Carver County, MN
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The Highway 5 Improvements Project will expand the highway from two to four lanes west of Highway 41 in Chanhassen to Downtown Victoria. Key upgrades include:
- Intersection enhancements to improve traffic flow and safety.
- Widening the Lake Minnewashta crossing from two to four lanes.
- Reconstructing Rolling Acres Road/Bavaria Road between Interlaken and 78th Street to reduce speeds and enhance safety for all users.
- Safety improvements for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized users, including an upgraded crossing for the Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail.
The project is currently in the final design phase. The project team is focused on:
- Refining design options.
- Preparing final project plans and seeking public input.
- Assessing construction requirements.
- Completing environmental studies, including noise analysis.
- Securing municipal consent from all project partners.
Project Purpose
The Highway 5 project aligns with the vision set forth in the Arboretum Area Transportation Plan (AATP) to address the following community priorities:
- Reducing traffic congestion
- Improving safety for all users
- Enhancing walking and bicycling conditions and connections
- Respecting the environment
- Connecting local destinations
Project Schedule
Public engagement during the design occurred in three phases:
- Phase 1 (Fall 2023):
- Shared project status and schedule.
- Shared and collected input on draft concepts.
- Phase 2 (Summer 2024):
- Shared community feedback from Phase 1.
- Shared and collected input on project design, aesthetics, and environmental review.
- Introduced construction staging options.
- Phase 3 (Spring 2025):
- Shared the final design and aesthetic elements.
- Previewed construction overview and what to expect.
Environmental Documents
Visit the Highway 5 Improvements Environmental Documents page to explore materials from the project's environmental review process. Resources include the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), Findings of Fact and Conclusions (FOF&C), Environmental Assessment (EA), Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW), and related documents.
Past Event Resources
View resources and summaries of previous engagement events and meetings.
Environmental Assessment Public Hearing and Open House
On June 12, 2025 the Highway 5 Improvements project team presented the Environmental Assessment, preliminary construction staging plans, design improvements, and the project funding plan. Below are printable versions of the exhibits and a link to the video presenting the project designs shared at the event.
- Project Overview and Environmental Process (14 exhibits)
- Project Coordination Map
- Preliminary Construction Staging (5 exhibits)
- Highway 5 Improvements Video
August 2024 Open House
A public open house was held on Wednesday, Aug. 21 at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum to share updated exhibits and other materials related to the schedule, funding, environmental processes, design details, preliminary construction plans, and proposed visual improvements. Below are printable copies of the exhibits as they appeared at the in person public open house:
- Highway 5 Open House Summary
- Rolling Acres Road Roundabouts FAQ
- Project overview and environmental review process (6 exhibits)
- Updated design options (10 exhibits)
- Preliminary construction plans (5 exhibits)
- Proposed visual improvements (10 exhibits)
- Layout: Highway 5
- Layout: Rolling Acres Rd/Bavaria Rd
- Highway 5/41 (11x17 pdf)
- Highway 5 between Rolling Acres Rd and Minnewashta Pkwy (11x17 pdf)
- Highway 5 between Kochia Ln and Commercial Ave (11x17 pdf)
- Rolling Acres Rd/Bavaria Rd (11x17 pdf)
Minnewashta Parkway Traffic Study Neighborhood Meeting
A meeting was held on Nov. 1, 2023, at the Chanhassen Recreation Center to present technical findings and recommendations from the Minnewashta Parkway Traffic Study. The traffic and safety analysis evaluated traffic volumes, vehicle speeds, accommodations for people walking and bicycling, and the impacts of shifting the access to Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. More than 500 postcards were mailed out to homeowners in the surrounding area. 25 Individuals attended the meeting and five comment cards were received onsite.
During the meeting, residents discussed speeding issues and traffic flow. Residents suggested solutions like installing new speed limit signs, closing Minnewashta Parkway, or directing traffic to go to Highway 41 or Rolling Acres Road. These comments will be taken into consideration as the project evolves.
View the Nov. 1, 2023 presentation.
Fall 2023 Open House
The following materials were presented at a public open house on Sept. 27, 2023. Attendees were asked to review the materials and provide feedback to the project team. All feedback received will be taken into consideration and help influence the project team as they move toward refining draft concepts and introducing construction staging options in spring 2024.
Project Improvement Areas
Carver County, along with project partners, is planning improvements to Highway 5 between Downtown Victoria and Highway 41 in Chanhassen. The Highway 5 Improvements Project is one of four area improvement projects resulting from the Arboretum Area Transportation Plan (AATP). The potential improvements are largely from the AATP study and have been updated since the study was completed in 2021. Many of the following recommended potential improvements have not changed since September 2023.
View details about each improvement area below.