THE MIDTOWN STREETCAR

Learn about the history of the Midtown Streetcar, current efforts in progress and the future of what it could be!

 

Midtown Greenway/Lake Street Corridor Land Use and Transit Planning Links:

City of Minneapolis Streetcar Feasibility Study Report (12/07)

Midtown Greenway Land Use and Development Plan (02/23/07)

Midtown Corridor Historic Bridge Study (06/11/07)


The Midtown Community Works Partnership is a public-private partnership formed to guide the redevelopment of the Midtown Greenway-Lake Street corridor in south Minneapolis. Hennepin County, the City of Minneapolis, and the Metropolitan Council formed this partnership to provide leadership, integrate planning, and mobilize resources for this corridor.

The MCW Partnership provides a forum to coordinate a wide array of public and private investments. We focus on projects that have community support and seek to enhance economic vitality, improve connections to the local and regional transit systems, and improve the surrounding neighborhoods.


NEWS & EVENTS

Minneapolis' Midtown Greenway: Good for Biz, Good for Bikes

Check out the new video on the Midtown Greenway and its positive impact on local businesses and neighborhoods that was produced by Streetfilms

Southwest LRT Project Update

The Southwest LRT project is moving into Preliminary Engineering!  This significant step will mean that the next phase of study will likely begin in 2012. 

Minneapolis Strategic Planning along the Southwest Corridor was completed at the end of 2010.  Included in this effort is the West Lake Street station area which is where a future Midtown Streetcar could connect to the Southwest LRT.  More information and final plans can be found at the Southwest Transitway website

I-35W Transit/Access Project at Lake Street

The I-35W Transit/Access Project is now underway.  The five main components include :a new BRT transit station on 35W, a connection to the Midtown Greenway, a southbound freeway exit ramp to Lake Street, a northbound freeway on-ramp at Lake Street, and northbound freeway exit ramp to 28th Street.

For more information, check out the project website: I-35W Transit/Access Project.

 

The Arterial Transitway Corridors Study

Metro Transit is currently working on the Arterial Transitway Corridors Study (ATCS) which is examining the feasibility of a "rapid bus" service on 11 corridors throughout the region, including Lake Street. The rapid bus concept would improve travel speed andincrease reliability through pre-paid fare and fewer stops. 

See the Metro Transit ATCS website for more details and public meetings.

Chicago Avenue Corridor Plan

The City of Minneapolis is engaging area stakeholders in a corridor planning process for Chicago Avenue.  The Chicago Avenue Corridor Plan is focused on the area between I-94 and the Midtown Greenway.  It builds on the Phillips West Small Area Plan and the National Planning Conference workshop in April 2009.  This process is anticipated to extend through 2011. 

 

 

 

FEATURE STORIES

October 20, 2011

Metro Transit recieves FTA grant for Alternatives Analysis Study along the Midtown Corridor

Metro Transit has been awarded $600,000 by the Federal Transit Administration to help fund an Alternatives Analysis (AA) study for the Midtown Corridor.  The Midtown Corridor AA will review several options for transit improvements between the West Lake Station on the Southwest LRT line and the Lake Street/Midtown Station on the Hiawatha LRT line.  The text of the Midtown Corridor annoucement is here.

May 17, 2011

The MCW Partnership Welcomes Spring at the 11th Annual Arbor Day Planting Event under the Sabo Bridge

Celebrating its 11th annual Arbor Day tree planting event on May 7th, the Midtown Community Works Partnership welcomed the first warm day of spring with trees, shovels and mulch.  The event this year was the largest MCW Arbor Day planting today, with over 800 trees and shrubs planted with over 100 volunteers.  More.

Updated, February 16, 2011

A Midtown Streetcar Overview

The Midtown Community Works Partnership created a Midtown Streetcar Handout that describes the connections to the surrounding community and a summary of previous streetcar study highlights. 

May 10, 2010

The MCW Partnership Celebrates its 10th Annual Arbor Day Planting Event at the CEPRO Site

The Midtown Community Works Partnership celebrated its 10th annual Arbor Day tree planting event on a sunny spring day with over 80 dedicated volunteers.  This year's event was at the CEPRO site, the former home to the last grain elevator along the Midtown Greenway, whose relocation allowed trail construction to begin and ultimately created the green space for this year's Arbor Day planting event.   More.

February 16, 2010

New MCW Study: Connecting the Midtown Greenway Streetcar to Lake Street Destinations

The MCW Partnership requested a study from a Humphrey Institute course on how future Midtown Greenway Streetcar users could better connect to the Lake Street commercial corridor.  This study is intended to serve as a framework for future discussion about the street project and nearby land use changes.  Four stations are analyzed in greater depth...   More.

May 8, 2009

Arbor Day 2009: the Sun Shines for Volunteers Planting Trees

The day began with some of the best weather Mother Nature could offer: a perfect blue sky, temperatures in the mid 50s and warm sunshine.  The Midtown Community Works Partnership's 9th Annual Arbor Day tree planting event was a success due to over 100 dedicated volunteers.  may volunteers arrived by bike - enough to fill two large bike racks! Commissioner Peter McLaughlin led the even kickoff...  More.

February 12, 2009

MCW Resolution on the Xcel Hiawatha Project

The Midtown Community Works Partnership passed a resolution regarding the Xcel Hiawatha Project. The Partnership continues to support a vision for the Midtown Greenway as a future transit, bicycling and pedestrian corridor and the Partnership finds that the Xcel Hiawatha Project as proposed is incompatible with this vision.  Click here for the full text of the resolution.

A visualization of the proposed Xcel Hiawatha Project was prepared for the Midtown Community Works Partnership by Partnership Manager, Faith Cable.  It shows the approximate height and scale of the proposed project.