Lake Avenue construction causing parking problems downtown

Parking in downtown Duluth is always a struggle, as we all know. And in the summer, construction does us no favors.

Currently, you cannot drive the full length of Lake Avenue and it’s been that way and will stay that way for some time. The project will not stop for the summer until October. It will pick back up again in mid May.

Resident in the area say they do not have a place to park unless they want to pay over $100 a month. So many people just risk getting the ticket. One resident told me that its not uncommon to see an entire row of cars with tickets on them.

But many say this is nothing new, parking in the area has always been an issue.

However, they say construction is not helping. Not only is the construction affecting traffic flow and pedestrians but people who commute by bus are also frustrated.

Duluth Resident Dania Vaughn says, “you have to walk at least a half mile to get to the nearest bus stop now.” The bus routes are being affected by detours. Though, the DTA says they didn’t have any management present for us to speak to but they did assure us that at the end of the month there will be a new program in place.

Under the Better Bus Blueprint, officials say there will be more busses, that feature new technology. Some of that technology includes their Transit App that allows you to track other busses in the area. It’s goal is to help tourists and people who are new to the area or bus system.

If you would like to get ahead and check out the new route maps or bus stops, visit the DTA website.

Other concerns that Vaughn had about construction was the effect it has on local businesses. She says, “I can honestly say that the sidewalk sale this way for the small business owners was awful. They didn’t make anything compared to the year before when we didn’t have that project.”

For more information on other Duluth road construction projects, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the City of Duluth have an interactive map for you to look at.