Wayzata officials discussed the anticipated impacts of Highway 12 construction during the April 21 City Council meeting, with city leaders warning that the project could affect not only residents and daily commuters, but also visitors trying to reach downtown Wayzata and the businesses that depend on them.
City Manager Aurora Yager said residents should expect changing traffic conditions as the project moves forward, including lane shifts that may change throughout the day.
Yager said the city will work to keep residents informed through its own social media channels and website, but emphasized that MnDOT remains the primary source for the most current construction updates.
“We’re going to try our best on social media and the website to amplify MnDOT’s messages,” Yager said. “But I highly recommend residents sign up on MnDOT’s website to get email notifications about construction updates.”
Yager said MnDOT’s email notifications will be the fastest way for residents, commuters and visitors to learn about changes to construction timelines or traffic impacts.
Mayor Andrew Mullin said the project could have a significant effect on access into Wayzata, particularly if key ramps or roadways are restricted without clear sequencing or adequate advance communication.
He said the city needs more clarity on “the order of the exits that are going to be impacted and when,” noting that the project will affect traffic broadly, but some closures could have a more serious effect than others.
“Everything’s going to be impacted, but when you get to the first two exits and then closing access to Shoreline Drive, that’s where it gets nuclear,” Mullin said.
For residents, the concern is daily mobility: getting to and from home, work, school, errands and appointments. For guests, the issue is whether they can easily understand how to reach downtown Wayzata during construction. And for restaurants, retailers and service businesses, any loss of convenience or clarity could translate directly into fewer visits.
Mullin said he has been hearing from restaurant owners and members of the broader business community who want the city to help communicate alternative routes into town.
“The second request I get from our business community is, is there a way we can get information out there about alternative paths to get into town?” Mullin said.
Mullin suggested the city consider hosting an open house, potentially with assistance from Sen. Julia Coleman Johnson, to create more clarity around the timing of ramp and access closures. He also said the city and county should scenario-plan routes into Wayzata based on the order of construction.
“If we had some understanding of that order, we could say, early in the construction project, please use 112 and return back to the city,” Mullin said. “If 494 is done first, then we could say later in the project, use 494 and coming back through McGinty and Bushaway.”
Mullin said the city does not yet have all of the answers, but said there is “a strong preference in the community” for the county to help scenario-plan access routes so Wayzata can better communicate with residents, visitors and customers.
