City of Minneapolis Above the Falls Master Plan

This HIA informed revisions to the City of Minneapolis Above the Falls Master Plan, which will guide redevelopment of an industrial area along the upper Mississippi riverfront in Minneapolis. The Master Plan, being drafted by the City of Minneapolis Department of Community Planning & Economic Development, is intended to increase public access and use of the waterfront, improve housing and employment opportunities, and reduce environmental contamination. The area includes more than two miles of riverfront, and extends into surrounding low-income neighborhoods with high baseline rates of health problems including asthma, diabetes, and violent injury.

Through a survey of residents and a review of public health literature and local data, the assessment concluded that expanding the riverfront parkland would lower rates of obesity and improve mental health. Adding trails would encourage pedestrian and bicycle activity, with the potential to improve social cohesion and perceptions of community safety. The assessment also found that new plantings and vegetation could reduce water pollution from nearby industries but are unlikely to improve air quality. The HIA recommendations supported revisions to the City of Minneapolis Above the Falls Master Plan. These included creating employment opportunities that would benefit residents of North Minneapolis; creating a loop of trails along the riverfront; and ensuring safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists to access the riverfront area from surrounding neighborhoods. The report also recommended that the city engage local youth, communities of color, and individuals with limited English language proficiency in designing and developing the upper riverfront.