Local Voices Posts

The Downtown Bikeways work group has been talking to people that live, work, go to school, eat, or recreate along the corridor that connects downtown with Loring Heights, Stevens Square, Whittier, and neighborhoods to the south. One person that we spoke with is Kirsten Hoaby, who lives along the corridor.

The Downtown Bikeways work group has been talking to people that live, work, go to school, eat, or recreate along the corridor that connects downtown with Loring Heights, Stevens Square, Whittier, and neighborhoods to the south. One person that we spoke with is James Clark, who bikes along the corridor.

The Downtown Bikeways work group has been talking to people that live, work, go to school, eat, or recreate along the corridor that connects downtown with Loring Heights, Stevens Square, Whittier, and neighborhoods to the south. One person that we spoke with is David Tompkins, who bikes along the corridor.

The Downtown Bikeways work group has been talking to people that live, work, go to school, eat, or recreate along the corridor that connects downtown with Loring Heights, Stevens Square, Whittier, and neighborhoods to the south. One person that we spoke with is Mike Becker, who lives along the corridor.

The new protected bike lanes on Washington Avenue have the potential to be great, but poor bicycle signals are making it confusing and less safe for everyone. 

As the Lutheran Volunteer Corps volunteer, my year with Our Streets Minneapolis is coming to an end. I wanted to write a blog post about my year with Our Streets Minneapolis and what I’ve learned about pedestrian and bicycle advocacy.

We are featuring stories of folks who bike with their children, we hope it inspires you to get your kids on bikes! Here's a profile of one of the many Minneapolitans riding with their kids--Nicole Infinity. If you want to share your family biking story contact Emily.

I think a lot about the future of our city. Will we choose to address our worst-in-nation racial disparities? Will we plan proactively for our changing climate? Will we invest heavily enough in safe transportation choices that everyone has real choices? If we don't, what does that mean for our children's health, access to opportunity, and lives? 

That's the reason I advocate for a better city. I'm thinking 20 years out, doing my part to shift from old habits to calling out racist policies and creating a community equitable for every single person. 

That's also why I think Minneapolis' Comprehensive Plan, branded Minneapolis 2040 is important. It's our city envisioning the future we want, planning a path to get us there -- and inviting all of us who live, work, or play to weigh in. 

So, what's the big deal with the plan? 

Family Bike Day is Saturday, May 26th! Join Perennial Cycle and us for a Family Day Pastry Ride and share stories of your family biking with #WeBikeMpls. Ahead of Family Bike Day, here's a profile of one of the many Minneapolitans riding with their kids--Sarah Tschida.

Why do you bike?

I can’t speak for anyone else, but what motivates me is joy. Partly it’s the physical thrill of powering up a hill and feeling like I’m going to keep sailing off into the sky, like the elevator smashing through the skylight in the first Willy Wonka movie.

Partly it’s the lyrical flights of creativity inspired by close contact with the beauty of nature, taken to a new level of insight by the oxygen pumping to my brain.

But others might be more interested in the mundane medical benefits, physical and psychological. As the Roman poet Juvenal said, Mens sana in corpore sano: “A healthy mind in a healthy body.”