# ReConnect Rondo *Saint Paul organization associated with a proposed land bridge over Interstate 94 in the Rondo neighborhood.* ReConnect Rondo is an organization in Saint Paul, [[Minnesota]], associated with a proposed land bridge over Interstate 94 through the Rondo neighborhood. That neighborhood's parcels were acquired by the Saint Paul Housing Authority in 1954–56 for the highway.[^1] On July 12, 2019, City of Saint Paul planning staff presented the *ReConnect Rondo Planning Commission Update* ("Imagining Rondo") to the Planning Commission.[^2] The state and city accounts describe the project as restorative. The City of Saint Paul and members of Minnesota's congressional delegation have announced federal grants for what the City calls the ReConnect Rondo restorative development project.[^3][^4] MnDOT and the City apologized for Rondo on July 17, 2015, at a public ceremony.[^5][^6] The project's county history companion records that the verbatim text of that apology was never archived.[^7] The documented outputs are these. The project's dossier, dated September 2, 2026, finds that the land bridge had been funded at about $12.7 million against an estimated cost of more than $450 million. That is under 3 percent, and the dossier finds no construction dollars identified eleven years after the apology. It also finds that MnDOT eliminated the At-Grade alternatives that would have returned land.[^8] Published counts of the homes destroyed range from 600 to about 1,000, and the record carries no reconciled figure.[^1][^9] ## Who The City of Saint Paul's 2019 planning-commission update names ReConnect Rondo in its title.[^2] News coverage in the record describes the organization and its work on the land bridge: - *Sahan Journal* published a profile of the organization.[^10] - The *Star Tribune* profiled a woman working toward what it called a Rondo renaissance.[^11] - *MinnPost* published a March 2023 interview with a ReConnect Rondo leader on the land bridge's cost.[^12] The record does not name the organization's officers. It also does not identify which of the nonprofit filings it lists belong to ReConnect Rondo. ## What The project is a land bridge, or highway cap, over I-94 in the Rondo neighborhood.[^2] The office of U.S. Senator Tina Smith issued a release with Senator Amy Klobuchar announcing federal funding for a community land bridge project in the Rondo neighborhood.[^13] Representative Betty McCollum's office issued a release on federal infrastructure dollars granted to the ReConnect Rondo restorative development project.[^4] The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the first awards of its Reconnecting Communities program and maintains a program page.[^14][^15] ## When The project's county history companion gives the following sequence: - **1954–56:** The Saint Paul Housing Authority acquired the Rondo parcels.[^1] - **September 1956:** I-94 construction began through Rondo.[^7] - **1959:** The Legislature removed local communities' veto power over highway projects.[^7] - **1968:** I-94 was complete through Rondo.[^7] Later events: - **January 2010:** Rondo-area activists sued over the Central Corridor light-rail line on University Avenue.[^16] - **January 27, 2011:** MPR News reported that a court ruling gave the plaintiffs a partial victory.[^17] - **June 14, 2014:** The METRO Green Line opened through Rondo.[^7] - **July 17, 2015:** The apology ceremony took place.[^5][^6] - **2018:** A commemorative plaza followed, according to the project's dossier.[^8] *MinnPost* had reported on the plaza in July 2017.[^18] - **July 12, 2019:** The City's planning update was presented.[^2] - **February 8, 2024:** The City of Saint Paul restored the Rondo Avenue street name. MPR News reported the change on April 30, 2024.[^19][^20] The two published schedules for the land bridge do not agree. MnDOT's timeline places the environmental impact statement through 2028, a preferred alternative in 2028, and construction in 2029 or later. ReConnect Rondo's published schedule gives construction beginning in 2026–2030.[^21] ## Where The project lies on the I-94 corridor through the Rondo neighborhood of Saint Paul, in Ramsey County.[^2][^8] ## How much **Federal funding.** The City of Saint Paul announced a federal grant of $2 million for the ReConnect Rondo restorative development project.[^3] The *Star Tribune* reported the award as a $2 million planning grant.[^22] The federal awards program was announced by the Biden–Harris administration's Department of Transportation.[^14] Representative McCollum's office described further funding it secured for ReConnect Rondo as part of a House Democrats' appropriations package.[^23] **State funding.** Bring Me The News reported $6.2 million in state funding for the proposed land bridge.[^24] The record lists these 2021 legislative items as part of the Rondo land-bridge record: - House File 2169 of the 92nd Legislature[^25] - House File 9 of the 2021 session[^26] - *Laws of Minnesota 2021*[^27] - two House session-daily reports[^28][^29] The pack does not set out the appropriation language of these items. **Party record.** Two *Star Tribune* headlines report Republican efforts to halt, and later to claw back, state funding for the land bridge.[^30][^31] **Totals and estimates.** As of September 2, 2026, the project's dossier totals the land bridge's funding at about $12.7 million against an estimate exceeding $450 million.[^8] ReConnect Rondo's own *Past Prosperity Study* puts the home-ownership equity loss at $270 million.[^32] **Related program.** Separately, the City of Saint Paul operates an Inheritance Fund. Axios reported it on February 27, 2023 as down-payment assistance tied to Rondo.[^33][^34] ## How many The Minnesota Historical Society's Rondo guide records ReConnect Rondo's figures as 700 homes and 300 businesses.[^1] The project's dossier states the range as 600 to 700-plus homes and roughly 300 businesses.[^8] The at-issue record compares three home counts: | Count | Source | |---|---| | 600 | the Minnesota Historical Society | | 700-plus | ReConnect Rondo and MnDOT's scoping document | | approximately 1,000 | a 2015 account | The record finds that no authoritative source reconciles these three figures.[^9] ## In the at-issue record Three at-issue pairs in the record name ReConnect Rondo: - **Pair 38** sets the 600, 700-plus and approximately 1,000 home counts beside one another as unreconciled.[^9] - **Pair 44** sets MnDOT's environmental-review timeline (construction 2029 or later) against ReConnect Rondo's published 2026–2030 construction window.[^21] - **Pair 48** sets the $270 million equity loss in ReConnect Rondo's *Past Prosperity Study* against a land-bridge cost of more than $450 million.[^32] The record does not establish why the land bridge has not been built. ## Notes [^1]: Minnesota Historical Society, *Rondo research guide* (undated) — ReConnect Rondo figures of 700 homes and 300 businesses; acquisition by the Saint Paul Housing Authority 1954–56. https://libguides.mnhs.org/rondo [^2]: City of Saint Paul, *ReConnect Rondo Planning Commission Update* ("Imagining Rondo") (July 12, 2019) — planning-commission update on the Rondo land bridge. https://www.stpaul.gov/sites/default/files/Media%20Root/Planning%20&%20Economic%20Development/ReConnect%20Rondo%20Upate%20PC%2007-12-19.pdf [^3]: City of Saint Paul, news release on a $2 million federal grant to the ReConnect Rondo restorative development project (undated) — federal grant amount and project name. https://www.stpaul.gov/news/federal-grant-invests-2m-reconnect-rondo-restorative-development-project [^4]: Office of U.S. Representative Betty McCollum, press release on federal infrastructure dollars granted to ReConnect Rondo restorative development (undated) — federal grant announcement. https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/federal-infrastructure-dollars-granted-reconnect-rondo-restorative-development [^5]: MPR News, *Photos: Remembering Rondo, while letting go of the pain* (July 17, 2015) — the 2015 ceremony. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/07/17/photos-remembering-rondo-while-letting-go-of-the-pain [^6]: Star Tribune, *Healing ceremony Friday will say goodbye to Rondo neighborhood's hard feelings in St. Paul* (2015) — the scheduled ceremony. https://www.startribune.com/healing-ceremony-friday-will-say-goodbye-to-rondo-neighborhood-s-hard-feelings-in-st-paul/316059631/ [^7]: Companion to *RAMSEY_COUNTY_COMPLETE_HISTORY_2026-09-02*, history table rows HE-0137, HE-0147, HE-0162, HE-0222, HE-0224 (2026) — I-94 construction dates, 1959 veto change, Green Line opening, and the July 17, 2015 apology whose text was not archived (no source URL in the pack). [^8]: Project dossier, *Warren_E_Burger_Apex_Dossier_2026-09-02* §XI, finding RF-9 (September 2, 2026) — funding of about $12.7 million against an estimate exceeding $450 million; no construction dollars identified; elimination of At-Grade alternatives; plaza 2018; street name restored February 8, 2024 (no source URL in the pack). [^9]: At-issue pair AI-Ramsey-038 (2026) — 600, 700-plus and approximately 1,000 home counts, unreconciled. The pair's anchor (cited for the pair, not for the counts) is the White House, *Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos* (March 2025). https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/stopping-waste-fraud-and-abuse-by-eliminating-information-silos/ [^10]: Sahan Journal, *ReConnect Rondo hopes to heal Black neighborhood displaced by I-94* (undated) — profile of the organization. https://sahanjournal.com/climate-environment/reconnect-rondo-rondo-neighborhood-st-paul/ [^11]: Star Tribune, *Meet the woman working to create a Rondo renaissance in St. Paul* (undated) — profile. https://www.startribune.com/meet-the-woman-working-to-create-a-rondo-renaissance-in-st-paul/600372584 [^12]: MinnPost, interview with a ReConnect Rondo leader on land-bridge cost (March 2023). https://www.minnpost.com/metro/2023/03/reconnect-rondo-leader-no-a-land-bridge-over-i-94-wouldnt-be-too-expensive-to-build/ [^13]: Office of U.S. Senator Tina Smith, release with Senator Amy Klobuchar on federal funding for the Rondo community land bridge project (undated). https://www.smith.senate.gov/u-s-senators-amy-klobuchar-and-tina-smith-announce-significant-federal-funding-to-support-community-land-bridge-project-in-st-pauls-rondo-neighborhood/ [^14]: U.S. Department of Transportation, announcement of first-ever awards of the Reconnecting Communities program (undated). https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/biden-harris-administration-announces-first-ever-awards-program-reconnect-communities [^15]: U.S. Department of Transportation, *Reconnecting Communities* program page (undated). https://www.transportation.gov/reconnecting [^16]: MPR News, *Rondo area activists sue over Central Corridor* (January 19, 2010) — lawsuit filed. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2010/01/19/lrt-rondo-lawsuit [^17]: MPR News, *Rondo plaintiffs get partial victory in light rail ruling* (January 27, 2011) — ruling reported. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2011/01/27/central-corridor-rondo-lawsuit [^18]: MinnPost, report on the Rondo Days founder and commemorative plaza (July 2017). https://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2017/07/rondo-days-founder-commemorative-plaza-provides-capstone-life-community-work/ [^19]: City of Saint Paul Public Works, *Rondo Avenue renaming* project page (2024) — street-name restoration. https://www.stpaul.gov/projects/public-works/pw2024rondoaverenaming [^20]: MPR News, report on St. Paul officially bringing back the Rondo Avenue street name (April 30, 2024). https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/04/30/sign-of-the-future-st-paul-officially-brings-back-historic-rondo-avenue-street-name [^21]: At-issue pair AI-Ramsey-044 (2026) — MnDOT timeline against ReConnect Rondo's published schedule (sources in the pair: reconnectrondo.com, myvillager.com, not in the pack's URL list). The pair's anchor is the White House, *Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos* (March 2025). https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/stopping-waste-fraud-and-abuse-by-eliminating-information-silos/ [^22]: Star Tribune, report on a $2 million planning grant for the ReConnect Rondo I-94 land bridge (undated). https://www.startribune.com/reconnect-rondo-st-paul-2-million-planning-grant-interstate-94-highway-freeway-land-bridge/600254862 [^23]: Office of U.S. Representative Betty McCollum, press release on funding secured for ReConnect Rondo as part of a House Democrats' package (undated). https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-secures-52-million-reconnect-rondo-part-house-democrats-invest-america [^24]: Bring Me The News, report on $6.2 million in state funding for the proposed land bridge (undated). https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/proposed-land-bridge-to-reconnect-st-paul-neighborhood-gets-6-2m-in-state-funding [^25]: Minnesota House of Representatives, *HF 2169* bill information, 92nd Legislature (2021). https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/bills/Info/HF2169/92/2021/0 [^26]: Minnesota Revisor of Statutes, *HF 9* bill text, version 2 (2021). https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=HF9&type=bill&version=2&session=ls92&session_year=2021&session_number=1 [^27]: Minnesota Revisor of Statutes, *Laws of Minnesota 2021* (2021) — session-law listing. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2021/1/ [^28]: Minnesota House, *Session Daily* story 15853 (undated). https://www.house.mn.gov/sessiondaily/Story/15853 [^29]: Minnesota House, *Session Daily* story 18544 (undated). https://www.house.mn.gov/sessiondaily/Story/18544 [^30]: Star Tribune, report on Rondo advocates pushing back against GOP efforts to halt state funding for the I-94 land bridge (undated). https://www.startribune.com/rondo-advocates-push-back-against-gop-efforts-to-halt-state-funding-for-i-94-land-bridge/600164730 [^31]: Star Tribune, report on Republicans seeking to claw back state money for the Rondo land bridge (undated). https://www.startribune.com/republicans-seek-to-claw-back-state-money-for-rondo-land-bridge/601231400 [^32]: At-issue pair AI-Ramsey-048 (2026) — $270 million equity loss in the *Past Prosperity Study* against a cost of more than $450 million (sources in the pair: reconnectrondo.com, startribune.com). The pair's anchor is the White House, *Protecting America's Bank Account Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse* (March 2025). https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/protecting-americas-bank-account-against-fraud-waste-and-abuse/ [^33]: City of Saint Paul, Planning and Economic Development, *Inheritance Fund* program page (undated). https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/planning-and-economic-development/housing/inheritance-fund [^34]: Axios Twin Cities, report on St. Paul Rondo down-payment assistance (February 27, 2023). https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2023/02/27/st-paul-rondo-down-payment-assistance-reparations