Bryn Mawr resident new public works director

I like to puzzle through problems with people, and public works has lots of good problems to solve.”

Margaret Anderson Kelliher

Following a public hearing and unanimous support from the Public Works and Infrastructure committee, on Feb. 10, 2022, the Minneapolis City Council approved the appointment of Margaret Anderson Kelliher to a four-year term as the Minneapolis Public Works Department Director. She has resigned as Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Commissioner to take the position.
Anderson Kelliher’s community ties were referenced since she was first nominated by the mayor in January. She has lived in Bryn Mawr since the early 1990s where she and her spouse raised their two children. She served on the Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Association board, worked as a Neighborhood Revitalization Program community organizer, and was an aide to State Senator Alan Spear prior to being elected to office herself.
In elected office, Anderson Kelliher served as State Representative for the area (then District 60A) from 1999 to 2011, and as Speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011. She was later president and CEO of the Minnesota High Tech Association and has served as many volunteer boards, including the Governor Dayton’s Broadband Task Force (which she chaired), the Greater Metropolitan Workforce Development Council, and Textile Center Board of Minnesota.
In the mayor’s announcement of the nomination, Anderson Kelliher’s expertise in transportation policy, finance, climate action, and organizational leadership were all highlighted. At the hearing, she was praised by Metropolitan Council member and Director of the Native American Community Development Institute, Robert Lilligren, for creating the Office of Tribal Affairs as commissioner; and by Move MN Executive Director Sam Rockwell for establishing the Sustainable Transportation Advisory Council.
“Without a doubt Commissioner Anderson Kelliher has been one of the most progressive, thoughtful and responsive leaders at MnDOT that I have had the pleasure to work with,” said State Senator Scott Dibble (District 61). “She understands that our built environment can either add to greater racial, social and economic justice and contribute to improving our environment and climate or can do the exact opposite.”
“I am proud that the city has been able to recruit Margaret Anderson Kelliher to serve as our public works director,” said Ward 7 Council Member Lisa Goodman. “Her extensive background in leadership, management and all things public works will ensure she can step into the job seamlessly right away. “
Anderson Kelliher will be entering the department at a time of high hopes, and some controversy. At the hearing and elsewhere, people stressed the importance of the department implementing policies that were passed under the leadership of the former director, Robin Hutchison, including the Complete Streets Policy, Vision Zero, the Transportations Action Plan, the Minneapolis Climate Action Plan and the Minneapolis 2040 Plan.
“Robin left big shoes to fill,” said Risa Hustad, a Ward 11 Capital Long-range Improvement Committee member. “The choices we make over the next year will set a precedent for how we orient our city’s built environment over the next 20 years.”
“I hope to hear a commitment to our plans, to the Transportation Action Plan, to our Minneapolis 2040 plan and to Vision Zero,” said Elissa Schufman, chair of the city’s Bicycle Advisory Committee. “I am excited and hopeful today that Margaret Anderson Kelliher will make a strong commitment to these plans and actions, including support for 24/7 bus lanes and protected bike lanes on Hennepin Avenue.”
Following the hearing Anderson Kelliher voiced her commitment, and even excitement about working to implement these plans and policies and said that was one of the reasons she accepted this position. “Cities like Minneapolis are leading,” she said, “with a focus on the climate crisis which is our most important thing we can be working on.”
She also answered questions from committee members about water investments, sidewalk snow and ice removal, the proposed East Phillips urban farm project, rethinking highways and more. When asked about the new facility that is planned to be built in East Phillips, where some residents had proposed an urban farm, she indicated an interest in helping to play a positive role in facilitating some use for farming. When asked about Rethinking Interstate 94 she indicated openness to studying all options, including “removal or parkway option.”

Hennepin Avenue project
The topic that was the most controversial was the proposed new design for South Hennepin Avenue, from Douglas Avenue to Lake Street, which is expected to go to the city council for approval this spring. Some people stressed the importance of following the layout recommended by staff that includes protected bike lanes and dedicated bus lanes. Others shared concerns about the loss of on-street parking spaces.
In response to Ward 10 Council Member Aisha Chughtai’s questions about her position on the design, Anderson Kelliher said, “I do believe there is a way to largely preserve the plan. If you are going to have a bike lane it needs to be protected. We have an opportunity to preserve and phase in a transit priority.” Later she added, “I strongly support having 24/7 [dedicated bus] lanes, but I am not sure it will be needed on the day we open.”
The design could be built as recommended, Anderson Kelliher suggested, but that, at least at first, some additional parking could be allowed on some portion of the bus lanes for some time periods of the day. She is most concerned with the portion closer to Franklin where parking is more limited, adding that there would have to be discussion with the Met Council about their projected needs and that the results of a soon to be released study might help inform those talks. “My commitment is to work on this issue,” she said, “I am sure there are other ideas.”
Anderson Kelliher admits that she does not shy away from problems and says that working on problems and trying to find solutions is one of her strengths. “I am excited to work with folks on the problem-solving piece,” she said. “I like to puzzle through problems with people, and Public Works has lots of good problems to solve.”