Word on the Streets

Lake Calhoun & Harriet Master Planning and Bikes

The Minneapolis Park Board is developing a new master plan for Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet, and virtually everything about the uses and spaces around the lakes is up for discussion. The park land around the lakes is already some of the most important public space in the City and, for people on bikes, the trails there are some of our most important infrastructure. But we all know it could be better, and this planning process provides an opportunity to address some of the park’s biggest limitations head on.

Here's what that means for biking and how you can participate.

Picture from Minneapolis Park Board

posted by | August 18, 2015

Oak Street Bikeway: Phase One of Something Great

Last week, the City started installing a protected bikeway on Oak Street between Washington and East River Road.

posted by | August 12, 2015

Constructing Penn Ave N for the Next 60 to 70 Years

In coming years, Hennepin County will be reconstructing Penn Avenue North. In the next week or so, critical decisions about the design of the project are being finalized.

On Tuesday, July 28, the City's Transportation and Public Works Committee had a discussion on the Concept Plan for the Penn Ave N corridor and Queen Ave N Bicycle Boulevard Concept Plan. We have blogged about some of these plans previously. Specifically, Public Works brought forward an option with no bike lanes on Penn, with an alternative bicycle boulevard on Queen Ave N.

We reject the Queen Avenue N Bicycle Boulevard Concept Plan as proposed by Hennepin County Public Works, for reasons stated below.

Community Works Process on Penn Ave N

Hennepin County has been conducting a multi-year community engagement effort on Penn Ave N as a Community Works project to solcit feedback about potential economic development, roadway, and livability improvements along the Penn Avenue N corridor. The Community Works Project is a joint planning effort with Hennepin County Community Works, the city of Minneapolis and Metro Transit to improve livability through the redesign of the roadway and public transit. The project area stretches from Interstate 394 to 49th Avenue North. At the heart of the project are key intersections targeted for redevelopment at 44th Ave, Lowry Ave, West Broadway Avenue, Plymouth Ave, Golden Valley Road and Glenwood Ave. Many of the intersections are future stops on the C Line, a bus rapid transit project from Brooklyn Center to downtown Minneapolis via Penn Ave.

Penn Avenue Steering Committee votes "no" on bike lanes on Penn

The policy body for the Penn Community Works Project (Penn Avenue Steering Committee) ended up voting to reject plans which incorporate a bike lane on Penn, including a "hybrid" option that would have included a bike lane on Penn for half of the project and a bicycle boulevard on Queen for the other half. Council Member Yang and Council President Johnson both supported the hybrid option.

posted by | July 29, 2015