Hwy 29 - 3rd Avenue

Construction impacts

Construction begins Sept. 2, lasting through mid-October:

• Highway 29 will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with work starting in the outside lanes first.
• Sidewalks will close in various locations while work is underway. Pedestrians should follow the signed pedestrian route.

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• Update from Aug. 25, 2025

Project details

In 2025, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, in partnership with the City of Alexandria, will complete a project on Highway 29/Third Avenue to improve pedestrian safety through the seven-block section between Broadway and Nokomis Streets. Third Avenue is a busy commercial area where people walk and bike to access businesses and to connect to Lake Agnes and the Central Lakes Regional Trail. The highway is well used by drivers with an average of 18,200 vehicles per day, including 1,050 heavy commercial trucks.

In 2023, MnDOT partnered with the City of Alexandria to help identify issues and create a local vision for this section of the Highway 29 corridor. A Study Review Committee helped MnDOT ensure that community values were represented in the development and evaluation of project alternatives, while fostering conversations within the community.

Project elements

• Remove left turn lanes at Hawthorne, Jefferson, Kenwood and Lake Streets
• Enhance signals for improved pedestrian crossings at Highway 29/3rd Avenue and Broadway and Nokomis Streets
• Install rapid flashing beacons at Jefferson and Lake Streets
• Upgrade sidewalks