A 50-acre residential neighborhood in North Minneapolis regularly experienced street flooding during large rain events with runoff discharging into an impaired water body. The City of Minneapolis brought in Barr to help address both issues by creating a multi-block greenway on 37th Avenue North. We also helped the city secure state funding for water-quality improvements associated with the project.
On the avenue, six city blocks of paved street were removed so that precast concrete boxes could be placed underground as flood storage detention cells. Almost 1,400 lineal feet of underground basins now protect homes from a 100-year flood event.
The avenue roadway was replaced on three blocks by a greenway with trees, 11 rain gardens, and a trail for pedestrian and bike traffic. On another two blocks, the road was narrowed to a single traffic lane with bike contraflow and parking bump-outs to slow traffic and increase pedestrian safety.