advocacy
Open Streets / Ciclovia
Goal
We are working to bring Open Streets (also known as Ciclovias, Car-Free Sundays, or Sunday Streets) to Minneapolis this year. The event will be a chance for the public to experience the city's streets in a new way by allowing people to bike, skate, or stroll without the presence motor vehicle traffic.
Background
These events take place on Sundays, last for approximately 4 hours each, and use a pre-determined loop or stretch of road without the presence of motor vehicles. Open Streets are already happening in cities across the country including Chicago, San Francisco and New York, and are wonderful opportunities to showcase the city and promote cycling and walking across a wide and diverse cross-section of the public. Each event would be paired with active-living oriented event programming provided by the businesses on or around the proposed route.
This Year
We are planning Minneapolis' first event on South Lyndale Avenue between 22nd St and 42nd St for Sunday, June 12, 2011 from 10am - 2pm. Check back here for updates!
Bike Parking
Goal
In Uptown and Longfellow, every apartment building and every business will have "adequate" bike parking within 50 feet of the front door.
Background
"Lack of secure bike parking is the No. 1 reason that seasoned cyclists don't bike to work." Read the rest of Transportation Alternatives' Guide to Indoor Bike Parking. (Download PDF here)
Bike parking costs approximately $100/bike installed, as part of the city's contract.
Downtown Biking
Goal
A full network of bike lanes downtown to serve commuter, recreational and shopping trips to our city center, along with ample secure bicycle parking and strong connections to transit.
Background
Over the past year, bicycle access to downtown has been eroded and we are advocating for a reversal of that trend. We are working with the City to identify opportunities to close gaps in the downtown bicycle network to serve all types of cyclists. In addition to advocating for improved bicycle access to downtown, we strongly support improved transit and pedestrian connections. We believe a truly multimodal transportation system downtown will enable Minneapolis to support a vibrant economy, strong commercial and cultural center, and an increasingly residential population.
Bike Plan
Action Request
Friday, October 1 is the deadline for public comments on the draft Minneapolis Bicycle Master Plan. This important document will help guide bicycling improvements over the next 20 years, and the city needs to here from you about ways to improve it.
Here's everything you need to know!
Make sure that the plan is making your neighborhood more bicycle friendly.
Happy commenting!
Goal
The City Council will adopt a Bike Master Plan with a goal to increase bicycling to a specific percent mode share with policies and projects to meet that goal, based on an analysis of existing conditions and a robust public process.
Background
The City of Minneapolis adopted a Bike Plan Map in 2001, and is now in the process of updating the map and developing a full Bike Master Plan. We're working to increase the amount of public outreach and are working with the City to develop a strong existing conditions analysis to aid in future planning.
Our vision for the Bike Master Plan is that it sets a framework for implementing bicycle improvements that serve a variety of user and trip types, supporting bicycling for people aged 8 to 80.
The City's Bike Plan documents are available online:
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bicycles/bicycle-plans.asp
Draft Bicycle Design Guidelines (warning, 302 pages and a big file):
http://www.nacto.org/downloads/mn_bike_facility_manual.pdf
Draft Bike Plan Map:
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bicycles/Draft2008BicycleMasterPlanMap.pdf
Boards from 2008 Open House:
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bicycles/BicycleMasterPlanOpenHouseBoards.pdf
