Hennepin County’s Minnehaha-Hiawatha Community Works project recently received a Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) award of $100,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The CARE program aids communities in creating partnerships to reduce toxins in the local community. Hennepin County and community partners will use the grant to launch the Minnehaha-Hiawatha Corridor Environmental Collaboration, which will identify, prioritize and address environmental health risks.
Investment in transit isn’t just about transportation. It’s about creating healthy and sustainable communities for residents,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, who represents the area. “This grant will help us design a healthier Hiawatha Corridor and guide us in building it.”
Historically, the Minnehaha-Hiawatha corridor has served as a rail, highway, and utility services corridor, and remains a hub of industrial activity. The collaboration will consider all potential environmental risks along the corridor, including indoor/outdoor air quality, hazardous waste, lead paint, radon, water quality, and brownfields. Brownfields are sites whose reuse or redevelopment is hindered by the known or perceived presence of contamination, and are common in industrial areas.
The Women’s Environmental Institute and Longfellow Community Council will help lead the Minnehaha-Hiawatha Corridor Environmental Collaboration, which will include community groups, environmental and environmental justice organizations, and government agencies, whose work will focus on the geographic area encompassing the East Phillips and western Longfellow neighborhoods.
The information gathered as a result of this award will allow the county to:
- Help area residents and businesses gain an understanding of the major sources of exposure to toxic pollutants and environmental concerns in the corridor.
- Collect all existing cumulative environmental health data and present information on extent of existing risk.
- Collaborate with the community to prioritize risks for reduction.
- Develop an action plan for responding to the prioritized tasks.
- Build capacity with project collaborators to address these environmental issues.
Keep checking this webpage for more information on this project.
Thank you to everyone who joined us on November 8th to dedicate the energy efficient street lights on 46th Street! Over 100 community members appreciated the opportunity to celebrate implementation of the first Minnehaha-Hiawatha Community Works Project, enjoy refreshments, and tour the project.
Sam Newberg, Standish-Ericsson resident and Community Advisory Committee (CAC) member, welcomed attendees to the dedication at Minnehaha Cafe. Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, Minneapolis City Council Member Sandy Colvin Roy, Local Road Research Board Chair Deb Bloom, and Longfellow resident and CAC member Lisa Middag made brief remarks highlighting the project’s background and innovation. Commissioner McLaughlin and Council Member Colvin Roy then flipped a switch to light the street lights.
In addition to the program, community members took the opportunity to learn about community resources from the Bike-Walk Ambassadors, Hennepin County Community Works, Hennepin County Environmental Services, Longfellow Community Council, Metro Transit, and Standish-Ericsson Neighborhood Association.
See below for great event photos by Hennepin County’s Public Affairs department. Take a look at the short video by Minnesota 2020.
Please check out the new induction and LED street lights on 46th Street between 34th and 46th avenues and let us know what you think by taking this survey.
Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin and Minneapolis City Council Member Sandy Colvin Roy flip the switch to the 46th Street lighting project.
The project aims to test and compare the overall costs associated with High Pressure Sodium (HPS) street lights to Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights and induction lights to determine the most cost-effective lighting strategy.
Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin with event emcee Sam Newberg (Standish-Ericsson CAC representative) and Minneapolis City Council Member Sandy Colvin Roy.
Event organizers led tours for visitors after the event.
Join us for the dedication of the new energy efficient street lights along 46th Street!
Date: Monday, November 8
Time: 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Program: 4:30 – 4:50 p.m.
Location: Minnehaha Cafe, 4554 Minnehaha Ave. South
- Take a tour of the new street lights along 46th Street
- Find out more about community resources
- Learn more about the Minnehaha-Hiawatha Community Works program
- Join us for cider, coffee, and cookies
Join us in October to find out about the draft recommendations for the Minnehaha-Hiawatha Community Works project. Learn about the almost 50 consultant recommendations to improve quality of life and vitality in the corridor area.
Project staff will be at the following neighborhood organization meetings to make brief presentations and answer your questions:
Standish-Ericsson Neighborhood Association – Annual Meeting
October 13 / 5:00 pm +
Lake Hiawatha Recreation Center
2701 - 44th Street East
Longfellow Community Council – Best Meeting Ever
October 27 / 6:00 pm +
Minnehaha Academy – North Campus
3100 West River Parkway
Corcoran Neighborhood Organization – General Membership Meeting
October 28 / 5:30 pm +
Corcoran Park Recreation Center
3334 – 20th Ave South
The Strategic Investment Framework document is now available for download off the project website. This document was developed through a review of prior studies and plans, an extensive public input process, and a review by technical staff. The document presents more than 40 projects to address issues and desired outcomes for the corridor.
Community members will have opportunities to learn more at several events throughout the summer and fall. Check back for more information on these events.
The new LED and induction street lights have been lighting up 46th Street since April. If you get a chance to walk, bike, or drive through the area [between 34th Ave and 46th Ave South] — check out the lights and let us know what you think.
Click here to give us your impressions of the new lights.
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