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.
The design of the bridge will provide comfortable and safe options for a wide range of bicyclists. People who are comfortable biking next to speeding traffic will have the option of a bike lane, and the bike lane will remind motorists to watch for bicyclists.
Those who prefer more separation from traffic will have the option of using a shared trail that is 11 feet wide, accommodates both bicyclists and pedestrians, and is separated from the motorized traffic by a short wall and guard rail. This trail will also include observation areas for taking in the river views from the bridge.
The Lowry Bridge is a critical connection in a developing network of trails and bike lanes that will serve North & Northeast Minneapolis.
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Hennepin County’s reconstruction of Lowry Avenue in North Minneapolis added bike lanes, and with the resolution of a short gap along Lowry between I-94 and 2nd St., these will directly connect to the Lowry Bridge.
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Marshall Avenue is being repaved this summer, and work is underway to find options for adding bike facilities to Marshall between Lowry and Broadway.
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The RiverFirst plan calls for trails along both sides of the Mississippi, adding more transportation and recreational connections to the Lowry Bridge.
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Thanks to the good work of all involved, this iconic bridge will live up to Hennepin County’s Complete Streets policy, and will serve all modes of transportation well for decades to come. Mark Stenglein, formerly County Commissioner for the district that includes the Lowry Bridge, and his staff, especially Kari Dziedzic, were very helpful throughout the process.
The bridge is scheduled to open in October. Check it out and let us know what you think of the design!
