New plan for the mall includes woonerf, removal of some roadway

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is planning work at The Mall Park next year in coordination with an ongoing Met Council sewer project in the area.

Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES), operator of the metro area wastewater collection and treatment system, is replacing and enlarging aging sewer pipe and structures near Lake of the Isles. MCES has already completed work along  Humboldt Avenue, now remaining sewer upgrades along the length of The Mall Park will being done in coordination with planned improvements for the park.

A cohesive, long-term plan for all neighborhood parks in Southwest Minneapolis was completed in November 2020. The Southwest Parks Plan set a vision for 40+ neighborhood parks in Southwest Minneapolis over the next 20-30 years, including The Mall Park. The plan was created after nearly two years of community-based engagement, planning and design with individuals, neighborhood groups and community organizations throughout Southwest Minneapolis.

The plan for The Mall Park has three main parts:

 

A “woonerf” street design built between Humboldt Avenue and Hennepin Avenue. “Woonerf” is a Dutch term for a shared-living street.

Woonerfs create common space shared by walkers, bikers and low-speed motor vehicles and use traffic-calming techniques to slow vehicle traffic while still accommodating parking.

 

A better, multi-use trail connection created between Hennepin Avenue and the Midtown Greenway, which travels parallel and just north of The Mall.

 

More Green Space Leading to the Lakes

Two west-bound blocks of asphalt park roadway on the north side of The Mall between Irving Avenue and Bde Maka Ska Parkway replaced with recreational green space. This creates a more continuous, uninterrupted green and forested space between The Mall and the lagoon between Lake of the Isles and Bde Maka Ska.

The east-bound park road will remain so that alley access is maintained.