University of Minnesota Service

What changes were made to Washington Avenue on the East Bank and where are the stations?

Central Corridor LRT tracks were built at street level on Washington Avenue, which is now a transit-pedestrian mall from Pleasant to Walnut streets, and across the Washington Avenue Bridge on the vehicular level. The East Bank station is between Union and Harvard streets, the West Bank station is on Washington Avenue between 19th and Cedar avenues, and the Stadium Village station is on the northeast corner of University Avenue and 23rd Avenue S.E.

How can the public get around the East Bank now that LRT tracks have been added to the middle of Washington Avenue?

Washington is closed to general traffic between Pleasant and Walnut. Only buses, emergency vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians are allowed through this street in addition to trains. Vehicular traffic can approach locations on the north side of Washington from Fourth Street and on the south side from Huron Boulevard. Vehicular traffic also can access Washington from Oak Street.

• Traffic can cross Washington at signalized intersections at Harvard and Walnut.
• Traffic is not permitted to access Washington from Church or Union.
• Pedestrians can cross Washington at signalized intersections at Church, midblock between Church and Union, at Union, at Harvard, midblock between Harvard and Walnut and at Walnut. They are also able to cross on the pedestrian bridges.
• 20-foot wide amenity zones for pedestrians are located in the center of Washington from Harvard to Walnut and Union to Church streets.

What improvements were made to Washington Avenue as part of the transit-pedestrian mall?

The Project added bicycle lanes, bike racks, new bus shelters, tree planters and benches. The Project also added pervious concrete pavers that allow storm water to pass through to the ground below, reducing the amount of surface runoff entering the Mississippi River.

What measures were taken on Washington Avenue to protect sensitive University labs?

The Central Corridor LRT Project undertook the following environmental mitigation measures on Washington Avenue:

• Floating slab treatments: approximately 1,450 feet of track along Washington were installed on a "floating" concrete slab with vibration dampeners to reduce the transfer of vibrations caused by trains into University labs
• Dual split power supply: installed along about 3,150 track feet below the overhead contact system to mitigate train-caused electromagnetic interference to University labs