Advocacy Posts

Thank you to Anna for taking the notes for this blog and to Sara for serving as photographer.

This May evening was as beautiful as April was snowy (catch up on our April work here). All the Dunn Bros bike racks (and sign posts for half a block in every direction) were filled to overflowing by the time the 12 of us all got settled. Our crew grew again, with three new people joining us (welcome Jesse and Nicky and Aaron).

We’ve finally settled on a standing meeting time: the first Monday of the month, from 6-7:30. Put June 4th on your calendar (but note that in July we’re postponing by a week due to the 4th of July). Come join our mighty band of organizers!

The intersection of 3rd Ave and 16th St is a major interchange that users must pass through to access major downtown features. Features such as the convention center, an entrance to I-94, and the Stevens Square neighborhood, present significant challenges to drivers, cyclists, transit users and pedestrians alike in its current configuration. In this post I hope to highlight the ways in which this intersection's setup and operation is dangerous for all users.

UPDATE: Hennepin County will be updating the curb ramps at Franklin and Chicago as part of their ADA curb ramp project in 2021. The sidewalk bordering Peavey Park will be made ADA compliant as part of a Park board project. 

In 2017, the City of Minneapolis released its first pedestrian crash study, this study includes a list of the most dangerous intersections for pedestrians. Living close to the intersection of Chicago and Franklin, I expected to see it on this list. Despite living close, I avoid Chicago and Franklin as much as I can but occasionally I will find myself crossing this intersection.

The intersection of Franklin and Chicago, from the North side of Chicago. 

As Minnesota transitions from winter to spring accumulated snow melts. For Minneapolis residents and visitors using our sidewalks, which have no drainage system, this can create a bad experience.

Photo via Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling

Below are photos from the intersection of Hennepin Ave and 4th Street N, 5th Street N, and 6th Street N.

4th street is the 17th most dangerous intersection for pedestrian in Minneapolis, 13 reported pedestrian crashes occurred at this location in the the ten year study period of the 2017 Pedestrian Crash Study. 

6th street is the 12th most dangerous intersection for pedestrians in Minneapolis. 14 reported pedestrian crashes occurred at this location in the ten year study period of the 2017 Pedestrian Crash Study. 

These crashes range from fatal to incapacitating to minor crashes.

What are your experiences with Hennepin Ave and 4th, 5th, and 6th Streets N? Follow #mplsintersections on Facebook and Twitter to join the conversation. 

Is there an intersection you would like Our Streets Minneapolis to highlight? Contact Frances to let us know and get involved.

All photos taken by Paul Jahn.

When crossing the intersection at Hennepin and Lagoon to go the Walker Library it often feels like “Russian Roulette” because I am never quite sure if the drivers will yield when I try to cross Lagoon.  This is especially true once the two lanes of traffic turning right from Hennepin on to Lagoon start flowing.

Below are photos from the intersection of Lake St E and Bloomington Ave S, the 14th most dangerous intersection for pedestrians in Minneapolis. 13 reported pedestrian crashes occurred at this location in the ten year study period of the 2017 Pedestrian Crash Study. These crashes range from fatal to incapacitating to minor crashes.

What are your experiences with Lake and Bloomington? Follow #mplsintersections on Facebook and Twitter to join the conversation. 

All photos taken by Clark Goldenrod.

Thanks to Keith Heiberg for writing this post, and Chrissy for sharing her notes with Keith. Thanks to meeting photographer Sara for the pictures below.

On Tuesday, April 3, the Downtown Bikeways group met for the second time over pastries and trail mix - during a snowstorm. A hearty 10 souls made it to Dunn Bros, and more than one person biked despite the six inches of April snow. We also laughed a lot.

For some history, here's Tyler's blog post of our March meeting. At our first meeting we discussed overall goals and approaches; this time we dug into the details of what activities will be most effective in showcasing demand for these corridors, so that we can make downtown (and getting to downtown) safer for people on bikes. 

If you’re a resident of a nearby neighborhood, like I am—or if you’re one of the thousands who frequent the area’s popular restaurants, bars, and other amenities—then you are likely aware that the Nicollet Island-East Bank neighborhood is no pedestrian paradise. Minneapolitans and visitors alike may flock to the area around the intersection of Hennepin and Central for a whiskey at Whitey’s or lemons at Lund’s, but you can be assured they’re not visiting for the stellar pedestrian infrastructure or safe streets.

The intersection of 4th St and Central Ave.

Our Streets Minneapolis works for a city where biking, walking, and rolling are easy and comfortable for everyone.

We envision a city where: 

Older adults and people with mobility challenges are healthy, independent, and connected with their communities through streets and sidewalks designed for them.

I live just off Franklin, and have regularly bussed and biked along it for decades. One day many years ago, I was surprised to see someone rolling down the east-bound traffic lane in a wheelchair. It was on that particularly harrowing section of Franklin between Portland and Chicago.

I immediately wondered what was so wrong with the sidewalk that someone felt compelled to take such a risk. A quick glance at the sidewalk and it was obvious.

And as I checked out the sidewalks from the bus windows over the years, I saw examples like this along much of Franklin Avenue, although most don’t have the dirt desire-line path to broadcast just how inadequate the sidewalk is.