city staff estimated implementation would be “beyond 1–5 years” and likely span a decade or more from planning to completion.

Local coordination: Minnetonka staff described regional collaboration among the roughly a dozen cities along the Highway 7 corridor and noted seed funding to stand up a transportation management organization (TMO). Mike Kuno, Minnetonka deputy public works director, said the TMO is intended to coordinate cities and consultants on funding and project prioritization.

Council reaction: Council members pressed for clarity on costs, timing and whether the study’s recommended alternatives would require closures of current driveway access. MnDOT said a freeway conversion would require access changes and potential closures, while at-grade conversions would generally convert some approaches to right-in/right-out or install roundabouts to manage access.

Background: MnDOT and consultant Bolton & Menk have studied safety, mobility and pedestrian needs across two study segments. The agency highlighted five fatalities and three severe-injury crashes on Highway 7 in 2024 as part of the safety rationale for major changes. MnDOT plans additional public engagement over the summer and a final report in September that will include estimated project costs and a phased implementation plan.

What’s next: MnDOT asked the council to continue to provide feedback in public engagement steps this summer. The city will track the recommended alternative and anticipated funding requests as the corridor moves into implementation and funding discussions with state and federal partners.