Exclusion of At-Grade Fill-In option frustrates many
The Metro’s Interstate 94 has become a symbol of racial division, playing a central role in a nationwide strategy that displaced Black families across the U.S. In St. Paul, the highway’s construction in the 1960s caused the forced removal of many African Americans from the once-thriving Rondo neighborhood.
In a public apology, former St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman expressed regret, saying, “We regret the stain of racism that allowed such a callous decision, leading to families being uprooted and the dispersal of the African American community in St. Paul.”
The effects of I-94’s construction are still visible today in the disparities between nearby neighborhoods like Macalester-Groveland and the North End. Health data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows a stark contrast in asthma rates between the two areas from 2014 to 2019.
While Macalester-Groveland, a predominantly white neighborhood (91%), reported just 26 asthma cases, the more diverse North End (30% Black, 25% Asian) saw 85 cases. These health disparities mirror other inequalities: Homes in Macalester-Groveland are valued $141,600 higher than those in the North End, where residents earn $47,573 less on average.
These ongoing disparities highlight the systemic inequality dividing these communities. As the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) moves forward with plans to improve I-94, there is an opportunity to address this legacy of injustice.
However, many community leaders, particularly those representing communities of color, are frustrated that MnDOT has excluded the At-Grade Fill-In option, a design supported by the local advocacy group OurStreets. This proposal would raise the highway to street level, turning the area into a boulevard that could reconnect the Cedar-Riverside and Rondo neighborhoods.
The exclusion of the At-Grade Fill-In option has left members of the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) feeling sidelined. St. Paul City Council Members Anika Bowie and Mitra Jalali have expressed frustration that their input seems largely ignored.
“For so many comments we’ve made on this discussion, the response from MnDOT is ‘duly noted,'” said Jalali. “We want a decision-making process for this PAC.”
Bowie echoed these concerns, calling for leadership to take responsibility for pushing forward changes. She pointed to the city’s ongoing efforts toward reparations, including the establishment of a Reparative Justice Commission, which seeks to address harms caused by the construction of I-94. “Council was able to vote and pass a budget to actually fund our reparative justice commission,” she said, emphasizing the need for a fairer process.
Some PAC members also voiced frustration over the lack of formal decision-making power within the group. Minneapolis City Councilmember Robin Wonsley noted that PAC members have no authority to vote on key issues.
“The fact that we aren’t even able to make formal positions or have an opportunity to vote on positions in this space is very disheartening,” she said. She also pointed out that the process feels increasingly led by staff rather than the community, calling it “disingenuous” and “superficial.”
MnDOT’s Nancy Daubenberger acknowledged the importance of the PAC but clarified that the agency ultimately holds the decision-making power. “We are happy to meet with members of the PAC and other stakeholders outside of this PAC meeting,” she said, emphasizing that public input remains a key part of the process.
However, MnDOT did not clarify why the PAC lacks voting authority. Additionally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), responsible for overseeing projects under the National Environmental Policy Act, declined to comment on the issue.
Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley emphasized the need for a more fundamental shift in how the project is approached. “We are rethinking this, and we’re rethinking it from a way that it was thought of in 1956 as a way to separate white communities from Black and brown communities,” Conley said. “If we are rethinking this now, it needs to be the opposite of what placed those freeways there in the first place.”
Despite strong support for the At-Grade Fill-In option from BIPOC leaders, MnDOT has instead focused on four other design alternatives:
- Highway Reduction Design: This plan would narrow the highway to three lanes in each direction, with one lane reserved for buses and E-Z Pass users. It would also accommodate the Metro Gold Line, a bus rapid transit project connecting Woodbury to St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis.
- Four-Lane Design: This option would add an additional lane in each direction, with one lane dedicated to buses and E-Z Pass users.
- Lane Adjustment Near Highway 280: This plan would convert a westbound vehicle lane near Highway 280 into a bus shoulder.
- No-Build Option: This would replace the existing pavement without making major changes to the highway.
As MnDOT continues with its plans for I-94, the exclusion of the At-Grade Fill-In option illustrates the ongoing struggle to address the deep inequalities that stem from racist urban planning practices of the mid-20th century. Many are left questioning whether the state is truly committed to making amends for its past actions.