Year in Review: Better commutes after a long construction season

In our look back at construction projects from 2018, projects helped improve the commute for drivers on several roadways.

MN-DOT finished a major project on US Hwy 169 in Brooklyn Park and Champlin. The traffic might be free flowing now, but it was a tough summer of stalled traffic and back-ups during construction.

“It was very much a rough summer,” explains Kent Barnard, a Minnesota Department of Transportation spokesperson. “We had a lot of closures up here. We had single-lane traffic. The big problem in this area is there is only one good way to get across the Mississippi River without traveling several miles in each direction.”

Highway 252 is now funded, which should pave the way for a smoother commute on that thoroughfare.

“The impact for Brooklyn Center is that there’s going to be easier access from the east side, on the river side of 252 to the rest of our community,” says Mayor Tim Willson. “We’ve got full funding and 2022 is when MN-DOT would like to start that project.”

County projects also improved roadways.

Hennepin County finished or almost completed projects like Brooklyn Boulevard in Brooklyn Center, Douglas Drive in Golden Valley and restructuring the Golden Valley Road Bridge over Bassett Creek.

Brooklyn Center | Brooklyn Park | Crystal | Golden Valley | Maple Grove | New Hope | Osseo | Plymouth | Robbinsdale