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MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | After Nearly 50 Years, Minneapolis Prepares to Reconnect Nicollet Avenue as Residents Celebrate Removal of Longstanding Neighborhood Barrier
The city plans to reopen the roadway to traffic November 24, restoring a connection interrupted by the former Kmart property near Lake Street. The project includes a rebuilt bridge, improved pedestrian access and additional work scheduled for 2027.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (November 10, 2026).
A nearly half-century interruption in one of Minneapolis' important north-south streets is approaching its end as the city prepares to reopen Nicollet Avenue near Lake Street, restoring a connection that generations of residents have known only as a blocked roadway.
On Sunday, November 8, neighborhood groups and residents gathered to celebrate the progress of the New Nicollet Avenue project, walking across the rebuilt bridge over the Midtown Greenway and through an area previously occupied by a Kmart store and parking lot.
Approximately 100 people attended the celebration, according to MPR News.
The city plans to reopen Nicollet Avenue to vehicle traffic on November 24, weather and construction conditions permitting.
The project will restore a continuous route along Nicollet Avenue, connecting neighborhoods and businesses that have been separated by the former commercial development for decades.
For residents and business owners, the significance extends beyond a transportation improvement.
The reconstruction represents a change in how Minneapolis connects communities, accommodates pedestrians and cyclists, and uses land that once interrupted an important urban corridor.
How a Kmart Divided Nicollet Avenue
The interruption dates back nearly 50 years, when the Kmart property was developed near Lake Street.
The store and its parking lot occupied the path of Nicollet Avenue, preventing through traffic from continuing along the corridor.
Drivers traveling north or south had to use alternative routes.
The disruption also affected pedestrians, cyclists and the surrounding business district.
Over time, the blocked connection became a prominent example of how development decisions can reshape transportation patterns and neighborhood relationships.
For some residents, the former Kmart represented a long-standing obstacle to the continuity of a street that had previously served as a direct connection between communities.
The city's redevelopment plans now seek to reverse that interruption.
A Rebuilt Street and Bridge
The New Nicollet Avenue project covers the area between Lake Street and Cecil Newman Lane.
Construction includes rebuilding the roadway and improving the bridge over the Midtown Greenway.
The project also provides new sidewalks, accessible pedestrian ramps, bicycle accommodations, pavement, curbs and gutters, and utility improvements.
An ADA-compliant access ramp will improve connections between the street network and the Midtown Greenway from First Avenue South.
These changes reflect the city's broader transportation policies, which emphasize accommodating multiple forms of travel rather than designing streets exclusively around motor vehicles.
The work also includes traffic signals, signage and pavement markings where necessary.
The project is intended to improve connectivity for residents, businesses and people traveling through the area.
A Celebration Before the Official Opening
Sunday's gathering gave residents an opportunity to walk through the reconstructed area before the scheduled reopening to traffic.
Participants crossed the bridge and visited the site of the former Kmart property, observing the physical changes taking shape.
The event was a celebration of progress, not the official reopening of the roadway to vehicles.
That distinction matters because the city still has work to complete before the planned November 24 opening.
The celebration nevertheless marked a significant milestone for residents who have advocated for the reconnection over many years.
What Happens After November 24?
The city's published construction schedule indicates that work will continue into 2027.
Remaining improvements include fencing, irrigation installation, planting and additional work along Cecil Newman Lane.
Construction on Cecil Newman Lane between First Avenue South and Nicollet Avenue is scheduled to continue in spring 2027.
The city also plans to seal-coat the new asphalt in July 2027.
The November 24 opening therefore represents a major operational milestone rather than completion of every component of the project.
Residents and businesses should expect some remaining construction activity after the roadway reopens.
Economic and Community Implications
Restoring the Nicollet Avenue connection could improve access to businesses along the corridor by reducing the need for detours.
It may also make it easier for residents to travel between neighborhoods, commercial areas and transit connections.
However, the economic effects will need to be measured after the project opens.
A restored street does not automatically guarantee increased sales, reduced congestion or higher property values.
Those outcomes depend on traffic patterns, business conditions, pedestrian activity and the success of surrounding redevelopment.
The immediate benefit is the restoration of a connection that has been unavailable for decades.
The Larger Question of Urban Design
The Nicollet Avenue project illustrates how infrastructure decisions can shape neighborhoods for generations.
The original interruption was not merely a temporary construction closure. It became a permanent feature of the street network for nearly half a century.
Reversing that decision has required public planning, redevelopment and construction.
The experience offers a lesson for other communities considering major changes to streets, commercial properties and transportation corridors.
Development decisions should be evaluated not only for their immediate economic benefits but also for their long-term effects on access, mobility and neighborhood connections.
THE TAKEAWAY
Minneapolis plans to reopen Nicollet Avenue near Lake Street on November 24, restoring a north-south connection interrupted by the former Kmart development for nearly 50 years.
Residents celebrated the approaching reopening on November 8, walking across the reconstructed bridge over the Midtown Greenway.
The project includes improvements for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, with additional work continuing into 2027.
For Minneapolis, the reopening represents more than a transportation milestone. It is an opportunity to repair a longstanding division in the city's street network and reconsider how infrastructure decisions affect communities over time.
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