Open house to be held Tuesday on pedestrian improvements to Robert Street

Frederick Melo, Pioneer Press
Updated ·2 min read
Open house to be held Tuesday on pedestrian improvements to Robert Street

In 2020, an online survey found that 73% of respondents felt pedestrian safety should be improved on Robert Street south of downtown St. Paul, the only West Side thoroughfare marked on the city’s transportation safety action plan as a “high injury corridor.”

With those priorities in mind, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will host a community presentation and open house on Tuesday showcasing possible improvements.

The goal is to obtain public input on how to improve Robert Street between 12th Street in St. Paul and Annapolis Street in West St. Paul in advance of street paving and sidewalk replacement planned from 2026 to 2028, with most of the work landing in 2027. MnDOT is in the process of developing design concepts.

Among the concepts is to realign the intersection for separate turning movements at Robert Street’s three-way intersection with Sidney Street and State State, or to install instead an “enhanced” median island or roundabout. Elsewhere, possibilities exist for one-way or two-way separated, off-street bike lanes and various types of median improvements.

In the popular bar and restaurant corridor from Cesar Chavez Street to Isabel Street, MnDOT is weighing whether to prioritize parking and bike lanes or pedestrian space and business frontage.

In 2025, MnDOT will deactivate a flashing signal at Curtice Street, based on traffic volumes there, and study the impact. Based on that data and public feedback, the signal could be replaced in 2027 with a flashing pedestrian sign, a curb extension or a median refuge.

The community event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. at Girl Scouts River Valley Service Center, 400 Robert St. S., St. Paul. A brief presentation will be hosted at 5:30 p.m. and repeat at 6:30 p.m. Staff will be available for questions and refreshments will be served. An online survey of design ideas is available at surveymonkey.com/r/PXR3W8W.

In 2027, MnDOT plans to repair or replace Robert Street’s roadway pavement and replace sidewalks, alongside utility and transit improvements. In addition, MnDOT is conducting community engagement for a separate study on South Robert Street between Mendota Road and Annapolis Street in West St. Paul.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/RobertStreet2024.

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