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Train crossing causes headaches in Minneapolis
A neighborhood in Minneapolis has experienced more than 500 delays in only one year, causing headaches for both residents and emergency personnel. FOX 9’s Emily Pofahl has the details.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - In one north Minneapolis neighborhood, getting stuck at a train crossing is more than just an occasional inconvenience — it’s a daily reality.
Train crossing delays disrupt daily life in Camden
What we know:
A study conducted by the City of Minneapolis from 2023 to 2024 showed the Camden area dealt with 559 train crossing delays in one year. The majority of delays were around 15 minutes, but 11 lasted longer than an hour.
There are three railroad crossings in the Camden neighborhood. The busiest crossing is on Lyndale Avenue, and there are two others at 45th Avenue and Humboldt Avenue near the Humboldt rail yard.
Local perspective:
Minneapolis Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw understands the problem firsthand. Her office window once overlooked the crossing at Lyndale, where she saw the issue play out daily.
"What makes it worse though is like the folks who try to cross over," Vetaw said. "You see people try to hurry up and speed through it."
The delays are more than just inconvenient — they can have serious consequences. Just north of the crossing at Humboldt sits Fire Station 20.
The Minneapolis Fire Department tells FOX 9 trains have delayed emergency crews 307 times in seven years.
"This is a top public safety issue in my ward, and it has been for decades," said Vetaw.
We have developed a coordinated response to mitigate the impact since this has been an ongoing concern for many years.
Every minute matters during one of our calls, and blocked crossings – even with a mitigated solution – impact our ability to reach residents when they need help most," said Interim Minneapolis Fire Department Chief Melanie Rucker.
Neighbors have learned to be patient, but the delays can disrupt everything from walking the dog to getting to medical appointments on time.
Plans to address the problem
Why you should care:
The city is set to receive $2 million in federal funding and another $50,000 from Canadian Pacific to study possible solutions.
Options on the table include building an underpass, an overpass or a pedestrian bridge to help vehicle and foot traffic flow even when trains are sitting in the crossing.
Vetaw said Friday city staff will spend the next few years studying the crossings and considering the best fix. Construction, however, may not begin until 2030.
Canadian Pacific contributed to the city’s grant application for the federal money and, Vetaw said, is helping find a solution.
In a statement to FOX 9, the company said it "makes every effort to keep trains moving efficiently and to minimize the amount of time it occupies a road crossing."
Neighbors are hopeful that relief is coming, even if it means waiting a bit longer.