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.
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Featured Stories from Streets.mn:
Longtime Streets.mn writer and downtown Minneapolis resident Conrad Zbikowski has been catching up on his contributions lately—and we’re glad to see it. In A Local’s Guide to the Blue and Green Lines, he offers practical, rider-focused advice on how to make the most of the METRO light rail, capturing both the utility and small pleasures of everyday transit in the city.
Conrad’s recent pieces also explore how people move through and experience the region in different ways: comparing the rhythms of taking Amtrak to Chicago and flying back, and reflecting on transit access and walkability around a recent protest. Together, his latest work paints a vivid picture of transportation as something more than infrastructure—it’s a daily choreography of connection, observation and civic life.
Further Reading on Streets.mn:
- Seven Experts Set the Stage for Supportive Housing Solutions Minnesota Needs
- A Tale of Twin Cities: Responses to Encampments and Renter Protections
What We’re Reading Elsewhere:
- In the MinnPost Bill Lindeke examines how using fencing to deter encampments in the Twin Cities reflects deeper failures in housing policy and public compassion.
- In this episode of Active Towns, Peter Bird, a Heidelberg-based doctoral researcher at TU Eindhoven, discusses the Cycling Cities Initiative and his research on Minneapolis as a standout historical example of a North American cycling city.
- The Star Tribune reports on Anoka’s push to save its Northstar rail station as the troubled commuter line faces shutdown, highlighting the city’s redevelopment stakes and the broader fallout for northern suburbs built around the $320 million project.
New on the Streets.mn Podcast:
The Midtown Greenway opened 25 years ago so the team spoke with the folks who pushed for it to happen! George Puzak envisioned the Greenway, Tim Springer was the Midtown Greenway’s first Executive Director, and Soren Jensen is the current Executive Director.
Walk the Talk — Events
Winter is Coming — Wednesday, Nov 19, 12 to 1 p.m.
Nervous about navigating the winter weather this year while staying car-free? Then join speakers Daniel Baxter and Alicia Valenti at the Minneapolis Central Library on Wednesday, Nov 19 for a presentation, gear show-and-tell and all-around skill-share on bike and run-commuting through Minnesota’s most… interesting season! It’s a great opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a snowed-out commute. Plus, there’s no cost to attend, and light refreshments will be available. Learn more by clicking here.
Olson Memorial Highway Public Meetings — Wednesday & Friday, Nov 12 & 14
After wrapping up some initial public engagement earlier this year, the Olson Memorial Highway project team is back with another round of public input in preparation for initial design alternatives to be released in 2026. MnDOT will host two main meetings (one in-person and one virtual), among several other pop-up events over the coming weeks: The first is on Wednesday, Nov 12, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the PICA Head Start Donald M Fraser Early Childhood Family Development Center — there will be no formal presentation, but community members encouraged to stop by for open discussion with project staff. The second is a virtual meeting on Friday, Nov 14, from 12 to 1 p.m., which will include a formal presentation on the Olson Memorial project. Smaller pop-up events will occur at other times during the month of November; learn more here.
PLUS — Bring Back 6th Happy Hour: If you’d like to learn more about community-led design alternatives and push for a more friendly roadway, join the Harrison Neighborhood Association, Our Streets and Toole Design for a Happy Hour on Tuesday, Nov 18 at 6 p.m. at La Doña Cervecería Brewery in support of the Bring Back 6th initiative!
Stuff the Bus Mutual Aid Celebration — Thursday, Nov 13, 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Join Move Minnesota in support of its Stuff the Bus mutual aid drive to support YouthLink, a Minneapolis nonprofit working to support young people experiencing homelessness. Donations of winter clothing (jackets, hats, gloves, etc.) are most appreciated as the Twin Cities braces for colder weather, and a full list of accepted items may be found here. Drop-offs can be made at the Move Minnesota office in St. Paul during the following times:
- Wednesday, Nov 5, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Tuesday, Nov 11, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Wednesday, Nov 12, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Thursday, Nov 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Or, bring your donation along to the Mutual Aid Celebration on Thursday, Nov 13, at the YouthLink office in Minneapolis. Any support is greatly appreciated!
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Have a great day!
– The Streets.mn Editorial Committee