Many people are talking about the George Floyd square getting reconstructed, but some say that this will hurt businesses because of the closing of sections and streets. Others are saying that the amount of money that will be spent on the project is too much and that it isn't beneficial.
Tim Sexton (the leader of the City of Minneapolis Public Works) believes that these changes are vital to Minneapolis' infrastructure, but he acknowledges the temporary inconvenience that has been caused. He is thinking about the long term benefits that come with these changes. He has sunk a whopping 323 million dollars into this project and it is estimated to end in November 2026. He oversees 1,100 people who build and maintain the city’s public infrastructure.
Tim Sexton (the leader of the City of Minneapolis Public Works) believes that these changes are vital to Minneapolis' infrastructure, but he acknowledges the temporary inconvenience that has been caused. He is thinking about the long term benefits that come with these changes. He has sunk a whopping 323 million dollars into this project and it is estimated to end in November 2026. He oversees 1,100 people who build and maintain the city’s public infrastructure.
In order to "...further our City's vision for a safe, equitable, and sustainable infrastructure system…" Tim Sexton said, right before his unanimous confirmation vote to become the new Public Works Director for Minneapolis on April 25, 2024. He is also working towards tackling climate change at a local level through transportation which is Tim’s expertise. Construction on I-394 has also begun and is expected to cause delays throughout the summer and all the way until November which will slow down traffic significantly and make daily commutes much more strenuous.
Cities other than Minneapolis are also undergoing major construction projects, like Chicago, where there is going to be 8 billion dollars spent on creating 10,000 new housing units and a new stadium in the South Loop. New York City is also doing something similar, constructing the most multi-family housing units nationwide, along with them developing Manhattan's west side more. The biggest construction project that is occurring right now in the U.S. is the California High-Speed Rail, a high speed railway that is envisioned to stretch from Sacramento all the way to San Diego and is supposed to cost upwards of 126 billion dollars, but could rise to 231 billion dollars because of fluctuating prices, almost doubling the original price. The construction of the railway started on January 6, 2015, and is predicted to end in 2038, 2 decades after the construction started.
An amount of 15.1 million dollars has been spent on the reconstruction of the George Floyd Square on 38th street and Chicago Avenue intersection and has been facing intense debate. Local black business owner Al Flowers has been protesting the construction crew closing the whole street because it could potentially harm the businesses. Pedestrian spaces will be upgraded around the square, and so will the vehicle and bus access. Throughout Minneapolis 1,827 lead water service lines are getting replaced, almost 20 miles of street is getting resurfaced, 3 Greenway bridges will be restored, and 34 more construction projects will go underway. “We are making the city greener, cleaner, and more resilient…” Tim Sexton said, which is making some people excited about what could come for Minneapolis in the near future.
The construction around Minneapolis is showing some benefits and downsides. These renovations around the city are blocking traffic and disturbing people's daily commute. The question to ask now is, is it worth it? What if these renovations introduce new revolutionary safety measures, pipes, and better roads, or what if this is all just a big waste of money and time, and the changes won’t be beneficial?
Cities other than Minneapolis are also undergoing major construction projects, like Chicago, where there is going to be 8 billion dollars spent on creating 10,000 new housing units and a new stadium in the South Loop. New York City is also doing something similar, constructing the most multi-family housing units nationwide, along with them developing Manhattan's west side more. The biggest construction project that is occurring right now in the U.S. is the California High-Speed Rail, a high speed railway that is envisioned to stretch from Sacramento all the way to San Diego and is supposed to cost upwards of 126 billion dollars, but could rise to 231 billion dollars because of fluctuating prices, almost doubling the original price. The construction of the railway started on January 6, 2015, and is predicted to end in 2038, 2 decades after the construction started.
An amount of 15.1 million dollars has been spent on the reconstruction of the George Floyd Square on 38th street and Chicago Avenue intersection and has been facing intense debate. Local black business owner Al Flowers has been protesting the construction crew closing the whole street because it could potentially harm the businesses. Pedestrian spaces will be upgraded around the square, and so will the vehicle and bus access. Throughout Minneapolis 1,827 lead water service lines are getting replaced, almost 20 miles of street is getting resurfaced, 3 Greenway bridges will be restored, and 34 more construction projects will go underway. “We are making the city greener, cleaner, and more resilient…” Tim Sexton said, which is making some people excited about what could come for Minneapolis in the near future.
The construction around Minneapolis is showing some benefits and downsides. These renovations around the city are blocking traffic and disturbing people's daily commute. The question to ask now is, is it worth it? What if these renovations introduce new revolutionary safety measures, pipes, and better roads, or what if this is all just a big waste of money and time, and the changes won’t be beneficial?
It is hard to see this early into the construction process, and it isn’t worth speculating about yet, but the answer will become obvious in the near future.
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