Potential improvements
In fall 2024, we shared a proposed design for Robert St. focused on improving safety for everyone – whether walking, bicycling, rolling, using transit or driving. We received comments from hundreds of community members. Below is a summary of what we heard from the community and what we’re doing about it.
Pedestrian and bike safety
What we heard:
- More property owners along Robert St. from Cesar Chavez St. to Kellogg Blvd. like bike lanes than oppose them. Several business owners consider it beneficial to have a safe way for bikers to access their business.
- We heard from two property owners who are opposed to bike lanes because they are concerned about potential impacts to on-street parking.
- The remaining property owner feedback is mixed – “Not opposed to it, but don’t see the need for it either” or “It’s a good idea but I’m concerned this will create conflicts with pedestrians.”
What we’re doing about it:
- We’re revising the bikeway design to better prevent conflicts between bicyclists and pedestrians, and we are exploring options to add more on-street parking. We’ll continue to work with property owners to address specific concerns individually.
- We’ll also continue to work with the West Side Community Organization’s “Destination Robert Street” visioning process to figure out how to best allocate space in this area.
What we heard:
- Some people are concerned about medians leading to dangerous U-turns or creating other unintended challenges.
- Some property owners were concerned about the impact of medians on their driveways.
What we’re doing about it:
- Medians are intended to provide safer crossing opportunities for pedestrians and help reduce travel speeds on the road. We are looking to place them appropriately on Robert St. to serve this function.
- We’re revising median designs to reduce impacts to driveways while still providing improved pedestrian crossings.
What we heard:
- Some people shared that the signal at Curtice St. helps regulate traffic on Robert St., so they want to keep it.
What we are doing about it:
- Curtice St. does not have the traffic volumes to support a traffic signal. When traffic signals are installed at low-volume intersections, they can actually increase crashes compared to using stop signs.
- We will test this change out by turning off the Curtice St. signal a year ahead of project construction before deciding whether to permanently remove it and install another form of intersection control. Alternatives might include rapid flashing beacons for pedestrians, lighting, median refugee island, and/or enhanced pavement markings and signing. We will study the appropriate crossing treatment to meet the needs of the community and encourage pedestrian safety.
Traffic layout
What we heard:
- Some people shared general concerns about how these changes could negatively impact traffic on Robert St.
- We also heard that some people find it hard to turn on Robert St. from stop sign-controlled streets.
- Others shared that the signal at Curtice St. helps regulate traffic on Robert St. and want to keep it.
What we’re doing about it:
- The improvements we are proposing will help improve traffic on Robert St. by:
- Promoting slower travel speeds, making it easier to turn left onto Robert St. Our goal is to design the street for 25 miles per hour to improve safety and traffic flow.
- Removing on-street parking anywhere it’s blocking sight lines at intersections.
- Designing Robert St. based on current traffic volumes and planning for future growth.
- We will not install traffic signals at low-volume intersections or program traffic signals to turn red if there is no traffic waiting at the intersection, in order to create gaps in traffic on Robert St. If traffic signals on Robert St. turn red arbitrarily, it can increase crashes and drivers running red lights.
What we heard:
- Most property owners are not concerned about the loss of on-street parking because they have lots, alleys or driveways/garages.
- Some property owners did express concerns, including a business near Cesar Chavez St. and those located from Morton St. to Elizabeth St./Baker St.
What we’re doing about it:
- We are looking to add parking back in near Cesar Chavez St. and from Morton St. to Elizabeth St./Baker St. where feasible.
What we heard:
- Most people gave us positive feedback about increased boulevard widths.
- Several people also gave ideas about what could go in the boulevard.
What we are doing about it:
- We have tracked people’s ideas for the boulevards. We will start engaging the community in these type of design elements more intentionally in 2025. It will build on and be informed by the West Side Community Organization’s “Destination Robert Street.”
What we heard:
- Most people support the idea of a roundabout.
- Some people are concerned about roundabouts causing back-ups or that roundabouts negatively impact pedestrian safety.
- Some wondered if a signal would work here.
- We spoke with three of the four property owners who will be affected by this roundabout (we are still trying to connect with the fourth property owner). They like the idea of the roundabout. Where they have property-specific issues or concerns, we have a solution and are working with them.
What we are doing about it:
- We believe this roundabout would be the best way to improve safety, make it easier for cars to turn left onto Robert St., reduce speeding and make it easier for pedestrians to cross the street.
- We have a lot of data on roundabouts in Minnesota. They are proven to reduce serious crashes and are safer for pedestrians. Learn more about roundabouts.
- Roundabouts are a better option than adding a traffic signal. There isn’t enough traffic at this intersection to justify a signal. Like at Curtice St., if a traffic signal were to be installed here, it could increase crashes and drivers running red lights.
Viaduct area
What we heard:
- There have been some concerns about adding a “slip lane” or right-turn lane at Cesar Chavez St.
- Feedback around shortening the northbound Service Road is generally positive.
- We received mixed feedback around removing the connection from the southbound service road to Robert St.
What we’re doing about it:
- We are evaluating the potential “slip lane” or right-turn lane at Cesar Chavez St. to ensure we’re meeting the community’s needs and balancing safety for all users.
- We plan to move forward with disconnecting the northbound service road due to existing safety problems at the Cesar Chavez St. intersection.
- We’re re-evaluating the plan to remove the southbound service road connection to Robert St. We’re looking at alternative designs to improve safety at this intersection.
There is currently no funding to reconstruct the Robert St. viaduct as part of this project. We are working on design concepts while we pursue funding for potential viaduct reconstruction. Design concepts for the viaduct will be shared in 2025.