September 14–20, 2026
Hennepin County approved a wave of trail and transit investments this week, plus extended a mental health crisis program, while the federal and state slates were quiet on items that directly touch Bloomington.
Hennepin County had an active Tuesday. The board approved a set of walking and biking trail projects that expand the regional trail network in the western suburbs. New paths are coming to Plymouth Road (CSAH 61), Hopkins Crossroad (CSAH 73), and Baker Road in and around Minnetonka, with costs split among the county, Three Rivers Park District, and the City of Minnetonka. If you bike or walk to get around, these corridors will eventually offer off-street connections that aren't there now. All three projects are adopted by the county board and move into the design and construction pipeline.
For mental health calls. The county also locked in $749,058 in federal money to keep its mobile crisis response program running through September 2027. Those are the teams that send trained counselors to mental health emergencies. The grant is approved and the program continues without interruption.
Bridge work ahead. The county accepted $9 million in state funding to repair the Hennepin Avenue Suspension Bridge in downtown Minneapolis. If your commute or errands take you across that bridge, expect lane closures or detours once construction starts. The funding deal is adopted; a project timeline is up to the city and contractors from here.
Health and social services. The county quietly renewed a batch of contracts with health and social service providers, keeping programs like homeless services and mental health care funded and stable. Also approved: an extension of the Ostara doula program, which supports pregnant people in county custody, through September 2027.
Two federal bills that became law this week, one covering federal prison staff safety standards (S 307) and one adding court locations in Texas and California (S 32), don't have a direct effect on Bloomington residents. Several other federal items dealt with Alaska land exchanges, an Arizona forest transfer, and a pilot event program at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, none of which touch this area.
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Coming up next week:
Regional workforce hearing. The Hennepin County Board takes up the regional job training plan on Tuesday, September 22. The plan shapes how federal job training dollars get spent across the metro, which affects which programs are available to workers in Bloomington and the surrounding area. A public hearing on the plan is set for October 6, 2026, at 1:30 p.m., where residents can attend and comment in person.
Federal mining and watershed bills. Three federal bills cleared committee and are waiting for a Senate floor vote, with no firm date set yet. One (S 4041) raises the annual grant cap for local watershed management groups from $100,000 to $150,000 and opens applications year-round, which could benefit Minnesota watershed organizations. Two others, HR 3872 on hardrock mineral leasing on federal lands and S 4041's companion items, are still awaiting a floor date.
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