MnDOT is planning to reconstruct Central Entrance in 2025. This transportation plan, developed with community input, establishes a multimodal vision to guide the design and reconstruction of this roadway.

This plan, approved by the MIC Policy Board in January 2022, puts forward a vision for a Central Entrance that:

  • Is an attractive, safe and walkable gateway to Duluth, with wide sidewalks on both sides of the street and businesses with inviting storefronts;
  • Is a destination that the motoring public will experience as pleasant and comfortable traveling to and through;
  • Regains its previous function as the “main street” of the Duluth Heights neighborhood;
  • Encourages new residential and commercial economic development.

Central Entrance Vision Plan Approved by MIC Policy Board

The final Central Entrance Vision Plan was presented to and approved by the MIC Policy Board at its December 19, 2022 meeting.

No public comments were received.

Final Plan to be Presented for Approval

The final Central Entrance Vision Plan will be presented to the MIC Policy Board for approval and adoption at its December 19, 2022 meeting.

Virtual Public Input Session #1

Draft Central Entrance Vision Plan - Public Input Session #1
Date & Time
12/01/2021
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Location
Purpose

Members of the public are invited and encouraged to earn about and give input into the Central Entrance Vision Plan. This meeting is the first of two virtual public input sessions to be held on Wed, 12/1/21.

Join on your computer or mobile app: Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only): +1 218-302-4275 (Duluth, MN) / Phone Conference ID: 925 800 946#

Central-Entrance-Vision-Plan-DRAFT-November-2021.pdf
Executive-Summary-Central-Entrance-Vision-Plan-DRAFT-November-2021.pdf

Virtual Public Input Session #2

Draft Central Entrance Vision Plan - Public Input Session #2
Date & Time
12/01/2021
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Location
Purpose

Members of the public are invited and encouraged to earn about and give input into the Central Entrance Vision Plan. This meeting is the second of two virtual public input sessions to be held on Wed, 12/1/21.

Join on your computer or mobile app: Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only): +1 218-302-4275 (Duluth, MN) / Phone Conference ID: 667 365 404#

Central-Entrance-Vision-Plan-DRAFT-November-2021.pdf
Executive-Summary-Central-Entrance-Vision-Plan-DRAFT-November-2021.pdf

Public Comment Period Open Through 12/10/22

The draft Central Entrance Vision Plan is now open for review and comment through Friday, December 10.

Central Entrance Steering Committee Mtg #6
Date & Time
09/17/2021
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location
Purpose

This meeting of the Central Entrance Steering Committee is open to members only*.  However. the meeting agenda, handouts and summaries will be posted on this page for public viewing.  Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to participate in the other events listed on this page.

*Steering committee members include representatives from the three major project stakeholders: MnDOT, City of Duluth and the MIC.

09-17-21-Steering-Committee-Meeting-Agenda.pdf
091721-Steering-Committee-Meeting-SummarySlides.pdf

Central Entrance Steering Committee Mtg #5
Date & Time
08/13/2021
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Location
Purpose

This meeting of the Central Entrance Steering Committee is open to members only*.  However. the meeting agenda, handouts and summaries will be posted on this page for public viewing.  Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to participate in the other events listed on this page.

*Steering committee members include representatives from the three major project stakeholders: MnDOT, City of Duluth and the MIC.

08-13-21-Steering-Committee-Meeting-Agenda.pdf
08-13-21-Steering-Cte-Mtg-Notes-with-Slides.pdf

Central Entrance Community Advisory Committee Mtg #1
Date & Time
07/27/2021
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Location
Purpose

This is the first meeting of the Central Entrance Community Advisory Committee.*  The meeting agenda, summary and handouts (if any) can be viewed below.

*This meeting is open to committee members only – members of the public are welcome and encouraged to participate in the other public events listed on this page.

Agenda_CAC_07-27-21.pdf
Presentation_-Central-Entrance-CAC_07-27-21.pdf
07-27-21-CAC-Meeting-Summary.pdf

Central Entrance Steering Committee Mtg #4
Date & Time
07/09/2021
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Location
Purpose

This is the fourth meeting of the Central Entrance Steering Committee and is open to members only*.  However. the meeting agenda, handouts and summaries will be posted on this page for public viewing.  Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to participate in the other events listed on this page.

*Steering committee members include representatives from the three major project stakeholders: MnDOT, City of Duluth and the MIC.

07-09-21-Steering-Committee-Mtg-Agenda.pdf
07-09-21-Steering-Committee-Meeting-Summary.pdf
Zone-1-Concept_07-09-21.pdf
Zone-2-3-Concept_07-09-21.pdf
Zone-2-3-Concept-V.2_07-09-21.pdf
Zone-4-Concept_07-09-21.pdf
Zone-4-Concept-V.2_07-09-21.pdf
Zone-5-Concept_07-09-21.pdf

Central Entrance Virtual Workshop - part 2
Date & Time
06/29/2021
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location
Purpose

Join us for the second virtual workshop on Tues, June 29. (It’s designed as a 2-part process, but if you can only make it to this one, that’s great!).

View Video of the Workshop (part 1)

View Video of the Workshop (part 2)

Central Entrance Virtual Workshop - part 1
Date & Time
06/24/2021
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location
Purpose

View Video of the Workshop (part 1)

View Video of the Workshop (part 2)

Join us for a two-evening virtual workshop on June 24 & 29. (It’s designed as a 2-part process, but if you can only make it to one of the two, that’s okay!) You only need to register for one of the two dates.

Steering Committee Meeting #3

Central Entrance Steering Committee Mtg #3
Date & Time
06/11/2021
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Location
Purpose

This is the third meeting of the Central Entrance Steering Committee and is open to members only*.  However. the meeting agenda, handouts and summaries will be posted on this page for public viewing.  Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to participate in the other events listed on this page.

*Steering committee members include representatives from the three major project stakeholders: MnDOT, City of Duluth and the MIC.

Agenda_06-11-21-CETP-Steering-Cmte-Mtg.pdf
06-11-21-Steering-Committee-Meeting-Minutes.pdf

Better Central Entrance Pop Up Event - Sat
Date & Time
06/05/2021
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location
3 West Central Entrance
Duluth, Minnesota 55811
Purpose

Join us to celebrate and reimagine life on Central Entrance!

Better Central Entrance is a creative placemaking event, bringing life to an empty space and helping us rethink what our public infrastructure looks like. Stop by on Friday or Saturday to join in the celebration and offer your input on the upcoming Central Entrance reconstruction!

Festivities include a kids’ play space, entertainment, local food & drinks, and pop-up small businesses.  Loose line up of events for Saturday:

Food: Oasis del Norte, Gumbo Boi
Local vendors: Craftigail, Hue Apparel, Local Handcrafted Ceramics
Music: Hattie Peach (4 pm), Hannah Rey (5:30 pm)

This event is brought to you by Zeitgeist Bus Bike Walk Month – a month-long series of community events that celebrate, educate and empower accessible people-powered modes for getting around town, now and into the future.

Better Central Entrance Pop Up Event - Fri
Date & Time
06/04/2021
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location
3 West Central Entrance
Duluth, Minnesota 55811
Purpose

Join us to celebrate and reimagine life on Central Entrance!

Better Central Entrance is a creative placemaking event, bringing life to an empty space and helping us rethink what our public infrastructure looks like. Stop by on Friday or Saturday to join in the celebration and offer your input on the upcoming Central Entrance reconstruction!

Festivities include a kids’ play space, entertainment, local food & drinks, and pop-up small businesses.  Loose line up of events for Friday:

Food: Oasis del Norte, Love Creamery, The Grumpy Goose
Local vendors: Craftigail, Joya by Hand, On 93rd and Grace, Local Handcrafted Ceramics
Music: Dance Attic (5 pm), Breanne Marie (7 pm)

This event is brought to you by Zeitgeist Bus Bike Walk Month – a month-long series of community events that celebrate, educate and empower accessible people-powered modes for getting around town, now and into the future.

Steering Committee Meeting #2

CETP SC Mtg #2
Date & Time
05/14/2021
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Location
Purpose

This is the second meeting of the Central Entrance Steering Committee – and is open to members only*.  However. the meeting agenda, handout and summary can be viewed, below.  Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to participate in the other events listed on this page.

*Steering committee members include representatives from the three major project stakeholders: MnDOT, City of Duluth and the MIC.

 

 

05-14-21-Steering-Committee-Meeting-Agenda.pdf
05-14-21-Steering-Committee-Meeting-Handout.pdf
05.14.21-CETP-SC-Meeting-Minutes.pdf

Steering Committee Meeting #1

CETP SC Mtg #1
Date & Time
04/09/2021
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Location
Purpose

This is the first meeting of the Central Entrance Steering Committee and is open to members only.*  The meeting agenda and summary can be viewed, below.  Members of the public are encouraged and welcome to participate in the other events listed on this page.

*Steering committee members include representatives from the three major project stakeholders: MnDOT, City of Duluth and the MIC.

04.09.21-Steering-Committee-Meeting-1-Agenda.pdf
04.09.21-CETP-SC-Meeting-Minutes.pdf

Why is the Central Entrance Vision Plan being conducted?

Central Entrance has historically served automobile through-traffic and drive-by land uses. This auto-centric infrastructure is aging and deteriorating, and MnDOT is planning to fully reconstruct Central Entrance in 2026.

Over the past decades, studies have recommended improvements but few have been implemented. This transportation plan, developed with the community, will establish a multimodal vision for Central Entrance to guide the design and reconstruction.

About the Plan:

The Central Entrance Vision Plan recognizes there are different contexts and conditions along the corridor. It does not present a single recommended concept for Central Entrance. Instead, it provides a set of concepts and design elements that can be combined based on further evaluation to realize the overall vision. Its guiding values shape the final recommendations:

  • Safe & equitable multimodal transportation system
  • Healthy, walkable community
  • Thriving local businesses
  • Sustainable and resilient corridor
  • A vibrant gateway to Duluth

Prior to its reconstruction in 2026, this Plan will define a community-supported vision for a walkable, bikeable and transit oriented thoroughfare which will create an attractive destination that:

• Is safe and comfortable for people of all ages and all abilities

• Encourages new types of residential and commercial development

The public involvement process will include numerous and various opportunities to give input. It will build off the feedback and recommendations from previous planning initiatives.

Key tasks and timelines for this planning project:

May 2021: Review Previous Studies
The plan is building on the foundation laid by the previous plans

June/July 2021: Visioning
Developing a vision with the community

July/August 2021: Concepts
Develop concepts to illustrate how the vision could potentially be implemented

Sept/Oct 2021: Draft Plan
Develop draft plan highlighting vision, goals, and recommendations

December 2021: Final Plan
Approval by Metropolitan Interstate Council Policy Board in Jan. 2022

2022-2024: Engineering
MnDOT continues community engagement and develops reconstruction plans

2026: Construction
Reconstruct Central Entrance

Central Entrance Vision Plan

Central_Entrance_Vision_Plan_FINAL_122121.pdf

Appendix A - Steering Committee Meeting Summaries

Appendix-A-Steering-Committee-Meeting-Summaries.pdf

Appendix B - Review of Existing Plans and Studies

Appendix-B-Review-of-Existing-Plans-and-Studies.pdf

Appendix C - Public Engagement Materials & Data

Appendix-C-Public-Engagement-Materials-and-Data.pdf

Appendix D - Public Engagement Framework

Appendix-D-Public-Engagement-Framework.pdf

Appendix E - Traffic Analyis Memo

Appendix-E-Central-Entrance-Traffic-Analysis-Memo.pdf

Appendix F - Travel Demand Modeling

Appendix-F-Travel-Demand-Forecasting-Methodology-and-Results-Summary-Memo.pdf

Appendix G - Trip Generation from Realistic Development Scenario

Appendix-G-Realistic-Development-Scenario-Trip-Generation.pdf

Appendix H - Comments on Draft Plan

Appendix-H-Comments-Received-on-Draft-Plan.pdf


For the purposes of this plan, Central Entrance was divided into five zones that roughly align with the surrounding land uses and roadway context. The five zones used in this plan are as follows:

You can click on each of the Zones, below, to view a video for the pedestrian perspective of each segment.

Zone 1: Trinity Road to Anderson Road

Zone 2: Anderson Road to Basswood Avenue

Zone 3: Basswood Avenue to Arlington Avenue

Zone 4: Arlington Avenue (CSAH 90) to Blackman Avenue

Zone 5: Blackman Avenue to Mesaba Avenue 

From those who participated in these virtual walks during the Plan’s developent, common themes emerged to create and focus the community’s vision. These themes centered on traffic, biking, walking, safety, and corridor aesthetics.