Transit & Infrastructure

A Mahtomedi woman died after being struck by a vehicle on Interstate 94 in the Twin Cities east metro on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. Authorities are investigating the fatal incident on the busy interstate corridor; additional details on the circumstances were not immediately released.

The Minneapolis City Council on Dec. 11 approved a final “flexible open street” plan for George Floyd Square at 38th & Chicago, keeping the intersection open to traffic while prohibiting vehicles from crossing the precise memorial location. Construction is slated to begin in 2026 and includes major infrastructure upgrades and restoration of Metro Transit service on Chicago Avenue, with city leaders saying the design centers healing, unity and neighborhood vitality.

The U.S. Department of Transportation said Dec. 11 that airlines are not required to cover passenger expenses like hotels, meals, or ground transportation when flights are disrupted by manufacturer aircraft recalls or groundings. The clarification, following recent Airbus A320-family issues, still leaves passengers eligible for refunds on canceled flights under federal rules; Twin Cities travelers at MSP should expect airlines may offer goodwill aid but are not obligated to pay incidental costs in recall situations.

St. Paul Public Works Director Sean Kershaw explained why residential plowing doesn’t start immediately under the current snow‑emergency system and said the city will test two alternate‑side parking models beginning in January to let plows reach neighborhood streets sooner. The city’s existing phases begin at 9 p.m. (Night Plow) and 8 a.m. the next day (Day Plow) to give drivers time to clear main routes and residents time to move cars; the pilot, running January through mid‑April with weekly side‑switching, keeps one side clear to speed residential plowing and was lightly tested last winter.

Metro Transit introduced Route 345 on Dec. 10, 2025, creating a new connection from the Woodbury area to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport and the Mall of America. The service provides a direct east‑metro link to two major regional hubs, expanding transit options for commuters and travelers.

Minneapolis and St. Paul declared snow emergencies Wednesday night, Dec. 10, following a winter storm, triggering citywide parking restrictions, towing enforcement, and scheduled plowing. Minneapolis’ three‑day rules begin 9 p.m. Wednesday with no parking on Snow Emergency routes, then even‑side non‑routes and parkways Thursday, and odd‑side non‑routes Friday; St. Paul starts Night Plow routes at 9 p.m. Wednesday, switches to Day Plow routes at 8 a.m. Thursday, and its emergency lasts 96 hours to Sunday at 9 p.m.

A man was fatally struck by a snowplow Wednesday in a catering company parking lot on Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport property. Authorities responded to the scene and opened an investigation; additional details about the victim and driver were not immediately released.

A late‑Tuesday-to‑Wednesday winter storm — bringing generally 3–5 inches in the Twin Cities (locally higher in the northern metro and 5–8+ inches across central/northern Minnesota), a rain‑to‑snow changeover and gusts up to 40–45 mph — produced blowing snow and low visibility with many roads snow/ice covered into Wednesday morning. Minnesota State Patrol reported 255 crashes and 375 vehicles off the road (including 13 jackknifed semis, 19 injury crashes and one fatality), and a multi‑vehicle pileup on Hwy. 52 at the Concord Blvd exit in Inver Grove Heights snarled traffic.

Belle Plaine, Brooklyn Park, Eden Prairie, New Hope and West St. Paul declared snow emergencies Wednesday morning after several inches of snow fell across the metro. As of 6:40 a.m., Minneapolis and St. Paul had not declared snow emergencies; residents are advised to follow their city’s posted parking rules to avoid tickets and towing.

A fast‑moving winter storm left many Twin Cities roads snow‑covered early Wednesday, with MnDOT reporting dozens of plows working and dozens of schools closed or opening late. Early totals ranged from about 2.8 inches in Chanhassen to 6.9 inches in Cambridge (MSP Airport ~3.4"), and winter storm warnings/advisories remain in effect with gusty winds and heavy snow rates possible overnight, prompting NWS to advise avoiding nonessential travel.

A 66-year-old Forest Lake man died after crashing into the median and then walking into traffic, where he was struck on northbound I-35E just north of County Road J in Lino Lakes around 5:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. The 26-year-old driver who hit him was uninjured; the victim’s identity will be released later as troopers investigate what led to the initial off-road crash.

St. Paul has declared a snow emergency and moved into the enforcement phase, with city officials ticketing and towing vehicles that violate snow-emergency parking rules. During the recent snow emergency the city issued 3,253 tickets and towed 952 vehicles.

The FAA has selected Peraton to lead a multi‑year overhaul of the nation’s air‑traffic control systems, a move with implications for Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport and travelers across the Twin Cities. Announced in a Dec. 5 TwinCities.com report, the award positions Peraton to manage core modernization work the FAA says is needed to improve safety, reliability and capacity.

The FAA has scaled back its mandated flight‑capacity reductions at 40 major U.S. airports from a planned 10% ramp (held at 6%) to 3% as controller attendance improved, but the order — in effect since Nov. 7 amid unpaid air traffic controllers, staffing shortages and missed paychecks — remains in place and continues to limit operations at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International (MSP). The cuts and earlier staffing shortfalls have caused widespread delays and thousands of cancellations nationwide (dozens at MSP), prompted airlines to offer refunds and waivers, and spurred an FAA probe into carriers’ handling of the reductions.

The Federal Aviation Administration opened an investigation on December 5, 2025 into how U.S. airlines implemented FAA-ordered flight reductions during the federal shutdown, a move that could affect carriers serving Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. The agency previously imposed nationwide cutbacks that included MSP; the probe will review carriers’ compliance and could lead to enforcement actions.

The Federal Railroad Administration finalized a rule on Dec. 5, 2025, allowing railroads to reduce some manual track inspections if they use approved technology to detect defects. The nationwide change applies to rail lines that run through the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro, shifting more inspection responsibility to sensors and automated systems while the FRA says safety standards will be maintained.

Metro Transit says a school bus and a light-rail train collided around 9:30 a.m. Friday at University Ave W and Western Ave N in St. Paul, sending one student to the hospital with minor injuries as a precaution. A witness told authorities the bus driver ran a red light; Metro Transit Police and the Minnesota State Patrol are investigating, and another bus transported the remaining students to school.

Light snow, ice and slush across Minnesota contributed to 100 property-damage crashes between midnight and 9 a.m. Friday, including 64 vehicles off the road, 10 spinouts, two jackknifed semis and five injury crashes. One person died in a two-vehicle crash on Hwy 67 near 190th Ave north of Wood Lake just after 8 a.m., and MnDOT said side streets and ramps were the slickest in the Twin Cities.

Washington County and a church reached a $7.35 million agreement for property needed to build the Lake Elmo Avenue–Minnesota 36 interchange in Lake Elmo. The pact clears a key right‑of‑way hurdle for the east‑metro highway project as the county advances design and land acquisition.

About a half‑inch of snow Tuesday night left some Twin Cities roads slick Wednesday morning, with MnDOT reporting clear to partially covered conditions and warning that side streets and ramps may be most treacherous. Plows are salting ahead of a rapid temperature drop into the single digits this afternoon and below zero overnight.

Federal auditors from the U.S. Department of Transportation say Minnesota improperly issued a sizable share of commercial driver’s licenses to foreign nationals — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy alleged about one‑third were unlawfully issued, including holders from El Salvador, Somalia and Ukraine with expired work authorization — and have given the state 30 days to fix deficiencies or risk losing roughly $30 million in federal highway funds. Minnesota’s Driver and Vehicle Services has paused issuing CDLs to foreign nationals while conducting an internal review and preparing an action plan, and USDOT is also probing CDL training centers for possible falsified training data and curriculum shortfalls.

Ramsey County and Metro Transit announced on Dec. 2, 2025, that the long‑planned METRO Purple Line will be replaced by a new 'Bronze Line' hybrid bus route running between St. Paul and Maplewood. The revised corridor shortens and retools the project, shifting away from the previous Purple Line plan and setting up next steps for design, environmental review and public engagement.

Metro Transit will debut the E Line bus rapid transit this weekend, replacing Route 6 and providing faster, more frequent service between Southdale and the University of Minnesota with upgraded stations and security features. The agency expects about 3,000 riders per day, and business groups at 50th & France and in Linden Hills—hit hard by construction—are cautiously optimistic the new service will boost foot traffic.

TSA will charge a $45 fee for travelers without acceptable identification to use its Confirm.ID verification system, covering a 10-day travel period and taking effect Feb. 1, 2026; acceptable IDs that avoid the fee include REAL ID, passports and trusted traveler cards, and REAL ID compliance began in May 2025. TSA urges passengers to pay online before arriving (airport payment options and signage will be available but delays are expected) and says the fee shifts costs from taxpayers to travelers, according to TSA’s Adam Stahl.

Airbus ordered urgent software fixes for A320-family aircraft following a flight-control incident. The company says most jets have now been updated, with fewer than 100 planes worldwide still awaiting the required patch.

Minneapolis declared a three-day snow emergency Sunday after the season’s first major storm, imposing citywide parking restrictions to clear more than 1,000 miles of streets. Day 1 bans parking on Snow Emergency routes 9 p.m. Nov. 30–8 a.m. Dec. 1; Day 2 restricts the even side of non-routes and both sides of parkways 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Dec. 1; Day 3 restricts the odd side of non-routes 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Dec. 2, with ticketing and towing for violations.

A daylong snow event slicked roads across Minnesota Saturday, with the State Patrol reporting 174 property‑damage crashes, 13 injury crashes, 114 vehicles off the road and two jackknifed semis between midnight and 4 p.m.; MnDOT said most Twin Cities and southern Minnesota roads were snow‑covered and icy. Snow totals included about 2.8 inches in Bloomington and higher amounts in southern communities (Fairmont 7.5 inches, Faribault 5.5 inches, Albert Lea 4.5 inches), and Minneapolis–St. Paul International reported dozens of disruptions — 25 canceled and 81 delayed arrivals, and 18 canceled and 93 delayed departures — with light snow expected to continue into the night and exit around midnight.

President Trump signed a stopgap funding bill ending the 43‑day shutdown, OPM directed federal employees to return Thursday and agencies will issue back pay in four tranches beginning by Nov. 19 while the measure reverses shutdown‑era firings and bars new layoffs through January. The package restarts programs including SNAP, releases $3.6 billion in LIHEAP heating aid to states and tribes, and extends funding through Jan. 30, though SNAP and other benefits may take days or longer to reach recipients and a separate vote on ACA premium subsidies is expected in December.

Minnesota State Patrol says a man died by suicide around 4:52 p.m. near Highway 36 and Highlands Trail North in Lake Elmo, leading authorities to close eastbound Hwy 36 between I-694 in Pine Springs and Demontreville Trail North. MnDOT said the closure was expected to last into the evening with an estimated reopening around 10:19 p.m.; details on involvement of other vehicles were not immediately available.

Lakeland will hold an open house to discuss plans for a new City Hall, but city leaders have sent the current proposal back to the drawing board and halted moving forward with acquiring the Telus building at 84 St. Croix Trail S., which had been the subject of a $525,000 letter of intent. Officials directed staff to broaden the search and reevaluate potential sites and options.

The union representing hundreds of food-service workers at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport called off a threatened strike after reaching a labor agreement with HMSHost, avoiding disruptions during a busy travel week. The tentative deal means airport restaurants and concessions can continue operating without a walkout while details are finalized.

On Nov. 23 at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem handed out $10,000 bonus checks to several dozen TSA agents and announced a $1 billion national investment in TSA security checkpoint technology. The bonuses recognize staff who worked through the federal shutdown, and the upgrade plan includes new scanning, X‑ray and AIT equipment across U.S. airports; FAA separately said 776 air traffic controllers/technicians with perfect attendance will also receive $10,000, while DHS has not specified the total number of TSA recipients.

The Metropolitan Council has opened applications for a new Metro Transit Police Department chief, with interim chief Joseph Dotseth confirming he will apply. The department cited improving safety trends — serious crime down 21% year‑over‑year and officer‑initiated calls up 129% — alongside ongoing efforts such as de‑escalation training, station upgrades and the Transit Rider Investment Program; applications close Dec. 17.

Waymo has begun mapping and early testing in Minneapolis with a fleet of "less than 10" Jaguar I‑PACE and Zeekr RT vehicles driven by humans, using its sixth‑generation Waymo Driver and self‑cleaning sensors tuned for snow and ice after winter‑prep testing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, California’s Sierra Nevada and upstate New York. The company says no permits are required for this mapping phase but will work with state and city officials as it seeks commercial approval and plans a phased expansion model like San Francisco aiming for airport and freeway connectivity, drawing support from state House transportation co-chairs and MADD Minnesota.

MnDOT will hold public meetings in St. Paul as it begins visual quality planning for the Robert Street reconstruction between Page Street and Cesar Chavez Street, part of a project to replace pavement and sidewalks and improve safety. Meetings are at Backstory Coffee Roasters, 432 Wabasha St. S., on Monday from 9–11 a.m. and Dec. 10 from noon–1 p.m.; Project Manager Chris Bower and partners will gather feedback to reduce community impacts ahead of phased construction slated for 2027–2028.

A Minnesota Reformer reporter and photographer documented about 20 ICE detainees in shackles boarding a Key Lime Air charter on the MSP tarmac the morning of Nov. 12, 2025, as three unmarked vans delivered them under federal escort. The Metropolitan Airports Commission said federal law prevents MSP from restricting such operations and that it receives no advance notice of non‑commercial flights; one detainee described being flown to Louisiana before removal to Ecuador amid an uptick in deportations.

MnDOT denied a permit for the annual Vikings-Packers tug-of-war on the Stillwater Lift Bridge, prompting organizer Ryan Nelson of Guv’s Place in Hudson to relocate the event to Hudson’s Old Toll Bridge. Last year’s event drew about 150 participants and raised $4,000 for first responders; organizers say the move could boost Wisconsin businesses while Stillwater’s mayor explores whether the city could assume permitting to bring it back, though MnDOT’s willingness to reconsider remains unclear.

Michael Kentrell Smith, 39, was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide in Ramsey County after a hit-and-run on St. Anthony Avenue that killed 30-year-old Amber O. Deneen and her two dogs; police allege Smith slowed but did not stop at a stop sign before striking Deneen and witnesses say they followed and honked at the dark-colored SUV as it fled. Surveillance video shows the SUV at a nearby Speedway inspecting the front passenger tire, Smith told officers he thought he hit bike-lane cones and later said, “I don’t remember hitting nobody,” and his first court appearance is set for Tuesday while neighbors plan a memorial and police increase local speed enforcement.

Metro Transit agreed to pay $500,000 — the maximum allowed under Minnesota’s liability cap for government entities — to Bradley Legrid, who was run over by a bus while riding a motorized skateboard in the crosswalk at Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis. Legrid suffered severe injuries, and his attorney criticized the state cap as incentivizing agencies to delay settlements; Metro Transit declined to comment on the case’s details.

MnDOT will hold a public meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Hastings City Hall to outline a $30–$40 million reconstruction of U.S. 61 between just north of 3rd Street and just south of 36th Street. Plans include roundabouts at MN 316 and 36th Street, a new signal at 18th Street, new sidewalks and ADA ramps, and replacement of the historic Todd Field wall to meet safety standards, with construction slated for fall 2027 through spring 2029 (most work in 2028). Funding comes from the Metropolitan Council’s Regional Solicitation and MnDOT’s Transportation Economic Development program.

A Pontiac Grand Am traveling south in the northbound lanes of Highway 169 in Bloomington collided with a Hyundai Sonata near Anderson Lakes Parkway just before 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, pushing the Hyundai into a Ford F-150. The Pontiac’s driver, 29-year-old Jasmine Jayde Nanclares of Shakopee, died at the scene; the Hyundai driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries and those in the F-150 were unhurt. The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating and said seat belt use and alcohol remain unknown.

Musab Ibrahim Kosar, 22, of Fridley, has been charged with criminal vehicular homicide after his Tesla sped off I‑94, exited at Dale Street with its headlights reportedly turned off, and struck a Toyota RAV4 at Dale and Rondo Avenue in St. Paul, killing 31‑year‑old St. Paul baker Benjamin Michael Villano. A state trooper who followed the Tesla clocked it at 84 mph and later over 100 mph but did not activate lights or sirens before the crash; Kosar and a 19‑year‑old passenger were hospitalized with serious injuries. The passenger, who suffered fractures and a dislocated hip, told investigators she had asked Kosar to stop speeding and that they had broken up earlier that day, and the criminal complaint alleges Kosar’s operation was “grossly negligent.”

The D.C. Circuit on Thursday stayed U.S. DOT’s new rule that would have limited commercial driver’s licenses for noncitizens to holders of H‑2A, H‑2B or E‑2 visas, finding the agency skipped proper procedure and failed to justify safety benefits. The rule—spurred by several fatal crashes—would have required immigration‑status checks and cut eligibility to roughly 10,000 of 200,000 noncitizen CDL holders; California this week revoked 17,000 CDLs amid audits tied to the issue. The stay halts enforcement nationwide, preserving current licensing standards while litigation proceeds.

MnDOT will close westbound I-494 between Highway 77 (Cedar Ave.) and Highway 100 from 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, through the weekend for winter prep work; eastbound I-494 will also close Saturday night for utility work, with detours via Hwy 77, Hwy 62 and Hwy 100. The agency says lanes will reopen by Monday morning weather permitting, and the I-494 ramps at Nicollet Ave. and 12th Ave. will be permanently closed by the end of the year for bridge construction.

Metro Transit will boost uniformed security across nearly every light‑rail route this winter, deploying agency police, community service officers, transit ambassadors and contract security beginning this weekend. Officials say serious crime has fallen but minor offenses such as drug use and vandalism have remained steady, driving rider safety concerns.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission says a 4,800‑sq‑ft U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at St. Paul’s Holman Field received a city building permit on Nov. 4, replacing a small in‑building CBP site to better process international charter passengers and cargo. The project, funded with federal/state grants and General Airport Revenue bonds, will handle 100–150 international flights per year and feature LEED Gold design with geothermal, solar, and a green roof.

Washington County announced an Ideal Avenue (County Road 13) improvement project between Stillwater Blvd and 34th St N on the Oakdale–Lake Elmo border, adding wider shoulders, turn lanes, and better pedestrian/bike facilities, drainage, and capacity. An open house is set for 4–6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, at the Oakdale Discovery Center, with online feedback accepted Nov. 19–Dec. 10; the $7.8 million project is slated to start in spring 2029 and will be funded by the county’s transportation sales tax, the Minnesota Transportation Advancement Account, and the cities of Lake Elmo and Oakdale.

The Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport retail operations of St. Paul-based Airport Retail Group are being split into a standalone business, with investor Megan Bender buying a stake and becoming CEO. The new entity plans to nearly double sales, including by opening a new travel convenience store in MSP’s Terminal 2.

After the federal shutdown prompted USDA to pause SNAP disbursements and initially push a roughly 65% partial‑payment plan, a coalition of states sued and district judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts ordered USDA to use contingency and other funds to provide full November benefits. The 1st Circuit upheld the lower‑court order requiring full funding (after a brief Supreme Court stay), leaving some states that already issued full payments in limbo as the Supreme Court prepares to decide whether the administration may enforce the 65% cap.

For Tuesday, Nov. 11, most government offices and post offices are closed across Minneapolis–Saint Paul, while many grocery stores and malls remain open. Minneapolis and St. Paul will not enforce parking meters (UMN meters are enforced), Metro Transit buses and Blue/Green lines run regular schedules and offer free rides to veterans and active‑duty military with ID, most libraries and many schools are closed, and select museums have varied hours.

Hennepin County dropped a proposed second ‘vertical’ access at Lake Minnetonka’s North Arm public landing in Orono after resident and city pushback, revising its redesign to add a picnic area instead. The county still plans safety and sustainability upgrades — including ramp realignment, parking changes, stormwater controls, shoreline pods for anglers/paddlers, lighting and solar features — and Commissioner Heather Edelson said the controversy will spur broader coordination among 14 lakeshore cities, the county, LMCD and the DNR on commercial use of public landings.

MnDOT reopened the reversible E‑ZPass lanes on I‑394 between downtown Minneapolis and Golden Valley on Sunday after months of bridge and pavement work, but warns overnight closures will continue through December and major traffic shifts resume in spring. Starting in February, all westbound traffic will be routed into the E‑ZPass lanes during construction, then eastbound traffic will follow as crews rehab concrete, repair bridges and ramps to Hwy. 55/I‑94, and replace the Penn Avenue bridge deck.

St. Paul officials say repeated copper wire thefts have kept roughly 250 streetlights dark along a four‑mile stretch of Shepard/Warner Road from Lowertown to Otto Avenue, despite citywide progress restoring lights. Public Works estimates it will cost $750,000 or more to fully restore the corridor; the city spent $2 million in 2024 replacing stolen wiring and installing high‑access poles, and 2025 service calls about dark lights are down about 30% year‑over‑year. Council President Rebecca Noecker is urging residents to press City Hall for dedicated funding, citing public‑safety concerns and recent related vandalism along the corridor.

The St. Paul Downtown Development Corporation purchased the condemned Capital City Plaza parking ramp at 50 Fourth St. from Madison Equities and will begin work to address safety violations, aiming to reopen it by late 2026. The privately funded deal, near the Green Line’s Central Station, keeps the ramp and the adjacent Alliance Bank Center closed for now while skyway connections to Osborn370 and Treasure Island Center remain open.

Gov. Tim Walz appointed transit specialist Robin Hutcheson as chair of the Metropolitan Council, with her term beginning Dec. 1, 2025 and running through Jan. 4, 2027; she succeeds Charlie Zelle, who retired in September, and interim chair Deb Barber is currently serving. Walz called Hutcheson a "proven leader" focused on roadway safety and quality of life. Hutcheson, a former Minneapolis Public Works director and Salt Lake City transportation director, is a Senate‑confirmed former administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration who worked on the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and she also serves as a senior fellow at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies, runs Hutcheson Advisory, formerly led NACTO’s board, and holds degrees from CU Boulder and the University of Utah.

Minneapolis this week activated five traffic‑safety cameras (Fremont Ave N near W Broadway; 18th Ave NE near Central Ave NE; 3rd St N near 1st Ave N; Chicago Ave S near Franklin Ave E; Nicollet Ave S near 46th St) as part of a pilot through July 2029 that could expand to 42 cameras and later add red‑light enforcement; the cameras capture license plates only (no facial recognition) and enforcement areas are signed as required by state law. Preliminary results show speeding fell about 30% at the camera sites and drivers exceeding limits by 20+ mph dropped 76% after a month, with 12,633 warnings issued; October warnings count as a first offense, citations begin Friday (first detected offense is a warning) and subsequent fines are $40 or $80 if 20+ mph over, though drivers may contest tickets or take a free traffic‑safety class in lieu of paying the first citation.

Xcel Energy canceled phase two of its Ten Mile Creek Solar project in St. Croix County, WI, proceeding with a 300‑MW first phase over 2,980 acres and adding a battery energy storage system that will interconnect via a new line to the Allen S. King site in Oak Park Heights. Xcel will file with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin by year‑end 2025, kicking off a 12–18 month review, with construction possible in late 2027 and service by late 2029 as the coal‑fired King plant retires in 2028.

Delta Flight 2313 from New York’s LaGuardia to Minneapolis–St. Paul was evacuated Tuesday evening after the crew reported a bomb threat around 8 p.m. ET, according to the Port Authority. Passengers deplaned while the aircraft was searched and cleared by about 10 p.m., but Delta delayed the flight until Wednesday morning.

Gov. Tim Walz and state public-safety leaders broke ground Monday on a $67 million Bureau of Criminal Apprehension regional office and forensic lab at 2350 Bassett Drive in Mankato. The 56,000‑square‑foot facility, slated to open in early 2027 with about 50 staff, will handle up to 6,000 cases and 12,000 evidence items per year, expand DNA/firearms/drug testing and training, and is expected to ease caseload pressure on the St. Paul BCA lab that serves the Twin Cities.

Hennepin County Judge Laura Thomas reduced a jury’s roughly $4.26 million award in favor of Christopher Lee Swickard to $500,000, citing Minnesota’s statutory damages cap on claims against public entities. A jury had found Metro Transit 80% at fault (Swickard 20%) after Swickard, 52, had his left leg amputated below the knee following a February 2023 incident on E. Lake St.; the probationary driver, Said Muse, resigned and argued Swickard caused his own injuries by chasing the bus, and Metro Transit notes warnings against running after buses.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that 36% of drivers observed at roadside incident scenes neither slowed down nor moved over, based on traffic‑camera analysis of 12,360 motorists in 13 states. Minnesota’s Move Over (Ted Foss) law requires motorists to change lanes—or slow down if they cannot—when passing emergency, maintenance, and, since 2023, stalled or disabled vehicles with hazards flashing; state records show nearly 1,500 Minnesotans have been cited so far in 2025 (about 1,680 in 2024 and 1,400 in 2023). Officials and AAA Minnesota say increased awareness and consistent messaging could improve compliance and protect responders and stranded motorists on Twin Cities roads.

Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport has launched a weekly food aid program for unpaid federal workers affected by the government shutdown. AFGE leader and MSP TSA agent Neal Gosman said TSA employees took home donated food boxes after their shifts, and AFGE representative Mark Johnson said many workers cannot pay rent due Nov. 1 and face $50/day late fees.

The Department of Homeland Security said U.S. Customs and Border Protection will require facial recognition and photo capture for all non‑U.S. citizens, including green‑card holders, at all ports of entry and departure starting Dec. 26, 2025. The Federal Register rule expands CBP’s existing program to land, sea, and air locations, authorizes biometric capture for children under 14 and adults over 79, and aims to combat document fraud and enhance border security.

Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines will launch a new route between Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) and Tulsa, Oklahoma, and increase frequencies to other coastal destinations as part of its summer 2026 schedule. The expansion adds a new nonstop option for Twin Cities travelers and boosts flights to popular coastal markets during the peak summer season.

Microsoft reported on Oct. 29 that issues with its Azure Front Door content delivery network are causing access problems to Azure and services like Office 365, Minecraft, Xbox Live and Copilot. The company says it is investigating and mitigating; outage reports surged on Downdetector, and Microsoft acknowledged the incident on its status page and social media. The disruption could affect Twin Cities businesses and consumers that rely on Microsoft cloud services.

Hennepin Avenue in Uptown Minneapolis reopens Friday after roughly 1.5 years of reconstruction between Lake Street and Douglas Avenue, a project that topped $30 million and added protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks and new bus shelters. Businesses along the corridor — some of which reported steep revenue losses (Autopia said a 60% drop) and closures such as Pizza Shark while the Uptown Art Fair relocated — received support from the city, which awarded grants to 36 businesses between Franklin and W. 36th Street through its business technical assistance program over the past two years.

A Wisconsin man died in a two‑vehicle crash on Interstate 94 in Afton, Minnesota, on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. The collision occurred in Washington County on the east‑metro interstate corridor; authorities are investigating the cause and have not yet released further details.

MnDOT closed Highway 65 in both directions between Highway 10 and 85th Avenue NE in Spring Lake Park on Tuesday after a semi hauling a metal pedestrian bridge struck the County Road 10 bridge deck around 11:25 a.m. The Minnesota State Patrol says the impact disconnected the trailer, which was then hit by another vehicle; no injuries were reported. The closure was announced just before noon with an estimated reopening by 4 p.m.

Edina police are searching for a man who fired a shot at a woman’s SUV on northbound Highway 169 just north of I‑494 around 7 a.m. on Oct. 11; no one was injured. On Oct. 27, police released photos of the suspect’s older sedan with tinted windows and asked anyone with information to email EdinaPoliceTips@EdinaMN.gov after the victim reported the sedan was weaving and the driver pointed a gun and fired as she passed.

Forest Lake police closed Highway 61 late Sunday after a man threatening suicide prompted an emergency response on the roadway. Officers shut the highway to protect the public and manage the situation in Forest Lake, Washington County; the report details how police handled the incident.

Rick King, chair of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, announced his retirement on Oct. 26, 2025. The MAC oversees Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport and several reliever airports, making the leadership change significant for the Twin Cities’ primary aviation infrastructure; the report did not immediately specify timing or succession details.

A Delta Air Lines flight bound for Portland aborted its takeoff at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport after flames were seen shooting from an engine. Authorities and reports described the incident as an "aircraft fire."

Alaska Airlines said Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, that it has resumed operations after an IT outage grounded its flights for hours, causing delays and cancellations across its network. The disruption affected flights serving Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) before service restarted.

Trains on the Southwest Light Rail have begun moving along the new tracks for on‑track testing. The Metropolitan Council says the Green Line extension to the west metro is still targeted to begin service in 2027, reaffirming that timeline after testing started.

Metro Transit will replace Northstar commuter rail service at the Big Lake and Elk River stations with new express bus service, affecting riders who use those stations to reach Minneapolis and other Twin Cities stops. The change shifts how Sherburne County commuters access the Northstar corridor and downtown, with officials outlining the replacement service to maintain connectivity.

MnDOT says sections of I-94 through downtown St. Paul will be closed from Friday through Monday for construction work, with posted detours and significant travel delays expected. The shutdown affects a core interstate corridor used by commuters and event traffic, and is part of ongoing road and bridge work in the downtown St. Paul area.

The Brooklyn Center Fire Department extinguished a school bus fire near 55th Avenue and Brooklyn Boulevard shortly before 3 p.m., safely evacuating eight children with help from the driver and bystanders. Metro Transit provided a bus to keep students warm and Brooklyn Center police coordinated reunification at a nearby elementary school; the bus was a total loss and the cause is under investigation, with an initial suspicion of a mechanical issue near the engine.

Grand Avenue between Macalester and Wheeler streets reopens Tuesday, Oct. 21, with a free community celebration from 4–6 p.m. and a ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m.; traffic is expected to reopen by 11 p.m. The $6.7 million phase — part of the larger Grand Ave. project between Snelling and Fairview and partly funded by the 1% sales tax approved in 2023 — aims to improve pedestrian safety and crossings, modernize infrastructure, and upgrade environmental and transit amenities, with most construction due to finish by year‑end 2025 and final cleanup into 2026.

A rollover crash closed a stretch of I-35W in Burnsville during the morning commute, forcing traffic to divert, according to a local report. Authorities warned of significant delays as detours were set up; no immediate information on injuries or a reopening timeline was available.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Driver and Vehicle Services will discontinue its pilot for same‑day printing of standard Class D driver’s licenses on Oct. 31, 2025, after recommending against expansion due to quality and appearance differences that led to acceptance issues at bars and airports. The pilot, launched in May 2023 at the Dakota County License Center in Lakeville and in Moorhead, will shift all standard licenses, IDs, and permits back to vendor‑printed cards mailed to customers.

Minneapolis Public Works will begin its fall street sweeping on Tuesday, enforcing temporary 'No Parking' rules on posted streets while crews clean. Residents are urged to watch for signs, use the city’s online map or call 311 to check their block’s schedule; vehicles parked in violation may be ticketed and towed.

The Stillwater Lift Bridge in Washington County closed for the season on Oct. 20, affecting pedestrian and bicycle crossings on the St. Croix River in the Twin Cities metro. The seasonal shutdown diverts trail users to alternative routes such as the St. Croix Crossing path until the bridge reopens in spring.

The Minnesota State Patrol says a motorcyclist who was speeding crashed on a downtown Minneapolis freeway ramp and died. The fatal single-vehicle crash occurred on a ramp serving the city’s downtown; the State Patrol is investigating and has not yet released further details.

Ryan Ebert, 44, an 18‑year veteran of the St. Cloud Police Department, died Oct. 18 at Hennepin County Medical Center after being gravely injured in a crash Oct. 13 on northbound Highway 77 just south of I‑35E in Apple Valley. The Minnesota State Patrol report says Ebert’s pickup struck a transit bus and a cable barrier, the 65‑year‑old bus driver suffered non‑life‑threatening injuries, the report lists alcohol as a factor and notes Ebert was not wearing a seat belt, though St. Cloud Chief Jeff Oxton said medical records showed only a trace amount well below impairment levels; family members have authorized organ donation and final MSP findings are pending.

A chain-reaction collision in Minneapolis involving two SUVs and a moving train left one driver in critical condition, according to the Star Tribune. The crash occurred at a rail crossing in Minneapolis; emergency responders transported the critically injured driver as investigators worked to determine how the sequence of impacts unfolded.

Two drivers were killed in a wrong-way collision on U.S. Highway 52 in Inver Grove Heights on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Authorities responded to the scene in Dakota County and have opened an investigation into how the wrong-way vehicle entered the roadway.

MnDOT will close both directions of Highway 7 between Vine Hill Road in Shorewood/Deephaven and County Road 101 in Minnetonka from 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20, for a culvert replacement. Drivers will be detoured via I-494, Highway 5, and Highway 41 during the shutdown.

MSP Airport and the Metropolitan Airports Commission say MEA-week travel will surge about 19% over a typical fall day, with more than 52,000 passengers expected at TSA on Thursday, Oct. 16, and over 50,000 on Wednesday, Oct. 15. To ease congestion, a new free FLEX Lane at Terminal 1 on the left side of Departures Drive (access via doors 5–8; connected to ramps and sky bridges) is now available, while officials expect only minimal local impacts from the ongoing federal government shutdown. Travelers are urged to arrive two hours early for domestic flights, three hours for international, consider MSP RESERVE for security, prebook parking, and use cell phone lots for pickups.

The City of Bloomington spent nearly $1 million in federal COVID‑19 relief funds to renovate a bathroom at City Hall, according to a Star Tribune report. The use of federal aid for a municipal facility upgrade highlights how pandemic funds were allocated locally and raises oversight and prioritization questions for residents and officials.

An 85-year-old Lakeville man died and a 44-year-old Farmington woman was critically injured after a wrong-way crash around 11:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, on Cedar Avenue just south of 185th St. W in Lakeville. Police say preliminary information indicates the man was driving south in the northbound lanes when the vehicles collided; both were transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, and investigators report no signs of impairment at the scene as the probe continues.

The City of Minneapolis has issued a formal Request for Proposals this week for Phase One of the 'New Nicollet' redevelopment at Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue, the former Kmart site long blamed for severing the corridor. Phase One targets the southeast quadrant with subsidized and affordable apartments; bids are due in January 2026, with a developer to be approved later in 2026 and construction still several years away.

City of Bloomington officials are considering a 9.44% property tax increase alongside plans for a $100 million complex, according to a new report. The proposal would affect Bloomington taxpayers in Hennepin County as city leaders review budget and capital project options.

MnDOT will close sections of I-94 in St. Paul from 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 13, for John Ireland Boulevard bridge replacement work tied to a nine-bridge repair program. Westbound I-94 will be closed between I-35E and Dale Street and eastbound I-94 between Highway 280 and University Ave East, with detours via I-35E, Highway 36, and Highway 280; the bridge is slated to reopen next summer.

Jerrod Rentist Johnson, 20, of Minneapolis, has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly using a large wooden table leg to repeatedly beat a woman at the Fairview and University Avenue Green Line platform in St. Paul about 5:45 p.m. on Oct. 7, 2025; surveillance footage reportedly shows initial swings, 21 additional strikes and about 17 seconds of continued blows after the victim lost consciousness. The victim suffered a fractured skull, multiple fractures in her right arm, a swollen‑shut eye, a concussion and head wounds closed with staples; officers found a bloodied table leg on the platform and arrested Johnson with blood on his hands, and he faces a separate pending assault charge in Hennepin County.

MnDOT will close I-494 between I-35W and Highway 77 overnight Friday at 10 p.m. through Saturday at 5 a.m. to pour concrete for the Portland Avenue bridge decks; drivers are detoured to Highway 62. Two ramps — I-494 east to Lyndale Avenue and I-35W north to eastbound I-494 — are scheduled to close starting Sunday night, Oct. 12 and will remain closed through November.

MnDOT announced the John Ireland Boulevard bridge over I-94 in St. Paul will close starting Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, for a teardown and rebuild and is expected to remain closed until August 2026. The long-term project is part of repairs to nine bridges on I-94 and I-35E in St. Paul; MnDOT published driver and pedestrian detours and warned of construction noise and traffic impacts for nearby residents and commuters.

MnDOT announced overnight lane reductions and targeted closures on I-35W in Burnsville beginning Monday, Oct. 6, to allow crews to stripe and deck the westbound Highway 13 bridge. Southbound I-35W will be closed nightly from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Oct. 6–8 while northbound is reduced to one lane; then northbound will be closed nightly 9 p.m.–5 a.m. Oct. 8–10, with detours and traffic impacts between I-494 and the I-35/I-35E/I-35W split.

Authorities identified the pickup driver killed in the head-on Andover crash with a school bus as Dustin King, according to a GoFundMe page set up by a family friend. Deputies said the pickup, which was towing a trailer, crossed the center line on Roanoke Street at 175th Avenue NW (just south of the Rum River) and struck the school bus; the driver was pronounced dead at the scene and two people on the bus were injured.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation will hold its first-ever statewide safety stand-down on Sept. 29, pausing projects and requiring all employees to reflect and recommit to work-zone safety in honor of two contractors killed in Twin Cities work zones last week. One worker was struck by a construction vehicle with a boom on I-35W in Burnsville on Sept. 24 and another by a dump truck on Hwy. 610 in Maple Grove on Sept. 26; MnDOT says it is coordinating with the State Patrol and Minnesota OSHA on investigations, noting the deaths are Minnesota’s fifth and sixth construction-related fatalities this year.

Spirit Airlines will end all flights and service at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, exiting the market in December. The move follows the carrier’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing earlier this year and comes after it had already scaled back most of its MSP flights.

A Sept. 27 report says a $600 million renovation program at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport is nearing completion. The multi‑year capital project, overseen by the Metropolitan Airports Commission, modernizes facilities at the region’s primary airport and is entering its final phase.

A second highway construction-zone worker has been killed in the Twin Cities on successive days, the Star Tribune reports, one day after a worker died on I-35W in Burnsville. Authorities are investigating both crashes amid renewed concerns about driver behavior and safety in active work zones across the metro.

St. Paul Regional Water Services opened its new $250 million McCarrons water treatment plant on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, upgrading core drinking water infrastructure for St. Paul and nearby suburbs. The facility’s commissioning marks a major capital project for the utility intended to enhance service reliability and capacity for metro customers.

Westbound I-94 will be closed in downtown St. Paul between southbound I-35E and John Ireland Blvd. from 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, through Monday, Sept. 29, as part of a MnDOT project to repair nine bridges on I-94 and I-35E. Detours include routing northbound I-35E traffic to westbound Hwy 36 and southbound Hwy 280, and sending southbound I-35E drivers via eastbound I-94 to southbound Hwy 52 to I-494; additional weekend closures and John Ireland Blvd. bridge work in October mean drivers should expect delays.

MnDOT says eastbound I-94 at Minnesota 610 in Maple Grove is closed Thursday afternoon due to a traffic incident, with reopening estimated around 6 p.m. A separate crash on westbound MN 610 between Fernbrook Lane N and Maple Grove Parkway is contributing to major backups amid ongoing construction lane closures.

A construction worker was fatally struck by a vehicle on Interstate 35W in Burnsville on Sept. 24, 2025, authorities said. The incident occurred within a work zone on the core Twin Cities freeway and remains under investigation.

Bridge work on Interstate 94 over the St. Croix River at the Minnesota–Wisconsin border will begin Monday, affecting traffic between Washington County and Hudson. The project is slated to create travel impacts at the busy Twin Cities–to–Wisconsin crossing; drivers should plan for delays and possible changes to traffic patterns.

Metro Transit will shut the Blue Line light rail for 12 days starting at 10 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, through Saturday, Oct. 4, with replacement buses running and trips expected to take longer. The closure launches phase one of the agency’s multi-year Renew the Blue project, replacing track along the entire corridor and several switches near Cedar-Riverside; trains resume at 7 a.m. Oct. 4, running every 12 minutes. A second phase is planned for June 2026 with a 45-day full-line closure; the Blue Line carries more than 17,000 rides per day.

Five people were shot near the Midtown Greenway by Lake Street and Stevens Avenue, steps from the transit station, shortly after 11 a.m. on Sept. 15; one victim, 46-year-old Adam John Peterson, died at the hospital Saturday. Investigators say shots were fired near the Greenway and on a walkway by the I-35W exit ramp, with victims found at multiple nearby locations; no arrests have been made as the investigation continues. Police Chief Brian O’Hara has linked the violence to nearby encampment activity and signaled increased enforcement.

The City of St. Paul reopened West 7th Street on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, after a sinkhole forced a four-month closure. The restoration of the major corridor resumes normal traffic flow along a key route connecting downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

Metro Transit says it will increase service to accommodate the all-day Farm Aid 40 concert at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, adding capacity and extra trips to handle large crowds before and after the event. The agency is directing concertgoers to use transit for access to the stadium area given expected heavy traffic and limited parking.

A Minneapolis resident filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Metropolitan Council, alleging Metro Transit light-rail stations have accessibility barriers that impede access for people with disabilities. The case targets station conditions on the Twin Cities LRT system; details on the specific stations and court venue were not immediately available.

The City of Falcon Heights reports earning a $49,000 profit from on-street parking fees charged during the Minnesota State Fair in areas near the fairgrounds. The fees were enforced on city streets in Falcon Heights during the event, generating revenue beyond program costs.