26TH AVENUE N
Theodore Wirth Regional Park to the Great Northern Riverlink Overlook
26th Avenue
Theodore Wirth Regional Park to the Great Northern River Overlook
The north side riverfront has historically been an industrial area and the 1970’s construction of Interstate 94 created an additional barrier for its residents reaching their closest and most significant water resource. The Riverlink Overlook is the first water feature in sometime to be constructed and will be followed soon by the Upper Harbor Terminal development creating new riverfront access opportunities.
The two mile 26th Avenue trail creates a recreational link to the Mississippi River and the Riverlink Overlook and a planned trail will in the future connect to existing trails at Ole Olson Park and West River Road leading to downtown Minneapolis, the Stone Arch Bridge and farther south. It passes through the Hawthorne, Jordan and Willard-Hay neighborhoods between the river and Theodore Wirth Parkway and is a safe corridor to reach shorter neighborhood destinations including Nellie Stone Johnson Community School, Farview Park, New Salem Baptist Church, Ministerio Internacional Vino Nuevo, Family Life Cenrter, St. Anne-St. Joseph Hien Church, True Vine Missionary Baptist Church and Missionary Berean.
Walkers, bikers, adults and children can recreate on what is their linear park. The Greenway also intersects several north-south bikeways including the Grand Rounds at Theodore Wirth Parkway, Emerson and Fremont Avenues, 2nd St North and the planned Queen Bike Boulevard and North Minneapolis Greenway.
Greenway News and Features
May 2021
May 2021
Viewing future river crossing from deck during 2020 construction
May 2021
The RIVERLINK OVERLOOK
IT'S OPEN!!!
With scenic views of the river, the future Great Northern Greenway river crossing a short distance south and a planned trail beneath the bridge to connect to Ole Olsen Park, the RiverLink Overlook is a beginning to welcoming north side residents to recreation on the river. A beacon light is visible from Farview Park and the street separated trail helps to cross the interstate, and industrial area to it. View a Juxtaposition Arts video about the artwork at the River Overlook and a news article about the importance of the Overlook
Art along the Greenway
At Theodore Wirth Parkway, Nellie Stone Johnson Community School and Farview Park
Aqurbane by Christopher Harrison, Big Book by Christopher Deanes and Purple Raindrop by Esther Osayande were installed along the Great Northern Greenway in 2018
Aqurbane at Theodore Wirth Parkway
Big Book at Nellie Stone Johnson Community School
Purple Raindrop at Farview Park
Aqurbane at Theodore Wirth Parkway
Queen Bike Boulevard
2021 installation
In 2022, the Minneapolis Public Works Department will build a bicycle boulevard along 4 miles of Queen Avenue North between 44th Ave N and Bassett’s Creek Trail.
The goal of the project is to create a low-stress bikeway on Queen Avenue North, make the street safer and more comfortable for all people, and make connections to destinations along the Penn Avenue North corridor. It will share use on the Great Northern Greenway from Queen to Broadway Avenues.
Northside Greenway, Phase 1
2026 estimated installation
The proposed project will create a Neighborhood Greenway along Humboldt/Irving Ave N for approximately 2.5 miles in North Minneapolis, extending from 44th Ave N to 26th Ave N. The volunteer advocacy of Northside Greenway Now has and continues to be an important voice advancing a vision for its completion.
Phase 1 route map
Northside Greenway Now at North Market
Northside Greenway prototype
Phase 1 route map
ADDITIONAL LINKS ABOUT 26TH AVENUE N AND CONNECTING TO THE RIVER
The button “26th Avenue N Links >>” is a sampling of neighborhood organizations and destinations on or near the Greenway
The button “Connecting North to the River >>” is a study detailing the challenges going forward across several north side bridges over Interstate 94 and reinventing old industrial areas to better serve north side residents.