urbanMSP

Fantastic news! One of the most pollution burdened communities in the state in East Phillips. Hopefully the foundry is on its way out too after the emission violations from them. I always hate to bike by there on the Greenway wondering what harmful vapors I'm breathing in. Would be quite the positiv...

MNDOT shared a survey with information about University Ave NE improvements scheduled for 2027. Current mockups look pretty transformative for pedestrian access in Northeast and will really compliment the changes made this year and next year to Hennepin and 1st and University and 4th. Take the surve...

Borealis service officially begins on May 21st! Looks like it'll be the same arrival and departure time on both ends (11:50am to 7:14pm).

https://assets.senate.mn/committees/2023-2024/1007_Committee_on_Finance/Fin_20240429_SF5284-Summary.pdf Currently the state senate transportation bill includes language that will strip the met council of any authority in designing and constructing LRT and BRT projects as well as prohibiting the expe...

I've heard that the facing of the tactile strips towards the crosswalk helps guide those who are blind better than one that faces directly into the middle of the intersection. I'm not sure if that's the reasoning behind the change though. In terms of decision making, public works has a lot of leeway...

Park and Portland are also getting repaved this summer between Washington Ave and E 17th St. Going to go from 3 lanes -> 2 narrowed lanes with added buffer space between traffic and bike lanes. Not sure if that'll be curb protected or just paint bike lanes though.

I don't think anyone really thinks that. Highways are very useful for moving people and goods outside of cities. However there are world class cities all over the planet without freeways running through their urban centers. Paris and Vancouver are both able to be vibrant, walkable/bikeable places wi...

Ah, disappointing.

Where do you see that it was approved? I saw a couple weeks ago that the variance request for the drop off frontage was denied by the planning commission. Did it get through on appeal?

As I look over it again, I'm pleased with the decision to make 10th Ave and 21st Ave into transit malls. I was worried that they would end up caving to outspoken North Loop residents on it. Additionally glad to see them restore some of the street grid underneath the I94 viaduct. Could work towards m...

Haven't seen anyone post here the updated 30% design plans that were released in March. Fun to look over the more detailed changes to the route they have planned. Lots of road dieting and pedestrian/bike improvements on 21st and Broadway. Will be nice for North to have a second connection over I94, ...

I really hope that MNDOT tunes out the noise from the Star Tribune comment section and focuses on the oncoming climate crisis caused by our dependency on oil and gas. We are poisoning our planet and the way that we are currently living isn't sustainable forever. Transportation accounts for over 1/4 ...

I agree, fortunately part time vs full time transit lanes are a policy decision rather than an infrastructure change. A future more transit and climate friendly mayoral admin/city council could make the change back to full time lanes. The bike lanes here are going to be a really big positive change ...

As long as the DFL trifecta makes it through this upcoming election, I could see a slightly watered down version of this bill making it through next session. Seems like party leadership will look for some compromise with Minnesota cities. Shame that the bill as currently written didn't make it thoug...

I swear if someone sneezes on the light rail KSTP will write 3 articles about it. Hundreds of people die on Minnesota roadways each year and they may mention it as a footnote unless its a multiple fatality collision. But of course they'll never write it in a way that's critical of the driver or road...

Regardless of the possible changes to the transit lanes, I'm really excited about this reconstruction. It narrows lanes, includes bumpouts, adds protected bike lanes, expands pedestrian space, reduces parking, adds part time transit lanes, and removes a slip lane and the 5th St crossing of Hennepin ...

Got a response for my email to the project manager. "Thanks for your email. Based on the project goals, it was determined by the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County and Metro Transit that transit lanes are heavily needed Monday – Friday from 6AM – 7PM. This is based on data that shows transit ...

Unfortunately it isn't fully funded. Last year when the legislature passed the state funding of the project, it was with the intention of receiving a federal match. In December when the FRA made grant announcements, NLX didn't receive funding this round. I think there will be another round of grants...

I have the files from the 2022 preferred design and rather than "transit priority lane/parking" it just says "12' transit lane". Nothing mentioned about parking that I can find before the 2024 layout.

Interested to see how the opening of the B line will coincide with any other new developments along east lake. It's sometimes is a little disheartening walking down it and seeing so many empty lots post 2020. That and the strangely high number of used car lots and auto shops in such a relatively sho...