Hello Streets.mn community,
Welcome to our biweekly newsletter, delivering the latest Streets.mn news and views directly to your inbox! In each issue, our editorial team will provide ongoing stories, news, updates and event information related to Streets.mn, city life and Greater Minnesota.
New in Streets.mn:
In the first installment of a three-part series, Luke Hanson, co-chair of Sustain Saint Paul, makes the case for zoning reform in St. Paul. He advocates for allowing small commercial spaces—or even “mini main streets”—within residential neighborhoods.
The goal: to make corner stores, restaurants and coffee shops more accessible by foot for more residents. Related: Ramsey County Needs to Invest in Transit, Now.
In case you haven’t heard, the METRO B Line officially opened this past Saturday, June 14. Metro Transit’s newest Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line offers a major upgrade to the transit experience along Lake Street in Minneapolis and Marshall and Selby Avenues in St. Paul, with all day service to Union Depot.
To help spread the word, Streets.mn contributor Mary Morse Marti launched a grassroots campaign in her neighborhood—including designing a custom door hanger with a map of the new route.
The Midtown Greenway is one of the most iconic and beloved pieces of cycling infrastructure in the Twin Cities—you’ve probably ridden it yourself! But before it became a haven for cyclists and pedestrians, it was a mainline rail corridor known as the Benton Cut-Off.
In the second part of his ambitious two-part series, Streets.mn board member and web guru Brian Mitchell dives into the archives to uncover a fascinating collection of historic photos—then pairs them with his own present-day shots from many of the exact same locations. The result is a compelling visual story that reveals the dramatic transformation of what was once known as the Twenty-Ninth Street Railroad Depression.
In her ongoing series, board member angela olson —who also serves as deputy director of BikeMN—profiles the femme, trans, and women-identifying individuals who have inspired her and many others in the world of active mobility.
“There’s so much pressure to raise your family the ‘right’ way through what we see in the media,” Oftentimes, the better place to have kids seems to be the suburbs, but I want parents to know that you can raise your family in urban areas and that there are so many perks to living in a walkable community.” – Laura Groenjes Mitchell
In this installment, olson highlights Rose Dillon and her powerful journey from new cyclist to certified League Cycling Instructor. She also introduces a second “auntie”: Laura Groenjes Mitchell, a familiar face in the Minneapolis cycling community, especially for the very online. Mitchell is a parent, educator, advocate and writer living in South Minneapolis with her wife and two kids.
On the Podcast
Lastly, we’ve got two new great episodes of the podcast. In ‘The 2025 Legislative Wrap-up,’ the team chats with their favorite advocacy organizations about what we accomplished this year, and what was left on the table.
In the latest book club episode, Parker Seaman and Jeremy Winter discuss When Driving Is Not An Option by Anna Zivarts, in a conversation moderated by Sherry Johnson.
Here’s What Else We’re Reading:
- The numbers are in and Amtrak’s Borealis beat ridership expectations in the first year (Star Tribune Paywall)
- NPR asks whether the U.S. should model Vienna’s approach to the housing crisis and climate change.
- The Urban Cycling Institute argues that cycling isn’t an identity; it’s just a way to get around.
- CityNerd explores whether the “male loneliness epidemic” is real and if smarter urban design could help fix it.
- Planetizen challenges us to stop settling for generic design and instead ensure that communities receive the thoughtful, people-centered design they truly deserve.
- M. Nolan Gray argues that no city should exist in its current form and calls for dismantling outdated zoning systems to unleash more equitable, flexible urban landscapes.
Upcoming Events:
Meet the Streets.mn Editorial Team at ‘Open Office Hours’: This quarterly gathering at coffee shops and watering holes around the Twin Cities gives our readers, writers, podcast listeners and wannabe contributors a chance to meet the editorial team. Join us on Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m. to noon, at Bruhaven Craft Co. near Loring Park.
The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota (BikeMN) is hosting the first ever Twin Cities Pride Ride to “say from our hearts and with our chests that we are a community that values ALL people being able to openly live and thrive as who they are.” The ride will be on June 28, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., starting from Queermunity at 3036 Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis.
Our Streets is organizing the North Minneapolis Time Machine, a variety show at the Capri Theater on June 27, 6 to 9 p.m.. It’s free with registration. The Time Machine is modeled after similar community history events in Cedar Riverside and Dinkytown.
Move Minnesota is hosting Transit Visions: Abroad, a conversation about using transit while living daily life in cities around the globe, and the future of public transit here in Minnesota. The panel and Q&A will be on Tuesday, June 24th from 6:00-7:00 PM at Modus Locus, 3500 Bloomington Avenue in Minneapolis. Space is limited, registration required.
Job Alert!
Managing Editor Job at Streets.mn: Our only paid position at Streets.mn is opening up with the pending retirement of Amy Gage. Review the position requirements and apply no later than Monday, June 30, 2025.
Love What We Do? We’d Love Your Help!
It’s summer, and we have an important request. From now until the end of the month, Streets.mn needs to raise at least $3,500. This critical funding will allow us to succeed at telling the histories of highway impacts never before focused on as a part of our grant from the Minnesota Historical Society. In addition, we are hiring a new managing editor, given that Amy Gage will be retiring at the end of August; and this fall/winter we hope to put on a contributors’ workshop in Duluth.
It’s an exciting time to be a contributor and supporter of the work that Streets.mn does and the community we’re building around us.