Last month, Hennepin County staff presented drawings to the Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee showing details of the bike facilities that are planned for the Lowry Avenue Bridge.  The Bicycle Advisory Committee, together with the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition, the Bike Alliance of Minnesota, local residents, and advocates for riverfront trails, have been working with County staff and elected officials on incorporating bike facilities on the Lowry Bridge for many months.

Thanks to everyone who came out to last week's community meeting about making Park and Portland Avenues better for bicycling.

The county has heard your concerns and is now considering two big changes to make these streets even safer for bicycling: running bike lanes on the right side the entire length of both streets and narrowing the number of lanes in the Lake Street area from three to two. Here is more from an article published in Saturday's Star Tribune:

"County Transportation Director Jim Grube said last week's community meeting has the county still mulling two potential changes to its recommended design. The bike lane on Park Avenue will be shifted from the left side of the roadway to the right, and Grube said it's possible that the Portland Avenue bike lane will be shifted in the same way. The previous design started the lane on the left, where it is now, but shifted to the right side after traffic diminishes near E. 36th Street.

Grube said the county also is reconsidering whether the roadways need three full lanes in the area of Lake Street."

There's still time to tell your elected officials that you support these much-needed improvements--particularly the officials who represent the area around and south of Lake Street. If you haven't already, don't forget to contact:

-Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McGlaughlin [email protected]

-Minneapolis City Council Member Elizabeth Glidden elizabeth.glidden@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

-Minneapolis City Council Member Robert Lilligren [email protected]