Озеро-стрит: История, Трансформация и Возрождение Миннеаполиса

Lake Street is a major east west thoroughfare between 29th and 31st streets in Minneapolis, Minnesota United States. From its western most end at the city's limits, Lake Street reaches the Chain of Lakes, passing over a small channel linking Bde Maka Ska and Lake of the Isles, and at its eastern most end it reaches the Mississippi River. In May 2020, the Lake Street corridor suffered extensive damage during local unrest following the murder of George Floyd. In August of the same year, city officials designated East Lake Street as one of seven cultural districts to promote racial equity, preserve cultural identity, and promote economic growth.

While originally developed around the Selby Lake streetcar, Lake Street became a heavily automobile oriented corridor, especially after the removal of streetcars in the 1950s. Lake Street and University Avenue were two of the most auto oriented corridors in the Twin Cities. Poet John Berryman referred to Lake Street in a poem as, "Lake Street where the used cars live". In 1977, the construction of a Kmart closed off Nicollet Avenue at Lake Street and combined two city blocks. Many traditional streetcar era buildings were razed during the auto era and much of Lake Street contains 1960s era auto oriented businesses with parking lots. A Target store and Cub Foods grocery store at opposite corners of Minnehaha Avenue and Lake Street also caused controversy for the pros and cons of this investment and typical suburban configuration with wide parking lot instead of an urban adaptation. The Kmart at Nicollet Avenue was torn down in November 2023 and the city of Minneapolis is developing plans to reconnect the street grid with Lake Street. Construction is expected to start in 2025. Efforts to redevelop more multi use and density have been successful. Public investment and private redevelopment has occurred throughout the Lake Street corridor with a new public library near Minnehaha Avenue and the new mixed use anchor building at Chicago Avenue, the Midtown Exchange.

Streetcars began running on Lake Street in 1905. With the construction of the original Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge in 1906, streetcars extended from downtown Saint Paul to almost Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis primarily along Selby Avenue and Lake Street. Streetcar service ended in 1953 when the line was replaced by buses. Lake Street developed into a busy commercial corridor because of the Selby Lake streetcar line. At the peak, streetcars came every 3 minutes and ridership per mile along Lake Street was the highest in the Twin Cities. The Metro Blue Line light rail, (formerly known as the Hiawatha Light Rail line), serves Lake Street at Hiawatha Avenue with the Lake Street/Midtown station. The station itself is one of the most expensive along the line because it had to be elevated above a busy intersection. Furthermore, the Lake Street station has become one of the most crime ridden stops along the Blue Line. Beginning in August 2012, police have increased patrols, added 24 new high definition cameras, and even added classical music in an effort to deter troublemakers. Metro Transit conducted a study to determine the potential for a future transitway along Lake Street and the Midtown Greenway corridor. The Midtown Greenway is about a block to the north of Lake Street and is a former freight rail bed that has been converted into a pedestrian and bicycle path. Alternatives looked at enhanced bus service on Lake Street, a rail transitway within the Midtown Greenway, and a dual alternative that features both enhanced bus service and a rail alternative. The dual option of both improved bus service and a rail alternative was selected in 2014. The $20 million I 35W & Lake Street station was constructed on Lake Street at Interstate 35W to serve the Metro Orange Line, a bus rapid transit line that connects downtown Minneapolis south along I 35W to Burnsville. In the future, the Metro B Line will travel on Lake Street between West Lake Station connecting with Southwest LRT to downtown Saint Paul at Saint Paul Union Depot. The B Line will largely replace Metro Transit's Route 21 which travels along Lake Street. Route 21 has the second highest ridership for bus routes in the Twin Cities. Lake Street is a Hennepin County Road. This road is currently 4 lanes wide but Hennepin County has plans to make changes to the road to improve safety of the corridor. Hennepin County received a RAISE grant to reduce the road to 3 lanes, add a bus only lane, and improve pedestrian accessibility and safety.