SAINT PAUL, MN (October 13, 2022) – Saint Paul Public Works plans to address the current deteriorating street conditions along Summit Avenue in 2023. They will improve Summit Avenue from Lexington Parkway to Victoria Street and from Snelling Avenue to Mississippi River Boulevard. The exact street maintenance treatments are not yet determined, but could include a mill and overlay or microsurfacing, depending on the conditions of the roadway foundation. The street pavement improvements will not change the current roadway or bike trail configurations along Summit Avenue.
Saint Paul Public Works is not going to do a scheduled 2023 street reconstruction on the half-mile of Summit Avenue between Lexington Parkway to Victoria Street. The City funding for that project is being reallocated to address maintenance treatments on the two larger sections of Summit Avenue. This new 2023 street maintenance work, combined with this year’s mill and overlay work on Summit Avenue, will create improved pavement conditions along Summit Avenue from Mississippi River Boulevard to Victoria Street.
“We want to wait until the City has a finalized Parks Master Plan for Summit Avenue before we begin any future planning and engineering work for potential changes along Summit Avenue,” said Director of Saint Paul Public Works Sean Kershaw. “That being said, we know the roadway pavement conditions on these sections of Summit Avenue could not wait another year without some form of larger maintenance effort in 2023.”
Summit Avenue Regional Trail Master Plan
Saint Paul Parks and Recreation is currently working on a draft regional trail master plan for an off-street bicycle connection between the Mississippi River Gorge Regional Park and the Sam Morgan Regional Trail via Summit Avenue Parkway and Downtown Saint Paul. The draft will reflect progress on an overall planning framework, existing conditions analysis, engagement processes, design approach and implementation outline for a regional facility.
The department will host a community open house on Thurs., Oct. 27 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Hidden River Middle School (1700 Summit Avenue) to provide an opportunity for community members to connect with one another and project staff, and to learn more about what is included in the draft master plan document. Following the open house there will be a 30-day public comment period on the draft master plan. A link to provide comments on the draft master plan will be available following the open house on the project website at www.engagestpaul.org/summit.
"Our staff is working hard to ensure any future changes to the configuration of Summit Avenue meet the needs of all who use this important corridor now and into the future,” said Parks and Recreation Director Andy Rodriguez. “We have been engaging with and listening to community members both locally and regionally, and look forward to sharing a summary of the feedback we have received as a part of the draft master plan.”
Following the master plan draft process, next steps would include finalizing recommendations for a regional trail facility to the Parks and Recreation and Transportation Commissions, City Council, and Metropolitan Council Parks and Open Space Commission (MCPOSC). If the master plan is approved, Parks and Recreation would begin to secure funding for design, engineering, and construction of the future trail. Further design will be required to advance important aspects of the project beyond the master planning phase to prepare a future project for construction.
As the master plan process continues to move along, important documents, key dates, and supporting information will be posted on the project website at www.engagestpaul.org/summit.
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Lisa Hiebert, APR
City of Saint Paul, Public Works Department
651-266-6129 (office)
Lisa.hiebert@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Clare Cloyd
City of Saint Paul, Parks and Recreation Department
612-760-5074 (cell)
Clare.cloyd@ci.stpaul.mn.us