urbanMSP

This seems like a way for Steve Minn to get around the park fee while still getting essentially keeping this private space.

I'm not exactly optimistic about this woonerf being anything other than an access road for parking. Good luck getting Minnesota drivers to yield to pedestrians.

Huh... I've rarely had a major problem with people not yielding, and that's Uptown. Usually in the Mill district there are no problems. Anyways. There are some jersey barriers up around parts of this now with detour signs.

Yeah, the one for the Humbolt works just fine.

I'm not exactly optimistic about this woonerf being anything other than an access road for parking. Good luck getting Minnesota drivers to yield to pedestrians.

Is this actually an issue? I walk downtown every day and honestly haven't noticed a problem with people yielding. If anything, people yield too much and stop where they shouldn't to allow me to cross.

Usually I walk out in front of the cars (at the crosswalk) and they'll wait for me. It's a far cry from here in Chicago where people are all too happy to lay on the horn even though the pedestrian has right of way, and it's not even all that common here (in Chicago) anyway.

I wish I lived in the same world you two did. I'm regularly almost hit by cars and have people rolling down their windows and wanting to start fights with me for being in their way. There are a lot of inattentive drivers around here and my personal experience is not anything like yours. I really wish it were, because it's tiresome feeling like I'm risking my life every day to walk anywhere.

Do you work near the ramps or something? Or across a highway? I've seriously rarely ever seen this. Its happened to me once like I said, but that's because I'm arrogant and just decide to keep walking to matter what sometimes

I was crossing 7th at Nicollet just an hour ago when someone who didn't want to wait ran the red and flipped me off as they passed.

I agree with trigonalmayhem.

When I first moved back here, it seemed like I was getting in some sort of altercation with drivers every other day, primarily in the mornings. I think I must have subconsciously adjusted my walking since then, because it hasn't happened nearly as often recently.

The number of people who gun it to make a light here is insane. Maybe it's just cranky people in the morning trying to get to work on time. It feels like just about every light cycle you get 1-2 people who speed up to 40ish in order to enter the intersection just as the light is changing from yellow to red. Where do these people get the idea that this is acceptable behavior? I realize that the fact that the big downtown one-ways have as much design language in common with 6-lane exurban divided highways as they do with real urban streets is a contributing factor, but that's really no excuse.

Another factor is that I think a lot of drivers here don't know how to deal with pedestrians "leading off" and yield when they don't need to.

Usually I walk out in front of the cars (at the crosswalk) and they'll wait for me. It's a far cry from here in Chicago where people are all too happy to lay on the horn even though the pedestrian has right of way, and it's not even all that common here (in Chicago) anyway.

I agree, Chicago was stressful to live in (even for a summer)! One thing that really turned me off about Chicago -- when previous to then I was all about the city -- is how seemingly little people care for the welfare of other people. I know big cities can be that way, but I don't think they have to be.

I was crossing 7th at Nicollet just an hour ago when someone who didn't want to wait ran the red and flipped me off as they passed.

Karma's a B (for that guy)!

I don't know if I have some sort of soothing aura that surrounds me or what, but I just haven't had the issue of cars getting excessively angry. I'm always cautious, but I also assert my right to walk (and probably have thrown shade at more than a few cars that inched up to the crosswalk when they shouldn't have).

I've even been pleasantly surprised during trips to Chicago and New York. Not once was I honked at in Chicago (didn't hear much honking, which was surprising). Drivers in NYC are insane, but they seemed to respect pedestrians at least.

Or maybe I'm just crazy...

Hey look, Steve Minn is a huge piece of shit:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=600803374688

You can feel the contempt in his voice.

Last time I was in chicago, I was hit by a taxi van running a red light and he had the nerve to get out and start yelling at me ("what are you doing idiot? You're in my way can't you see I'm driving here???"). I was just trying to walk away (wasnt hurt) but the two sassy females I was with tried to start a fight with him. Haven't really had a problem walking in Minneapolis, but biking is another story

And I guess I will contribute to the off topic-ness here...but I do have to say, as a pedestrian, I think it is important for anyone to always be aware of your surroundings and take your safety seriously! I have been on both sides of this of course, and while absolutely pedestrians have the right of way in a cross walk, this doesn't mean one should act entitled and risk their life! I am always sure to make eye contact with any car near a crosswalk when I am crossing so I know they see me. And on the reverse side, I see too many people just saunter into a crosswalk on a don't walk either because they are clueless or entitled. It's your life! Drivers and pedestrians always be aware! Just sayin....don't walk into a cross walk to fight cars just because "I have the right of way". We are responsible for our own lives....sadly I can admit there have been a couple times I almost hit people while I was driving (thankfully didn't) making right turns at stop signs in a daze in the morning. Now, while that would TOTALLY be my fault of course...seriously people, be careful, make sure dumb drivers like me see you! I always do when I am walking!

So anyway, did I dream it or are all the Jersey barriers gone from 3rd?

That could've been for gas work instead of work on this project

Jersey barriers were removed last week, that was Xcel doing infrastructure work.

Yeah parking lot has been and is still open so the work was not for this project.