Transportation policy bill pedals toward governor's OK

New protective measures for bicyclers, the establishment of a position to aid Department of Transportation dispute resolution and a required periodic review of MnDOT-owned property for possible sale are part of an omnibus transportation policy bill that is headed for the governor’s desk.

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Law allowing day care wokers to unionize passes narrowly after ugly debate

On the final day of the 2013 Legislature — and by the narrowest of margins after hours of fierce debate — the DFL-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill allowing state-subsidized home child-care workers and personal care attendants the right to join a union.

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Getting to work: By car, foot, bike or the Internet

Like any seasoned computer professional, Sue Hakomaki, a senior business analyst at UnitedHealthcare, knows that the best time to start a large computer run is early in the morning when Internet traffic is at its lightest. But getting to the office early for Hakomaki can involve a grueling battle with morning traffic as she drives from her St. Anthony Park home to work in the distant western suburbs.

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Improving access, easing hunger

Encouraging some people in poverty to access assistance programs like food support (formally the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) can be tough. This is especially true of senior citizens. While about 65 percent of eligible Minnesotans participate in SNAP, only 41 percent of eligible seniors do. The reasons for this disparity are plentiful: stigma, lack of awareness, the desire for independence, and the challenges of applying, to name a few.

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Minnehaha Avenue reconstruction: What we know, what we don't know

Hennepin County is planning a two-year reconstruction project for the approximately 2.2 mile stretch of Minnehaha Avenue from 46th Street South to Lake Street.

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Where's the space for community input on Minnehaha Avenue reconstruction? Part two: Businesses

Hennepin County has asked for community feedback on the two-year Minnehaha reconstruction project for the approximately 2.2 mile stretch from 46th Street South to Lake Street. However, details about the project and how to submit feedback have been lacking, according to many. Dave Koch, manager at the Rail Station Bar and Grill, commented, "What can we do? It's going to happen. We're not looking forward to it, but it's going to happen."

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Where's the space for community input on Minnehaha Avenue reconstruction? Part one: Bikes

A cyclist uses the bike lane on Minnehaha Avenue. The bike lane runs between moving vehicle traffic and parked cars.

Next year, Hennepin County will begin a two-year long reconstruction project on Minnehaha Avenue for the approximately 2.2 mile stretch from 46th Street South to Lake Street. Many members of the community have strong opinions about what Minnehaha should look like moving into the future, but uncertainty about details and about when and how to provide feedback are leaving some not sure that they can make their voices heard.

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House re-passes "lights on" transportation funding bill

Rep. Frank Hornstein presents the omnibus transportation finance bill on the House floor May 19. (Photo by Andrew VonBank)

The House passed a transportation budget bill Sunday that would provide billions of dollars for statewide road maintenance projects over the next two years and includes one-time funds toward a new light-rail line.

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Climate change activism in Minneapolis, and fracking

I had an interesting experience last night that I thought MN Progressive Project readers would like to hear about, and the best way to do this is to cross post something I wrote on my science blog, so that’s below.

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Twin Cities Greenways with Dacia Durham and Matthew Hendricks

The podcast this week is a conversation with Dacia Durham and Matthew Hendricks, leaders of the Twin Cities Greenways project on Minneapolis’s North Side. The Greenways initiative is aiming to build a series of greeways, or pedestrian and bicycle streets through Minneapolis and Saint Paul, that would give people transportation options similar to the successful Midtown Greenway in South Minneapolis. They are currently working on building support for a north-south greenway through the city’s North Side, along Irving and Humbolt Avenues, that would connect the north side to downtown Minneapolis. Dacia, Matthew, and I sat down a few weeks ago at the MacPhail Center for the Performing Arts during the last snowstorm of the year to talk about what a greenway looks like, where the idea came from, and how the community engagement process has been going.

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