Work & Economy

Let's stop calling people "NIMBYs"

By Nick Magrino, Streets.MN

In my first post here, I come to you, oh humble readers of streets.mn, hoping to change your mind about one of the trendy words we urbanists throw around too often.

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Streets.MN

University Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis to be resurfaced this summer

By Margo Ashmore, Northeaster

Though inclement weather has hindered progress, Michels Pipeline workers were out Saturday, May 4 installing new gas lines for CenterPoint Energy. Xcel energy has also been working along University Avenue on service upgrades, to avoid tearing up the street again after the upcoming road resurfacing. (Photo by Margo Ashmore)

Say goodbye to bumpy rides on University Avenue; it will be resurfaced between Central Avenue and 27th Avenue sometime this summer.

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Open Streets coming to Northeast Minneapolis July 28

By Margo Ashmore, Northeaster

The last few times Central Avenue closed to traffic, it was for road reconstruction, the Celebrate Northeast parades, or to celebrate redevelopments happening. This time, it’ll be “to help promote environmentally friendly transportation choices, such as walking, bicycling and mass transit,” says a City of Minneapolis news release. “Open Streets events were also created to promote good public health by encouraging active, healthy lifestyles.

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A bike route runs through it: U.S. Bike Route 45

By Rebekah Peterson, My Broadsheet

This summer, signs will go up along the Mississippi River Trail announcing it’s newest designation – U.S. Bike Route 45. The nearly 3,000 mile interstate route begins at the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Itasca and ends at the Gulf of Mexico. According to maps from the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the route will run right through our backyard – just head down to the bike trail that runs along West River Parkway.

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The electric future is quietly arriving

By Mike Hicks, Streets.MN

Something remarkable happened last year: The country’s mix of alternative-fueling infrastructure for cars suddenly flipped from being dominated by biofuels and lighter fossil-fuel byproducts to being primarily composed of electric charging stations—at least if you go by the pure numbers.There is an asterisk by “Electric” in the legend of the chart above, and the footnote says that each individual charging port is counted separately. But there were still 13,392 electric-vehicle chargers by the end of 2012, and even if the number is inflated by four or five times, it still outstrips the 2,654 stations for the nearest competitor—propane. If that sudden spike in growth is the beginning of a trend, electric chargers will be in the clear majority soon.

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Streets.MN

Post-traumatic stress disorder coverage could become new workers' compensation benefit

By Susan Hegarty, Session Weekly/Session Daily

Employees who experience a tragic event at work that results in post-traumatic stress disorder would be able to apply for worker’s compensation under a bill on its way to the governor.

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Fresh Forks, two-month bicycle tour of Mississippi River, to spur community dialogue on farms

By Hailey Colwell, The Minnesota Daily

Recent University graduates Siri Simons and Christy Newell will be biking the length of the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Itasca this summer. Along the way, they will visit a number of different cities and farms so that they can discuss new ideas, educate young people about food, and encourage them to be interested in agriculture and farming. (Photo by Jaak Jensen)

University of Minnesota alumna Siri Simons used to daydream in class about biking the Mississippi River Trail to gather stories from farmers about the future of farming in the Midwest.

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The Camden Promise: Three churches, lots of activity keep a Minneapolis building busy

By Margo Ashmore, North News

Gethsemane’s new baptismal font, in the foreground, and altar in background. (Photos by Margo Ashmore)

It’s a dimly-lit space, but it’s been a spot of brightness to hungry families in the greater Camden Community, as well as holding a key to keeping a 120-year-old church alive. The Camden Promise food shelf, and other programs of The Camden Promise, are joint efforts of three congregations worshipping at 4656 Colfax Ave. N.

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Is Minneapolis in or out of the development business?: Reflections from Community Planning and Economic Development Jeremy Hanson Willis

By Gail Olson, North News

Jeremy Hanson Willis, City of Minneapolis CPED (Community Planning and Economic Development) executive director since April 23, 2012, said he has spent the past year doing a lot of listening. “I had worked for the mayor [R.T. Rybak] for seven years, and I came into CPED with a real agenda for change. However, I wanted to do it in a way that respects people and the work they are doing. People who work for the city do noble work every day, but our governmental systems are broken and we need to fix that.

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