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Council reviews MnDOT Central Avenue reconstruction municipal consent, raises property and crosswalk concerns
Summary
City engineering staff presented MnDOT's Central Avenue reconstruction layout; councilmembers pressed MnDOT cost responsibility for drainage and asked for updated maps showing proposed crosswalks, and discussed bus-lane enforcement and public outreach.
Rochelle Widmer, Director of Engineering and Facilities, briefed the Columbia Heights City Council on MnDOT’s Central Avenue reconstruction project and the municipal consent submittal on June 1.
Widmer outlined proposed layout changes, municipal consent requirements, and stormwater maintenance agreements. Councilmember Rachel James asked whether MnDOT’s shared-cost language — which states that MnDOT is responsible to “perpetuate the existing drainage system” for trunk-highway improvements — included property acquisition or private-property impacts. Widmer replied that MnDOT would be responsible for identified costs under that policy, and clarified the term “perpetuate” in the packet context.
Councilmember Laurel Deneen asked when the Council would receive an updated plot map; Widmer said the layout in the packet reflected MnDOT’s most recent April submittal and that staff would seek to include proposed crosswalk locations in handouts for the upcoming open house. Councilmembers also pressed for clear crosswalk placement on public materials before community outreach.
On bus-lane enforcement, Widmer said MnDOT plans an educational campaign for the new northbound bus lane and Metro Transit will monitor violations and explore camera-based enforcement; Councilmembers asked staff to ensure the public can review materials before the open house. City Manager Aaron Chirpich said staff could prepare a packet or Council letter so the public could see project details ahead of the open house.
Staff will follow up with MnDOT on map edits and prepare public materials for the open house; no municipal-consent decision was taken at the session.
