A half-mile stretch of First Avenue North in the heart of downtown Minneapolis will get an overhaul in the next few years.

First Avenue North between Washington Avenue and Eighth Street North will be reconstructed to improve safety, comfort, and access for everyone moving about the well-traveled corridor, according to the City’s project page.

Some of the project’s goals are:

  • Widened, ADA-compliant sidewalks and safer street crossings
  • New green stormwater infrastructure and sustainable landscaping
  • Enhanced streetscape elements, including improved lighting and public art
  • Active public spaces that attract and retain residents, businesses, and visitors
  • Improved traffic signals, wayfinding and signage, and utilities

The City hasn’t reconstructed the First Avenue North corridor since 1994, and much has changed since then, so its right-of-way infrastructure and public realm need updates.

Map of First Avenue North corridor courtesy of the City of Minneapolis

A standard community input process will continue throughout 2024. The City will hold its first open house on March 26 from 4:30-6 p.m. in the red skyway between Target Center and Mayo Clinic Square.

There’s also an online survey circulating to gather input on what’s needed in the First Avenue North corridor.

The reconstruction project will be informed by the City’s 2023 Racial Equity Framework for Transportation and will prioritize the inclusion of historically underrepresented communities in the community input process, according to a more detailed project overview.

First Avenue North was identified in the City's Vision Zero Action Plan as a "high injury street," where safety improvements are needed to eliminate crashes. Approximately 28% of crashes reported in the corridor between 2013 and 2022 resulted in injury, according to data provided by the City.

The project’s design phase is expected to begin sometime in 2025 following the community input process. Construction is slated for completion in 2028.

Hundreds of pedestrians, bikers and motorists use the First Avenue North corridor, roughly between Whole Foods and the Prince mural on Ramp A, on a daily basis.