The Our Streets Minneapolis Pedestrian Work Group kicked off 2019 with a conversation about this year’s priorities, activities, and pedestrian issues.
Members of the group reviewed what was determined as this year’s top priorities:
- Building volunteer leadership for the work group.
- One to two specific street projects where pedestrian issues are a priority. These projects are to be determined after learning more about the City’s planned projects for this year.
- Continuing the winter sidewalk maintenance campaign, and seeing real change for the way people can get around who walk or roll as their mode of transportation.
- Engagement and advocacy with the City’s ADA Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan, and Transportation Action Plan.
The group shared ideas with each other on how to make progress on these priorities, and what are activities are most motivating. Here are some of those ideas:
- Recommit to these priorities at the beginning of each Pedestrian Work Group meeting
- Help lead this group with keeping notes, helping to develop the agenda, arrange a location, etc.
- Build community as pedestrians, as people who walk, and build volunteer support for pedestrian issues
- Schedule meetings with Minneapolis City Council members to talk about pedestrian issues
- Write blog posts for Our Streets Minneapolis, highlighting the work of this group, advocating for this work through social media
- Continue focus and updates on Winter Sidewalk Maintenance campaign; advocate specifically for investments in Mayor Frey’s 2020 budget
- Research and follow Minneapolis’ progress on updating its ADA plan
- Build a connection with the Cycling Museum of Minnesota
The group also discussed what issues were of most interest to them:
- How to exist in Minneapolis without a car
- Connection between reducing salt use and winter sidewalk maintenance
- More experimental solutions to getting good walkability, not just pouring concrete
Do these priorities, activities, and issues sound exciting to you? Have some of your own to contribute? Join us for the next Pedestrian Work Group Meeting:
Monday, February 18
6:00 to 7:30 PM
Lakes and Legends Brewing
