Work is scheduled to begin on improvements to the Lake Calhoun south parking lot in mid-August with completion in November 2009, following action by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board of Commissioners (MPRB) at its Aug. 5 meeting.
The current parking area, east of the intersection of Richfield Road and West Calhoun Parkway, is a remnant section of the old parkway, which was realigned further south; it was never intended as a parking lot. The parking area has been on the MPRB’s maintenance list for several years due to safety concerns and environmental issues, including:
As a former road, the width of the parking lot does not conform to current parking standards for one parking bay with a two-way drive lane.
• A temporary turn around at the west end of the lot is sub-standard in size, does not have a fully curbed edge and it is not a continuous or smooth edge. There is no drainage and soil edges slope into the lot.
• The parking lot has no treatment of storm water before it is discharged directly into the lake.
• The road surface is over 30 years old with many potholes and cracks.
• The parking lot is separated from the bike path with only a small grass median. Conflicts between pedestrians leaving the parking lot and bicyclists on the bike path are common.
New Design
The new design will increase the safety of users and reduce negative environmental impacts. The parking lot will have a two-way bituminous drive lane for durability, and permeable pavers on the north side in the parking bays. The southern parking bays will be reinforced grass paving which will serve overflow parking on peak days. There will be a turnaround with plantings on the west end.
Plantings and rain gardens will be between the lot and bike trail to direct people to the designated walking path. The walkway will have signage and pavement markings to alert bicyclists and pedestrians to the crossing, and lighting will be added.
The new lot will accommodate 50 vehicles; 20 of which will be on reinforced grass paving designated for overflow. The impervious surface will reduce the lot from .07 acres to .05 acres.
The lot will be closed during the construction. The bike trail will be maintained using a temporary bypass and then the new trail will be re-opened. The walking path is unaffected by the work.
During construction, park users should use the Thomas Beach parking lot to the west of the intersection with Richfield Road.
This $500,000 project is funded with Minnesota State Lottery proceeds through the MPRB Operations and Maintenance funds, which are designated for replacing an existing facility with upgrades for safety and environmental protection.
1996 Chain of Lakes Master Plan Summary
1996 Chain of Lakes Master Plan
