Concrete barriers going up at intersections in Mill District of Minneapolis, meant to diminish thru traffic

The city of Minneapolis is putting a series of barricades along 2nd Street between 5th and 11th Avenue in the Mill district, officials say.

Minneapolis police tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the concrete barriers are being called ‘temporary cul-de-sacs’ and are meant to diminish thru traffic while allowing residents and employees who have jobs in the neighborhood access to their homes or work.

Illegal street racing and dangerous activity in the neighborhood prompted these temporary barriers, police note.

A Minneapolis police spokesperson says it’s unclear how long the concrete barricades will be in place, noting they would be in place for the foreseeable future. The barricades placement could change based on effectiveness and resident feedback.

A police spokesperson said they also serve as ‘resource multipliers’ because police don’t have to use their squads to block the intersections instead.

The ‘temporary cul-de-sacs’ will be located at intersections along 2nd Street, and some intersections will be completely blocked, while others will only allow left or right turns.

Additionally, police say new parking enforcement is in place, with no overnight parking signs going up along that stretch of 2nd Street. Residents are urged to be aware of these new parking restrictions, as vehicles parked overnight could be towed.