Minneapolis & St. Paul Fantasies and Speculations

[Wedgeguy]

Not sure many would ride it. Most of the old Retail nodes that are at 50th and cross avenues were there because of the north south routes and it was one of the last major street before the creek where some of them ended or made a route adjustment.

[grant1simons2]

50th is on my alt route to work coming from EP. Almost every single few blocks there are these retail corners. Small boutiques and coffee and more. All I'm saying is that 30 years or so into the future is those houses are still around near 50th then it would be good to have a street car or brt to carry people from their homes to france or xerxes, both ares where a lot of the people who live in the neighborhoods off 50th shop

[Wedgeguy]

I used to commute along it also. So I know the areas that where the old north/south street cars used to intersect with 50th. Nicollet, Grand, Bryant, Penn, Xerxes and France are where the old street cars would intersect. Why in the middle of a residential neighborhood you will find a street corner that has retail on it. Some went away after the street cars quit running and the buses did not take over the route. Others like 46th and Grand, Both 46th and 50th and Bryant are still going strong. It all depended on the neighborhoods. Some came back to life after people started reinvesting and buy in the neighborhood again. 46th and Grand is mainly restaurants and bakeries which came back when the clientele moved back to the area. This is happening all over town. Not just south MPLS.

[mattaudio]

What if we put a street car or brt down 50th

I'd just like to see the 46 increased in frequency to 15 min rather than 30. There are many times when I could use it to get from my house to places on the corridor, but with the low frequency it is just too unappealing compared to how easy we've made driving.

[David Greene]

Cue a David Greene post on extending Como-Harriet.

The line could turn south at France and hit 50th and France and Southdale.

I'd still rather see it continue more or less along the old alignment to Meadowbrook regional park.

[mister.shoes]

Mr.Shoes likes that plan. Has waxed poetically (or not) about it in the past.