Advocacy
One of the ways we make Minneapolis a better place for folks to bike, walk, and roll is by engaging local communities in our advocacy work. Right now our advocacy focus is changing Minneapolis streets owned by Hennepin County so they put people first.
Our past advocacy successes include:
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Open Streets Minneapolis
Open Streets Minneapolis is an annual event series that temporarily closes major streets to car traffic, opening them to people waking, biking, and connecting with neighbors. We host these events in partnership with the City of Minneapolis.
The events help us experience streets as public spaces, leading to transformative changes in our thinking and urban planning.
Visit Open Streets Minneapolis to learn more and find upcoming events.
Minneapolis Bike Month
Each May from 2014 to 2019 we partnered with groups like the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County to put on events and programs to encourage more people to bike. This series of events was called Minneapolis Bike Month, though it began as Minneapolis Bike Week. During the month, we hosted bike maintenance classes, partnered with local schools, and hosted an annual Twin Cities Bike to Work Day.
Walk, Bike, & Roll Audits
Our Streets Minneapolis is partnering with the City of Minneapolis to introduce a pilot series designed to directly incorporate community feedback into upcoming street projects. Walk, Bike, & Roll Audits invite community members to join City staff & Our Streets Minneapolis representatives for a walk along upcoming street projects. People can directly share their feedback and share their visions for the future of the streets. Sign up for a walk and learn more about the project here.
#HealthyTripsHealthyCity
Healthy Trips, Healthy City was a wayfinding and story sharing project we created in partnership with the City of Minneapolis during the COVID-19 pandemic in summer 2020. Through this program we placed 90 decals on sidewalks and streets all across the city. These decals directed people from popular biking and walking routes to nearby essential businesses like grocery stores. We also encouraged people biking, walking, and rolling to share their trips with #HealthyTripsHealthyCity.
#WeWalkMpls
#WeWalkMpls is a story sharing project to celebrate walking and encourage more people to walk to get around. We partner with the City of Minneapolis to carry out this project. Check out #WeWalkMpls on Twitter and Instagram to see the stories people are sharing about walking in our city.
Bicycle Connectors
Bicycle Connectors was a two year program where we collaborated with local organizations to get more people on bikes. The mission of this program was to use bicycling as a vehicle to connect and empower folks who are Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and/or people of color and are also femme, trans, women, and/or non-binary. Through Bicycle Connectors we provided funding to local partners to create and carry out their own bike-centered programs in their communities. This program took place in 2018 and 2019.
Thank you to our funders!
Our programs are made possible with support from groups like the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Quality Bicycle Products, Dero Bike Racks, Brazil Law Group, and hundreds of individuals just like you.
