Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Saint Paul public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
20 issues in roads
Wabasha/St. Peter street reconstruction and bikeway extension
The council moved Municipal State Aid money into the Wabasha Bridge rehab project and updated financing for the University Avenue reconstruction.
Capital City Bikeway easement at Smith Avenue ramp
The bikeway project needs temporary access to the Smith Avenue Parking Ramp and Transit Center site, and District Heat needs a permanent easement there to keep service running. Clearing these easements keeps the downtown bikeway build moving.
Street and alley reconstruction assessments
The council ratified special assessments for more than a dozen street, alley, and sewer projects — these are charges billed to property owners benefiting from the work, and they appear on property tax statements.
Scooter and bike share contracts for 2026
Public Works got the green light to apply for a State Competitiveness Fund grant to support Evie Carshare and match a federal congestion and air quality grant.
Safe Streets for All federal grant
The city locked in a grant agreement with the Federal Highway Administration to fund street safety work. This brings federal dollars toward making Saint Paul streets safer for everyone who uses them.
2026 Street Paving and Lighting Projects Continued
The city's 2026 mill and overlay program grinds down and repaves worn streets. The committee reviewed the presentation covering which streets get treated and how the program is scoped.
Residential Permit Parking Area 23 expansion
A proposal to add Princeton Avenue and part of Mount Curve Boulevard to permit parking Area 23 drew public testimony; a motion to deny the change failed 0-7, and the item's final status was not recorded as approved.
Front Avenue mill-and-overlay assessments
Residents appealed or sought more time on the paving assessments for Front Avenue from Rice to Western; the hearing was pushed to October 7.
Trunk Highway 61 project agreement
The city will partner with MnDOT to connect traffic signals along Highway 61 from Burns Avenue to Third Street, aimed at smoother traffic flow.
Green Line signal replacement
The city will partner with the Met Council and Ramsey County to replace traffic signal controllers along University Avenue's Green Line corridor.
Wabasha Bridge and University Avenue road funding
The council moved Municipal State Aid money into the Wabasha Bridge rehab project and updated financing for the University Avenue reconstruction.
Street and sidewalk funding updates
Four public hearing items moved money into streets and sidewalks: Wheelock Grotto Phase II reconstruction, new state Local Road Improvement funds for pedestrian projects, a Municipal State Aid transfer, and the 2026 Sidewalk Reconstruction Program.
Maryland Avenue Corridor Study
The city is partnering with Ramsey County to study the Maryland Avenue corridor — a step toward future transportation and land-use improvements there.
University Avenue MnDOT agreement
The Council authorized an agreement with MnDOT for work in the Highway 35E right of way as part of the University Avenue Project.
Bronze Line bus rapid transit support
The council formally backed the 10-mile Bronze Line (formerly Purple Line) from Union Depot to Maplewood Mall, with bus-only lanes, 22 stations and construction targeted around 2030. It serves East Side neighborhoods with high transit dependence.
West 7th Street METRO J Line
After the county's Riverview corridor plan stalled, the city is backing a Metro Transit bus rapid transit line and street reconstruction on West 7th — hoped for 2029.
Custom bike rack permit program
Businesses and district councils want branded bike racks on city sidewalks, but the rules have been unclear, so racks sometimes appear without city approval. A new permit would let private parties buy and install racks with city design review, tracking, and ownership transfer to the city.
I-35E bridge over Shepard Road project
The city signed on to a MnDOT agreement for the I-35E bridge over Shepard Road project.
Pelham Boulevard design dispute
Eight Pelham-area testifiers opposed the $18.5 million reconstruction — the road moves 14 feet closer to homes, on-street parking disappears, and one property owner faces $115,000 in assessments. A Sierra Club representative called for narrower 10-foot lanes. Staff defended the Grand Round-consistent design and said tree preservation drove the shift; the council approved it anyway.
St. Anthony/Rondo mill and overlay project
A $4.5 million repaving of St. Anthony/Rondo with new bike lanes and ADA ramps was set to get final approval, but the hearing was pushed to January 28 after some residents didn't get assessment notice letters.