Belgrade Avenue eyed for three lanes, much wider sidewalks, no roundabout
Dec. 13—City officials and most council members are leaning toward making the main business block of Belgrade Avenue three lanes instead of the existing four and substantially widening sidewalks.
While the renovation of the 200 block wouldn't happen for five years, city officials want to begin applying for federal grants and line up state funding to pay for the bulk of the work.
"I think the three-lane option is the way to go," said Mayor Mark Dehen after the council got an update on the corridor from City Engineer Dan Sarff and Community Development Director Matt Lassonde during a work session Monday.
The heavily traveled corridor has been studied since 2017 with the goals of slowing traffic speed, increasing pedestrian safety and accessibility and replacing the decades-old sidewalks that are narrow and slope too much to be compliant with the American with Disabilities Act.
Sarff and Lassonde said changing the current two lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction with a center turn lane would calm and slow traffic.
It would also allow the sidewalks to be more than twice as wide as the current 7 1/2 - to 8-foot sidewalks, which currently slope toward the street at an angle too steep to meet ADA requirements.
"The existing sidewalk is 36 years old and presents safety concerns," Sarff said.
The project also will allow for new lighting along the 200 block.
"The light bases are deteriorating and the wiring is basically shot," Sarff said of the current light poles.
The wider sidewalks would allow for more streetscaping, including plantings, as well as open the possibility for more outdoor seating areas for restaurants and bars along the strip. And the wider sidewalks and fewer traffic lanes would mean pedestrians have a shorter distance when crossing the street.
One proposal was to also add a mid-block pedestrian crossing, but Sarff said experience with similar crossings on Commerce Drive found that people don't walk down to the official crossing, but cross wherever it's most convenient. While a mid-block crossing isn't likely to be part of the plan for now, Lassonde noted one could be added later with little effort or costs.
Also pushed off the list was a mini-roundabout at the intersection of Range Street and Belgrade Avenue, with the city looking at keeping the current four-way stop. Beyond added cost, a roundabout would interfere with the several downtown events when stages and other activities are often set up at the intersection and it would reduce parking spots.
"There'd be a fair amount of parking lost around the intersection," Sarff said of a roundabout, noting 10 stalls would be lost.
Lassonde said converting to three lanes and widening sidewalks would add to "the vibrant downtown we want," by aiding pedestrian movement, being friendlier to those with disabilities and by slowing traffic speeds.
The work is scheduled for 2027 because that is the year the Minnesota Department of Transportation is scheduled to do a major reworking of the Highway 169 ramps on and off the Veterans Memorial Bridge. That project will shut down access to Belgrade from the bridge, and North Mankato said doing their street work at the same time would limit disruptions to the downtown business district to one summer instead of two.
The cost of doing three lanes, expanding sidewalks, improving lighting, as well as the city's share in MnDOT's work on the ramps is estimated at $1.8 million. Sarff said $1.2 million in federal grants, as well as using state funding, would leave the city with a relatively small amount to fund.
