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MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Fatal Pedestrian Crash Near Highland Bridge Prompts St. Paul Residents to Demand Safer Streets
Following the death of a 69-year-old woman at Ford Parkway and Cleveland Avenue, residents are calling for changes to pedestrian crossings, traffic signals and roadway design as development continues at the former Ford plant site.
ST. PAUL, MN (November 12, 2026).
Residents of St. Paul's Highland Park neighborhood are demanding stronger pedestrian safety measures following a fatal collision near the growing Highland Bridge redevelopment.
The concerns intensified after 69-year-old Karen McElveen was struck and killed by a turning dump truck at Ford Parkway and Cleveland Avenue on October 29.
McElveen was crossing the street around 8 a.m. when the collision occurred.
Her death has brought renewed attention to the transportation challenges facing a neighborhood transformed by the redevelopment of the former Ford Motor Company plant.
At a November 10 meeting of the Highland District Council, residents described dangerous encounters with vehicles and urged city officials to improve pedestrian protections.
A Neighborhood With Changing Traffic Patterns
Highland Bridge occupies approximately 122 acres of the former Ford manufacturing site.
The redevelopment has introduced apartments, townhouses, senior housing, commercial destinations and public spaces.
Those changes have altered how people travel through the surrounding neighborhood.
When the Ford plant operated, traffic patterns were influenced by industrial activity and employee shifts.
Today, residents and visitors move through the area throughout the day to reach homes, businesses and other destinations.
That increased activity has placed new demands on streets originally designed around different transportation patterns.
Residents say the intersection of Ford Parkway and Cleveland Avenue has become particularly difficult to navigate.
Residents Seek Practical Improvements
During the Highland District Council meeting, residents suggested pedestrian refuge islands, wider sidewalks, protected bicycle facilities and changes to traffic signals.
Some advocated giving pedestrians a head start before turning vehicles receive a green signal.
Such a measure, known as a leading pedestrian interval, can reduce conflicts by making people crossing the street more visible to drivers.
Other proposals included traffic cameras and measures to reduce vehicle speeds.
The suggestions reflect a broader concern that development has moved faster than improvements to the surrounding transportation infrastructure.
However, the fatal collision alone does not establish that a specific roadway design feature caused McElveen's death.
Determining responsibility for the crash and evaluating the intersection's safety are related but distinct tasks.
City and County Responsibilities
St. Paul traffic engineer Randy Newton acknowledged the city's continuing problem with fatal crashes.
Assistant Mayor Nick Stumo-Langer also recognized that Highland Bridge's growth has changed traffic patterns.
Officials cautioned that major roadway improvements would require coordination with Ramsey County because Ford Parkway and Cleveland Avenue are county roads.
The city and county are negotiating longstanding road-maintenance arrangements.
St. Paul's infrastructure backlog and limited resources create additional challenges.
Smaller improvements, such as refreshing crosswalk markings, may be easier to implement while more substantial changes are considered.
But residents are asking for a response that goes beyond short-term maintenance.
The Need for a Coordinated Safety Plan
The jurisdictional complexity illustrates a recurring challenge in local transportation policy.
Residents experience a roadway as part of their neighborhood, regardless of which government agency owns or maintains it.
When safety improvements require multiple agencies, responsibilities and timelines must be clearly established.
St. Paul and Ramsey County could provide residents with a public assessment identifying potential improvements, the evidence supporting them and the steps necessary for implementation.
That would allow the community to evaluate progress against specific commitments.
Development Must Include Safe Access
Highland Bridge's success should be measured by more than housing construction and commercial activity.
The neighborhood must also function safely for pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders and motorists.
That responsibility becomes increasingly important as additional residents move into the development.
Older adults, children and people with disabilities may be especially affected by difficult crossings and high-volume traffic.
Transportation planning should account for those needs before another fatality occurs.
THE TAKEAWAY
The death of Karen McElveen has intensified demands for safer streets near St. Paul's Highland Bridge redevelopment.
Residents want improvements to pedestrian crossings, signals and roadway design.
City officials acknowledge the concerns but say substantial changes require coordination with Ramsey County and additional resources.
The challenge now is to identify practical safety measures, establish responsibility for implementing them and ensure the neighborhood's transportation infrastructure keeps pace with its growth.
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