Word on the Streets

Open Streets Minneapolis - an Initiative of the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition

Did you know that Open Streets Minneapolis is an Initiative of the MINNEAPOLIS BICYCLE COALITION? Yes - Open Streets is not it's own event ~ WE make it happen, with help from all of our many amazing volunteers.

ONE WEEK FROM NOW we will be winding down from what looks to be an even better event than in 2011 (if that is even possible). Please mark your calendars and come on out and spend the day with the MINNEAPOLIS BICYCLE COALITION:

June 10th, 2012, Lyndale Ave S from 22nd St to 42nd St, 10:00am - 4:00pm

Please stop by the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition booth on Lyndale ~ right over the Greenway ~ and say HELLO! We've got a few things up our sleeves...

Stay tuned throughout the week as we share more details.

posted by | June 03, 2012

Plans for 1st Ave Improvements

Last night at the Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting, Minneapolis Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator Shawn Murphy discussed the City’s plan to install flexible marker posts along the 1^stAvenue N. bike lanes downtown. According to Murphy, the posts are intended to provide better guidance for drivers and bicyclists and should help prevent drivers from parking in the bike lanes. The white markers will be bolted into the pavement at 10 foot intervals.

The introduction of the marker posts is based on practices that have been implemented in other cities, such as Chicago’s Kinzie Street protected bike lane. Murphy said he toured Kinzie Street and found the marker posts to be an effective piece of the bicycle infrastructure.

In regards to other agenda items, the Bicycle Advisory Committee took the following action:

Washington Avenue: The BAC agreed that they would encourage Hennepin County to use bicycle and pedestrian-friendly design standards for the upcoming Washington Avenue reconstruction. The Committee recommends removing traffic lanes in order to install a curb-separated bicycle lane, or “cycletrack”.

Glenwood Ave, Marshall St, and Penn Ave N: The BAC recommends a pilot project bike lane on one of these streets. Given that all three of these routes are relatively narrow streets (44 ft.), the BAC recognizes the difficulty of implementing bike lanes along them. However, since all three of these routes are in the Minneapolis Bicycle Master Plan, the BAC will recommend that the County test 5 ft. bike lanes along one of these routes that would still leave 10 ft. for traffic lanes and 7 ft. for parking. Where the bike lanes are not implemented, the Committee will recommend that the County stripe the roads in a way that will allow for bike lanes in the future if the test route works.

Bike-friendly Business District pilot: The BAC supports the development of a Bicycle-friendly business district as was discussed in the April BAC Meeting and which has been tested in Long Beach, CA.

posted by | May 30, 2012

Cedar Lake Trail Will See Minimal Impact from New Development

Representatives from Minneapolis Public Works and Metro Transit were present at the most recent BAC Engineering Subcommittee meeting, discussing a number of projects. Here is a quick overview of those projects, as well as some highlights from other engineering related updates:

Cedar Lake Trail: The Cedar Lake Trail has been in the news lately, because a combination of future high-speed rail platforms and a new development (Dock Street Apartments) could impact the trail. Specifically, the area on the trail that could be affected by the proposed developments is just south of Washington Avenue. Hennepin County and City staff and elected officials have been working on options that would minimize impacts to the trail. Public Works staff reported that the discussions have been productive, and that a solution that preserves the trail alignment, allows the Dock Street Apartments development to move forward, and leaves space for future rail capacity seems likely. Members of the engineering committee were excited to hear this news.

Maintenance on the Hiawatha Trail: From 15^th Avenue South to East 26^thStreet, Metro Transit is looking to repair cracks and pavement defects in the Hiawatha LRT trail. Representatives mentioned that on a national level, maintaining trails is an issue, and they would like to get ahead of the curve. The Subcommittee was asked to come up with the best detour route, which will likely involve Minnehaha Avenue. Expect a 24 hour closure at some point this summer.

Maintenance on the Cedar Lake Trail and the Midtown Greenway: A City of Minneapolis Public Works representative updated the subcommittee with projects slated for this summer. Because bike traffic has virtually zero impact on trails, they are spared the wear and tear that breaks down roads and highways. Nevertheless, exposure to weather and temperature extremes does take a toll over the years, and the City’s goal is to keep trails well-maintained. The maintenance plan for these trails involves a three-layer system, including a thin layer of asphalt, a layer of sand for friction, and another of asphalt on top to seal and fill gaps. The total thickness of the new layers is roughly ¼ inch. Expect a 3-5 day rolling closure on the Cedar Lake Trail, the Midtown Greenway, and a few others after the 4^th of July and before the 1^stof September.

Pooling on the Midtown Greenway: Prior to the maintenance project, Public Works staff are planning to address pooling issues on the Greenway. There are about three places along the Midtown Greenway where large puddles have developed, which are particularly troublesome in winter when ruts of ice form as the puddles freeze and thaw.

BAC Recommendations on Washington Avenue Reconstruction: The BAC is encouraging Hennepin County to develop a design for this project that creates a bicycle facility and enhances the sidewalk environment with a separated cycletrack or bike lane, as well as improved sidewalk space and trees.

7 Corners: Hennepin County is working on a plan to stripe bike lanes between 35 W and Cedar Avenue. The project is scheduled for June.

posted by | May 30, 2012