St. James invites residents to weigh in on Armstrong Boulevard and Fifth Avenue project

St. James has invited residents to an engagement session about an Active Transportation Demonstration Project at the intersection of Armstrong Boulevard North and 5th Avenue North. The city’s notice, posted June 8, 2026, identifies the project in St. James’ Active Transportation Plan and says it is funded through a Minnesota Department of Transportation Active Transportation Planning Assistance Grant.

The announcement puts residents, students, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers in the conversation as the city evaluates possible safety and active-transportation improvements at the named intersection. The engagement process is intended to give the public an opportunity to provide input before design or construction decisions are made.

What residents know so far i

The city has identified one intersection for the demonstration project: Armstrong Boulevard North and 5th Avenue North. That location could be relevant to people walking, cycling or driving through the area, as well as students and commuters who use the intersection.

However, the available notice does not describe a final project design. It does not say whether the work would include a crossing, bike lane, roundabout or another specific treatment. It also does not state that construction has been approved or begun, and no completed safety improvement is described.

The notice identifies the funding source as a MnDOT Active Transportation Planning Assistance Grant, but it does not state the grant amount. It also does not provide the total project cost or a construction schedule.

Separate grant award is not confirmed as project funding i

A separate 2025 annual report from the St. James Economic Development Authority, published in 2026, says St. James applied for a MnDOT BOOST grant and was awarded $13,173 toward a project.

That award provides context about the city’s transportation and development-planning work, but the available materials do not establish that the $13,173 BOOST grant is funding for the Active Transportation Demonstration Project at Armstrong Boulevard North and 5th Avenue North. The city notice instead identifies an Active Transportation Planning Assistance Grant as the project’s funding source.

Session date and next steps remain unclear i

The city’s next known step is the resident engagement session. The available notice does not specify when that session will take place. It also does not identify a later deadline for comments or a date for a final decision.

Until the engagement process occurs and additional project documents are released, the project’s scope, design, cost and timing remain undecided in the available materials. Residents and other people who use the intersection can expect the engagement process to be the point at which the city gathers input on possible changes, but the packet does not support a conclusion about what will ultimately be built.