Rethinking I-94: Historic Contexts and Criteria for Evaluation
In 2020, Hess Roise began working with MnDOT’s Cultural Resources Unit to create a pioneering historic context for Interstate 94 in the Twin Cities. The context, between Highway 55 in Minneapolis and Marion Street in Saint Paul, encompassed a quarter-mile corridor on either side of the interstate.
MnDOT CRU wanted to develop an in-depth historic context for this sensitive section of I-94 to address gaps in previous studies. Earlier contexts that encompassed portions of the area often ended in the early twentieth century and rarely included much information on BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ community histories, the twentieth-century social, cultural, and political movements that shaped the area around I-94, as well as the effects of the Interstate itself.
Hess Roise served as the prime contractor for the project, with a multi-disciplinary subconsultant team including other historical consultants, ethnographers, and public engagement specialists. The project prioritized public engagement interviews and surveys to understand the stories, places, and spaces that were important to those who have lived, worked, learned and played in the area.
Our project team produced twenty-two individual historic context chapters covering the complex and layered history of this corridor. Some sections focused on individual neighborhoods, with others highlighting overarching historical themes such as American Indian history, Urban Renewal, education, and recreation. Each chapter included criteria for evaluation to streamline survey efforts for future phases of the Rethinking I-94 project.