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Edina council pauses proposed $20 million France Avenue underpass, orders study of at‑grade crossing alternatives
Summary
At its April 21 meeting, the Edina City Council voted to suspend all spending on the proposed France Avenue underpass and directed staff to work with Hennepin County on at‑grade options for safer pedestrian crossings, with a report back by June 30, 2027.
The Edina City Council voted April 21 to suspend all current and future city spending on the proposed France Avenue underpass and ordered staff to engage Hennepin County on alternatives to move pedestrians safely across France Avenue at grade.
Mayor Hovland, who introduced the motion, said the council had reached a point where cost, shifting county priorities and changing federal funding prospects warranted a pause. "If we can't go over, maybe we can go under, and the landscape has shifted," the mayor said, urging staff to pursue at‑grade alternatives and report back by 06/30/2027.
Why it matters: The underpass had been presented as a long‑term, high‑cost way to connect Centennial Lakes and surrounding neighborhoods; council members said the project’s roughly $20 million price tag required rechecking the problem being solved, examining return on investment and ensuring the most vulnerable road users benefit.
Council members debated the tradeoffs for about an hour. Council member Risser pointed to county crash‑data and the Hennepin County "Towards 0 Death" action plan and urged that limited dollars be directed to locations with the highest documented serious‑injury risk. "We need to be mindful of what is actually the reality," Risser said, asking that future work include the most recent fatality and serious‑injury data.
Council member Pierce, who seconded the motion, said the pause should be used to seek functional and fiscally responsible solutions that still deliver safety and connectivity. "We can't come back with, well, the tunnel again," Pierce said, adding that any follow‑up should produce options that solve the problem at hand.
Outcome and next steps: The motion passed on a voice vote after discussion; the transcript records one 'nay' and otherwise affirmative responses. The council directed staff to suspend design and feasibility spending related to the tunnel and to report back on at‑grade alternatives and coordination with Hennepin County by 06/30/2027. Staff also noted that pausing will require restarting any consultant procurement if the council later decides to resume study.
