Hennepin Avenue Reconstruction (Douglas to Lake St)

[mplsjaromir]

MAK also announced she was running for governor from a farm. Either she truly identifies with being rural or she's a vacillating hack. the sooner the Frey/MAK/Radinovich realize they have no future in politics the better.

[thespeedmccool]

As much as I find that trio's brand of cynicism particularly grating, I don't think it's true at all that they "have no future in politics."

For his part, Frey just got reelected as mayor of the largest city in the state. Maybe he doesn't go much higher in elected office, but he's 100% here to stay in Minnesota politics in some capacity.

As for MAK and Radinovich, the both of them have been around for a while (especially MAK) and keep getting new jobs. People on the inside seem to like them, and I don't think that's going to change.

Like it or not, empty platitudes from moderate DFLers play really, really well statewide and have even been formidable in Minneapolis and St. Paul elections. Just because we on this forum tend to be progressive and urbanist doesn't mean those that aren't are doomed to political oblivion.

[Mister55408]

The sweeping generalizations about MAK/Frey etc is preposterous. MAK has lived in Minneapolis for decades. Served as a Mpls rep in the legislature and then House Speaker. MAK runs circles around the amateurs running this town. So she launches her governors campaign on the family farm instead of the Lake Street Kmart. Imagine that!! Implying that Jacob Frey is connected to the old confederacy and governs as such just insults my slow intelligence. Just like the old beloved Dixie Paul Wellstone, Frey grew up in the "not so southern anymore" part of Northern VA in Fairfax County which is basically Washington DC culturally.

[mplsjaromir]

The state dodged a bullet when MAK was not chosen to be the DFL candidate for governor. She would have folded like a cheap suit.

[BigIdeasGuy]

Or maybe MAK decided when launching her Gov campaign that she didn't want to been seen as the MPLS candidate and try to appeal to all Minnesotans. And easy way to do that is highlight rural roots on an easy press day

[Bakken2016]

https://twitter.com/wedgelive/status/15 ... BL0NNeC0LQ


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[StandishGuy]

Ok. Let's get some perspective here... The design of Hennepin Avenue proposed by MAK's Public Works department is an incredibly progressive design reducing traffic lanes, including a protected bikeway and dedicated bus lanes. I too prefer 24 hour bus lanes, but let's give MAK some credit for implementing her staff's recommendation. It was very possible that the bike lanes could have been removed to make room for parking or more traffic lanes, for example.

Hennepin Avenue will be one of the most progressive and pro-alternative transportation streets implemented in the U.S whether the bus lanes are fully 24 hours or not.

Fifteen years ago neighbors tried to fight Hennepin County's design for the Lake & Lyndale Ave intersection, which narrowed sidewalks by 5' on each side to widen the roadway and add a left turn lane. This is the type of stuff that was acceptable in recent memory. So, vilifying MAK now seems a bit over the top...

[VacantLuxuries]

I think people would be more than fine with accepting that explanation if it had also come with a frank admission that, yes, we’re keeping the bus lanes at peak times to help businesses feel better about the transition and brought forth a plan with timetables for staged implementation of full time lanes.

There’s a difference between “Yes, this isn’t what you wanted, but here’s why and how we’ll get to full time in the future…” and “I’m still going to do what you want at some undisclosed point in the future, but here’s the city lawyer to tell you why you don’t have the power to tell me what to do.”

It’s all about presentation, and strangely enough, people don’t really like the way this change was presented.

[StandishGuy]

Your point is accurate, but is besides the fact that Hennepin Avenue will be calmed dramatically with fewer traffic lanes, shorter pedestrian crossings, off street bike lanes and a dedicated bus lanes. Again, I too support 24 hour bus lanes, but the physical design of Hennepin will become so much improved with MAK's involvement. This is a huge win. Just a few years back the City Council refused to narrow 3rd Avenue through downtown to improve pedestrian facilities. Hennepin AVenue through downtown, which is still under construction, has 5 lanes of traffic and doesn't even have dedicated bus lanes. Perspective?

As for your point about the City Attorney claiming the City Council doesn't have authority to change the design, it is concerning that this new Strong Mayor system hasn't been clarified yet. It seems a little nuts that the "legislative body", being the City Council, cannot legislate operations of Minneapolis streets.

[VacantLuxuries]

It was already set for huge improvement prior to MAK’s involvement. The only thing that changed was the 24/7 bus lanes.

I don’t know how much credit we should give someone for not ripping up an existing plan entirely, when they could have just done a better job of explaining the justification for the change they have insisted on and given a phase in timeline for the 24/7 bus lanes.

I agree that whatever happens at this point, Hennepin will improve substantially. But that’s no reason not to call out a bad faith argument against transit lanes, poorly justified, that benefits few people.

If you viewed the strong mayor vote as a way to make the city run more efficiently, yeah it’s been a mess. If you viewed it as a way for politically active and wealthy wards to override more progressively voting wards, its working as intended.

[thespeedmccool]

Part-time bus lanes are not bus lanes.

100% guaranteed, once "peak time" roles around, there will be cars parked in those lanes. The lanes have to be full-time bus lanes, or they are not even part-time.

The "we promise to make them full-time in the future" isn't convincing either. This project won't be completed until 2026, so how much longer are we supposed to wait after that? 5 years? 10?

This is a major transit corridor, which will soon play host to a BRT line. If the city is to have any chance of meeting their equity and climate goals, the bus lanes have to be full-time.

[LakeCharles]

Again, I too support 24 hour bus lanes, but the physical design of Hennepin will become so much improved with MAK's involvement.

MAK did nothing to make any of this happen. The plans were created before her, the only thing she did was remove the bus lanes.

So it's fine to say that even without the 24/7 bus lanes it's an improvement, but to claim MAK did anything positive isn't really accurate.

[mplsjaromir]

Call it a combination cattle drive / transit lane and MAK would be the loudest, most ardent supporter.

[Bakken2016]

Layout with 24/7 lanes approved by Minneapolis City Council 8-5.

Nos:
Goodman
Koski
Rainville
Palmisano
Vetaw

[seanrichardryan]

As I would have expected. Not veto proof, so it lies in the mayor's hands now.

[Bakken2016]

As I would have expected. Not veto proof, so it lies in the mayor's hands now.

Write letters to him, but I'm sure he won't veto it. That would jeopardize federal funding and more. Also, mayoral vetos are rare, and with the moderate bloc joining the progressives, I just don't think it will happen.

[Anondson]

Now come the lawsuit brigades.

[seanrichardryan]

Ah yes, the environmentalists for more parking and less housing.

[MattW]

Ah yes, the environmentalists for more parking and less housing.

I believe Vetaw's concern was the amount of emissions coming from empty busses driving up and down Hennepin

[VacantLuxuries]

Which is a bizarre take because those buses would still be going up and down Hennepin, and this is the difference between them idling in traffic and moving swiftly through the neighborhood.