We have been working with the community to envision the future of Robert St. since 2020. We have heard from thousands of community members about their experiences with and priorities for Robert St. Improving safety is a top concern. This focus on safety is included in the Robert St. design we are now sharing, along with other common themes from community feedback.
We will continue to refine the design over the next several months and will share a final design for the road in 2025.
We’re launching new monthly “office hours” in the community on Wed, Nov. 20. It’s a chance to meet with Project Manager Chris Bower at a local coffee shop to learn more and ask questions about the project. For more information, visit the meetings webpage.
We are planning significant improvements to Robert St. between Annapolis St. and Kellogg Blvd. Construction will likely occur in 2026-2028. The project will repair or replace the roadway pavement, replace sidewalks, improve safety, and will be coordinated with other infrastructure work planned along the corridor such as utility replacement and transit improvements.
We are planning for Robert St. construction to occur at the same time as work for the Metro Transit G Line to minimize disruptions to the community.
Summary of work
Began fall 2020: Test temporary curb extensions at the intersections of Baker St. and Robert St. and Isabel St. and Robert St.
2026-2028: Construction of Robert St. improvements
Complete: Repaired the George St. bridge and the viaduct between Cesar Chavez and King St. East, and repaired and resurfaced the Robert St. bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks
Complete: Micro-surface and restripe Robert St. between Annapolis St. (south of the Mississippi River) and 11th St. in downtown St. Paul (just south of I-94)
Complete: Repair Robert St. Bridge over the Mississippi River
We are also conducting a nearby study on South Robert St. between Mendota Rd. and Annapolis St. in West St. Paul. For more information, visit the study webpage.
Funding updates
In August 2024, the Robert St. Project received $7 million from the Metropolitan Council's Regional Solicitation, a comprehensive transportation funding package. This will help fund the full reconstruction of the roadway.
We are continuing to move forward with design options for the viaduct while we explore possible funding sources. We will continue to make repairs to the viaduct on an as-needed basis.
Any future work along Robert St. will be completed in coordination with other public entities, including the City of St. Paul and the Metropolitan Council, to limit construction disruptions for residents, businesses and property owners.
Pavement markings on Robert St.
Crews have been marking underground utility lines to understand exactly where pipes, manholes and other utilities are beneath Robert St. to prepare for construction.
Lead pipe replacement
Properties eligible for the City of St. Paul’s Lead Free SPRWS program may have their water service lines replaced at no cost to property owners. Timing the replacement with road construction makes the process efficient and lessens disruptions. View eligibility and program information.
Parking study
Robert St. in St. Paul daily parking utilization map
We completed a parking study on Robert St. at eight different times in December 2023. The study showed how people are using on-street parking on Robert St. Many places that currently have on-street parking are underutilized.
Highlights of the study and input we’ve heard from the community include:
The most highly parked block with 55% use was Wyoming St. and Winona St. on the east side of Robert St.
51% of survey respondents recommended adding on-street parking between Isabel St. and Cesar Chavez St.
The second section people most often wanted to add on-street parking and improve crossings was from Winona St. to Annapolis St.
21% of survey respondents did not support adding any new parking on Robert St.
A recommended solution will not be one-size-fits-all
Pedestrian safety pilot project
Curb extensions at Robert St. and Baker St. intersection
We installed temporary safety features at the intersections of Baker St. and Robert St. and Isabel St. and Robert St. in October 2020.
These temporary safety features, called curb extensions (or bump-outs or bulb-outs), visually and physically narrow the roadway. This creates shorter crossings for pedestrians and increases visibility for people walking and driving. Curb extensions will not take any parking away or affect access to driveways, but may make parking near the corner more difficult.
The goal of this project is to test the curb extensions before committing to them as a long-term design improvement at the intersection. While the curb extensions are in place, we are evaluating pedestrian and driver behavior and determining the impact they have on traffic, such as pedestrian usage and vehicle speeds.
There is currently no specific date for the removal of the extensions, but they will be maintained by MnDOT for the foreseeable future.
