Minnesota Avenue takes big step toward new look

One of the season’s first road projects has started — and it could set the foundation for bigger things ahead on Minnesota Avenue.

The city is reconstructing Minnesota from Russell Street to Second Avenue this season, including utility upgrades.

“There’s a lot of risk with the existing (water main) pipe, so we’re excited to get that completely rebuilt and a very modern gateway into central Sioux Falls and downtown,” said Mark Cotter, director of public works.

The project will take what he called “kind of a bland road with some sidewalks and retaining walls,” remove parking area and repurpose it with a median and buffer between the road and pedestrians.

The design includes “refuge areas for pedestrians,” Cotter added.

Here’s a sense of how the area will change:

Road work is starting on the north end of the project, just south of Russell. While traffic will be maintained, the west lanes are going to be closed first.

The project is expected to last several months.

At the same time, the city Planning Department is working on a longer term vision for that portion of the road. It’s part of a broader plan for Minnesota Avenue going all the way south to Interstate 229.

In this north stretch, from Russell to Third, the city is identifying areas that could be redeveloped.

“What we’re looking at are potential land use opportunities in the corridor,” urban planner Fletcher Lacock said.

Public input included support for higher density buildings, he said.

That could mean redeveloping older commercial areas or single-family homes into multistory buildings that mostly would be apartments.

“We’re hoping with the reconstruction that potentially will bring about interest in redevelopment and having land uses in place that will fit with the aesthetics Public Works is proposing,” Lacock said.

In the coming months, the Planning Department expects to bring forward its report on options for redevelopment in the area, he said.