The podcast this week is a conversation with Stephanie Weir, the organizer for Women on Bikes Saint Paul, a new advocacy group whose mission is pretty self explanatory. Stephanie is spearheading efforts to increase the role of women bicycling in Saint Paul, and we sat down today in the waiting room of the Union Depot to talk about the new group, why there’s a need to pay more attention to gender issues in the bicycling advocacy community, and what the future of Saint Paul could look like if we begin designing streets with women and families in mind. [Audio below]Continue Reading
The County’s plans for the Minnehaha Avenue reconstruction, slated to begin in 2015, has passed through the Transportation and Public Works Committee and is now moving on to the City Council. The plans would install a buffered bike lane on the roadway, which would provide a 1.5 foot buffer between vehicle traffic and cyclists as well as shorter pedestrian crossings.
Construction cones gone, the slabs of concrete in the middle of Lowry Avenue at Polk now have permanent signage. People are still asking “what are those things and why are they there?” They are part of the traffic calming measures for the “Stone Arch Bridge & Presidents Bicycle Boulevard.”
The Twin Cities was one of four metro areas in the country to receive a sizable federal grant nearly seven years ago for promoting non-motorized transportation — an initiative that is finishing its final lap.
In a turn of events, the City’s Transportation and Public Works Committee decided to postpone their approval of Hennepin County’s plans for Minnehaha Avenue until December.Earlier in the week, Loren Olson, Councilperson Colvin Roy’s aide, announced that there would be time in the committee’s agenda for residents to voice their comments about the reconstruction plans, which is not something that is typically part of the process.After the public hearing portion, Colvin Roy proposed that the approval of Hennepin County’s plans for Minnehaha be postponed until December for further staff review.We had a chance to ask Councilperson Colvin Roy a few questions about the postponement and what she hopes will be accomplished in the next few weeks. While she doesn’t believe that the plans will see dramatic changes immediately, she did note that she wants to explore how the roadway could be transitioned to a protected bikeway in the next few years.This article is reposted from TCDP media partner My Broadsheet. Check out the links below for other recent My Broadsheet stories:Election Results – Ward 2, 6, 9, & 12Tracy Singleton – Charlie Award WinnerWhy did you decide to propose that the T&PW decision on Minnehaha Avenue be postponed?I postponed city action on the municipal consent for the county’s Minnehaha Avenue reconstruction plan to allow time to examine a possible design that would preserve the option for a cycle track in the future without the expense of a full reconstruction of the street. The idea came from the Bicycle Advisory Committee and I want to give it a real chance. This road will serve us for the next 50 years and if we can design it to be flexible for the future, all the better.What kind of discussion do you believe is still needed regarding the roadway?We are at the point of details: the many community meetings raised questions, some of which have been answered, but the design may still be improved. Continue Reading
The plans for reconstructing Minnehaha Avenue have been a source of contention since they were first unveiled this past March.Some Minnehaha Avenue businesses are opposed to the planned bumpouts, since they will reduce the number of parking spots. Some cyclists are in favor of installing cycle tracks along the roadway, citing safety and the City’s goal for 30 miles of protected bikeways. Some residents are concerned about the loss of trees and walkability.This coming Tuesday, residents will have the opportunity to state their opinions on the reconstruction project at a public hearing of the Transportation and Public Works Committee. T&PW will bring their decision on the project to the entire City Council on Dec. 6, 2013.This article is reposted from TCDP media partner My Broadsheet. Continue Reading
In less than a decade, the Minneapolis Midtown Greenway (Minnesota) has quickly risen to one of America’s most beloved darlings of a bike path[1]. Similarly, the short stretch of the Cedar Lake Trail to the Twins Stadium provides much needed closure over an important stretch for cyclists in downtown Minneapolis. Both are critical assets for a city nationally renown for its bicycle network. Both stretches are heavily used and dearly cherished (at least by cyclists). Both are astonishingly expensive. The former cost $1.6 million per mile; the later pushed more than $10 million for less than one mile. Continue Reading
