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Several blocks of Hennepin Avenue South in Minneapolis will reopen to cars Tuesday, ending several months of construction and detours. 

Mayor Jacob Frey announced the end of construction at a press conference Monday. 

“While I know this has been burdensome to many people, this was necessary,” Frey said. “The end result is going to be far better than what we saw before.”

The fresh pavement features protected bike lanes, bus lanes and newly planted trees. City officials say the changes will make the busy road safer for pedestrians and drivers.

Below the surface, crews replaced lead water lines and worked on the sewer and electrical systems. The old street, built about 70 years ago, was due for an upgrade, officials said.

The stretch between W. 26th Street and W. Lake Street has been subject to closures and detours since the spring, to the frustration of some business owners and nearby residents. 

Jeff Veigel owns Isles Bun and Coffee in the middle of the construction zone. He said the road closures made for a hard few months.

He’s hoping that business perks up with the return of traffic.

“The lakes are still here. It’s a beautiful place to walk around. It should be safer, easier to get to,” Veigel said. “We would like to invite everyone in the city to come back to what’s really a wonderful area, and an area that has been suffering.”

Buses will return to Hennepin on Wednesday, using newly constructed bus lanes. The lanes will be reserved for buses six hours per day; the rest of the time, drivers can resume street parking on Hennepin.

City Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai, who represents the area, said the changes will be a step forward for Uptown in the long term – even though it’s made for a stressful year for business owners.

“Getting to Uptown is going to become easier, and more people in Uptown is good for our future,” Chughtai said.

Officials said some crews will keep doing utility work on the street through the winter.

This is the end of just the first half of Hennepin Avenue construction. The northern half of the project, from W. 26th Street to Douglas Avenue, is slated for road construction beginning in the spring.

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Estelle Timar-Wilcox

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Several blocks of Hennepin Avenue South in Minneapolis will reopen to cars Tuesday, as the first phase of the construction project ends for the season.

Hennepin Avenue to reopen to Minneapolis drivers Tuesday

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