The idea of building a land bridge featuring greenspace and cultural buildings over Interstate 94 in St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood has been around for nearly a decade, inspired in part by similar projects in cities like Dallas and Duluth. The project — estimated to cost $450 million or more — has received millions in state and federal planning dollars alongside private and philanthropic funds. So what’s the latest?
Who is leading the effort?
ReConnect Rondo, a St. Paul-based nonprofit founded in 2017, has spearheaded organizing for the land bridge. The group’s broader mission is to correct the harms done to the historically Black Rondo neighborhood, which lost approximately 700 homes and 300 businesses during I-94’s construction in the 1950s and 60s.
What does ReConnect Rondo hope to build?
From its inception, ReConnect Rondo’s goal has been to build a land bridge, or cap, over I-94 – a multi-acre plot that could host housing, green space, a cultural center and a performing arts building. Though the exact structures have yet to be determined, Executive Director Keith Baker said the ultimate decisions should be made by the Rondo community.
How much would it cost to construct a land bridge?
In a report published in 2022 by the Urban Land Institute, the overall estimated cost of the land bridge totaled about $459 million, including $247 million for the bridge and infrastructure, $167 million for the buildings, utilities, park and open space, and $45 million for the design and engineering.
What’s next in the planning for the land bridge?
Both on their website and in presentations to the St. Paul Planning Commission, ReConnect Rondo has named the year 2030 as the next milestone in their process. By that “imagined point,” Baker said, progress could mean more clarity on the type of buildings to be constructed, or even the beginning of construction. More precision on the land bridge project, Baker said, will require ongoing coordination with the City of St. Paul, Ramsey County, and Met Council, all of which have varying stakes in its construction, especially as it impacts surrounding communities and travel on I-94.
Would building the land bridge conflict with I-94 improvements being made by the Minnesota Department of Transportation?
MnDOT’s ongoing Rethinking I-94 project includes four options, called “alternatives,” for improving the interstate, which an agency spokesperson said is “nearing the end of its life.” ReConnect Rondo’s land bridge was not factored into the creation of MnDOT’s alternatives, though hypothetically, it could become compatible with them. In regards to a timeline, MnDOT, like Reconnect Rondo, aims to begin construction on I-94 in 2030.
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