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:
Dan Marshall’s recent piece detailed the latest effort from the “Save Our Street” (SOS) group of Summit Avenue homeowners seeking to overturn the city’s effort to build a widely popular bike trail down Summit Avenue in St. Paul. This time, they’re relying on Environmental Laws to Block Summit Avenue Bike Trail, a similar ploy that was tried on the Minneapolis 2040 plan by an opposition group a few years ago. It’s a must-read for those tracking the Summit Avenue Regional Trail Plan.
I found Austin Wu’s recent piece a compelling read about the Trump administration’s actions toward passenger rail. Wu argues that Minnesota should take greater control of its passenger rail services — expanding funding, procuring equipment and developing a distinct brand identity — rather than relying on an unpredictable federal government under the Trump Administration.
In another data-driven piece, Macalester College student Adam Schwalbe evaluates suburbia and an emerging demographic structure there. Schwalbe notes that while suburbs have historically benefited families with children through car convenience, stable homeownership and safe environments for “free-range” kids, America’s aging demographics and declining birthrates are reducing demand for suburban living in favor of denser, urban environments.
In my latest Street Views column, I discuss the idea of building high speed rail along long stretches of rural interstate highways. The solution is not a silver bullet in building high speed rail. But considering it adds to the conversation about how to retrofit and replace parts of our aging interstate system that, along with highway to boulevard conversions in cities, could reclaim highway land as multi-modal corridors.
And from two Streets.mn mainstays: Zak Yudhishthu had an excellent story evaluating Minneapolis’ Housing Affordability Impasse and ways to combat it, and Bryan Formhal’s most recent photo essay took us to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
On the Podcast this week, Ian R Buck had a personal episode with a conversation with his parents (longtime St. Paul residents) as they explored Minneapolis.
Here’s What Else We’re Reading:
- From Streetsblog California, the federal government cut funding for the California high-speed rail project.
- From Streetsblog USA, in a similar push to Twin Cities rail opponents, D.C. is considering a pivot toward more bus investments. But will it work?
- Also from Streetsblog USA was a great piece on how to center housing concerns in highway removal projects, with lessons from Syracuse, New York.
- From Next City: Should cities take over responsibility for fixing sidewalks?
- Alexa Bobyak of Neighbors for More Neighbors argued in the Minnesota Reformer that the state Legislature missed an opportunity to juice homebuilding again this year.
- In a great Bloomberg City Lab piece, David Zipper discusses a case to reverse our highway building obsession with University of Pennsylvania professor Erick Guerra.
Walk the Talk – Events
Streets.mn Community Events: Community is an important part of Streets.mn, and we’re looking to both build and celebrate ours with two events this summer.
- Happy hour: Thursday, July 24, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Venn Brewing Co. in Minneapolis (just off the Blue Line)
- Annual picnic: Saturday, August 2, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Bohemian Flats in Minneapolis
Livable Lyndale Lemonade Stand (Saturday, July 26, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.): The movement for a more Livable Lyndale continues through community advocacy and volunteering with Move Minnesota. With Hennepin County expected to finalize the design for the 2027 Lyndale Avenue reconstruction later this year, now is the time to show your support. Join Move Minnesota at a pop-up lemonade stand at the Soo Line Community Garden on July 26! Enjoy cookies and lemonade while helping collect postcards that will be sent to Lyndale decision makers advocating for a safer, more livable Lyndale.
Two Surveys on Bicycles (Minnesota and Minneapolis) and one from streets.mn
- Statewide Bicycle Plan: Last updated in 2016, the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Statewide Bicycle Plan needs a refresh. The document is now called the Statewide Bicycle+ System Plan (to include not only bikes but also scooters, skateboards and “other human-scale transportation devices that share a similar mass and velocity”), and officials are seeking input as they update their statewide vision. A survey is available here in addition to several events across the state over the coming months, including in Moorhead, La Crescent and Duluth.
- Minneapolis Survey: As part of the City of Minneapolis’ application for the Bicycle Friendly Communities program from the League of American Bicyclists, the city is being assessed through a public survey. Take the community survey on biking in Minneapolis, open now through October 5!
- Finally, Streets.mn is seeking reader input, and that includes you! Please fill out this survey here before June 30!
National Night Out (Tuesday, August 5): National Night Out (alternatively known as Night to Unite) is coming up on Tuesday, August 5! The nationwide evening event began as a way to connect communities to their local law enforcement, but has since evolved into a broader celebration meant to bring neighbors together. Events are planned at the neighborhood or block level, so check with your city, ask your neighbors or just walk around on August 5 to find one near you.
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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.