Construction
Changes to Cedar/Edgewater/Lake Nokomis Parkway
Staff and elected officials at the park board, City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County have heard and continue to listen to the community’s concerns regarding Cedar Avenue and the Cedar/Edgewater/Nokomis intersection area. Using input from past community engagement and conversations, as well as data and analysis by engineering staff, we are continuing safety improvements along this corridor.
In the last year, the county and city installed enhanced speed signs on Cedar Avenue and temporary delineators to create a center median and bumpouts at Edgewater Boulevard. Moving forward, the county is working with MnDOT and the city to replace the temporary delineators with a permanent raised center median, permanent bumpouts, and upgraded pedestrian curb ramps at Edgewater Boulevard. These improvements will be constructed next year with a MnDOT pavement preservation project (more information here: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/hwy77bloomington-mpls/)
 The latest: Proposed Improvements are as follows
• Upgrading crosswalk markings, expanding curb ramps and installing a raised crossing on the south side of the intersection where the trails cross.
• Widening the bike and pedestrian trail south of E Minnehaha Parkway between E 50th Street and Portland Avenue, and along Minnehaha Creek south of the intersection.
◦ To provide more space for boulevard tree roots and improve trail quality, the trail segment between E 50th Street and Portland Avenue will be reconstructed farther south, but will remain entirely within MPRB property.
• Reworking E Minnehaha Parkway just south of E 50th Street to create an aligned 3-way stop, which will create a safer and user friendly experience for all modes.
◦ The parking bay immediately south of the intersection will need to be removed to preserve as many healthy and mature trees as possible.
• Converting E Minnehaha Parkway frontage roads to one-way streets to calm traffic and improve safety at intersections.
• Other possible improvements include installing medians on E 50th Street and Portland Avenue to help direct traffic flow on the frontage roads. Per the Master Plan, vehicle flow will remain continuous on the main Parkway road.
View Schematic Design
The MPRB plans to bid the project over Winter 2021-22 and have the work performed throughout Spring-Summer 2022.
If any remaining funding is available after implementation of changes in this location, prioritization of additional potential projects will be discussed with the community.
To receive notifications about this project as it progresses, please subscribe to updates on the project page.
The Latest: In the next few weeks some cool-season spraying will be done to target invasive vegetation like Reed Canary Grass. All spraying will follow Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Pest Management Guidelines. In late Spring, additional spot spraying and mowing is planned to keep invasive species in check. Additional maintenance practices will be employed in 2021 to help develop these new native areas.
Project goals included:
Repairing damaged and eroded shoreline areas.
Removing overstory growth.
Replacing large areas of mowed turf with a wide array of native seed to control erosion and promote water quality.
This work is part of a long-term effort to increase the amount of natural landscape within the park.
Work originally began in the fall of 2019 and was largely complete by the end of 2019, with development of new native seed species during the 2020 growing season.
Due to the pre-existing turf and invasive weed bed that previously existed, additional over-seeding with the native seed mix was required in 2020. Proper establishment of native seed generally takes several years before a strong presence of the native plants can establish and thrive, with little to no competition from invasive plants.
In 2021, additional maintenance and establishment efforts will be done to help promote the establishment of these new native areas. The temporary fencing will stay up through at least the 2021 growing season to help protect these areas.
Please stay out of the native seed areas and only use intended lake access locations to access the lake.
More information about this project is available here: https://www.minneapolisparks.org/park_care__improvements/park_projects/current_projects/lake_nokomis_shoreline_enhancements/
Want to help stabilize one of the lake access locations experiencing serious erosion? Click here for info on the Friends of Lake Nokomis fundraising effort: https://www.givemn.org/story/Loljff
About this Project:
A Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage grant is funding restoration of almost 4,800 linear feet of shoreline along north and northeastern shore of Lake Nokomis. This area of shoreline was selected due to increased erosion that has occurred along much of this area.
This project was identified as part of the 2015 Nokomis-Hiawatha Master Plan, which calls for increasing naturalized areas to improve water quality, stabilize shorelines and increase habitat. New native vegetation will extend from the shoreline to within four feet of the walking path.
Shoreline enhancements will improve habitat for both aquatic and upland animal species. It will stabilize erosion, seek to remove invasive plants, and create a functional continuum of shoreline zones. Plantings will accommodate fluctuations in water level, allowing for resilience to changing water level conditions in the lake. Improvements will be constructed primarily along the north shoreline of the lake.
This project has received regulatory approval. The United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) and the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) have completed review of the Lake Nokomis Shoreline Enhancements project. SHPO concluded the proposed improvements have no adverse effects to the Grand Rounds Historic District and USACE permitted the project for proposed bank stabilization measures.
Project Design
The proposed design uses three different planting zones along the shoreline.
The Emergent Wetland Zone starts at the ordinary high-water level (OHWL) and extends into the lake. Once established, new aquatic plants will reduce wave energy to help reduce erosion. A temporary fence will be installed to help plants establish.
The Shoreline Buffer Zone lies between the OHWL and wetland boundary. It will be planted with a seed mix that's compatible with shoreline environmental elements.
The Upland Buffer Zone starts at the wetland boundary and extends away from the lake until four feet from the paved trail. It will be planted with a seed mix that's compatible with upland environmental elements. The four-foot strip will be mowed grass. Another temporary fence will also protect new planting areas and connect to the emergent wetland fence.
A variety of access points will still remain so park users can still access the lake.
Questions about this project can be sent to the project manager, Jon Duesman.
Subscribe to the project page to receive updates.
Phase 2 improvements
- Redesign and renovation of the athletic field in the south area of the park to improve drainage, turf quality and overall play quality
- Design and construction of a new splash pad to replace the wading pool
Construction is underway on a new splash pad at Phelps Park! The design includes a large open area with a variety of spray jets to run through and around, and a large mist sprayer at the center.
The new splash pad will be built at the location of the old wading pool, marking the latest round of improvements at Phelps Park after new play equipment debuted last year.
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) staff are currently working through the final permitting phase and expect splash pad construction to begin mid-September 2021 and continue throughout fall 2021. Any remaining work will be completed in early 2022 and the splash pad will open in summer 2022.
The park board has entered into a fundraising agreement to upgrade the field to artificial turf with the Phelps Activities Council which has delayed the implementation of field improvements while funding is sought to expand them.
Final Schematic Design Concept [PDF]
Questions about this project should be directed to the project manager : Jon Duesman, jduesman@minneapolisparks.org.
Subscribe to the project page to receive updates.
In 2016, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and the City of Minneapolis approved ordinances to reverse years of underfunding in neighborhood parks. The 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan (NPP20) is a long-term initiative that will transform the neighborhood park system with the following measures:
- Protect current levels of MPRB funding.
- Dedicate an additional $11 million annually, through 2036, in NPP20 funds for increased maintenance, rehabilitation and capital investments in neighborhood parks.
- Allocate NPP20 funds using a data-driven, criteria-based system to help address racial and economic equity.
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