Was it worth it to run interstates right through built-up areas of Minneapolis and St Paul? That’s a tough question to answer, and maybe an impossible one given the complexities of the discussion. And yet we constantly hear public officials tout the benefits of our freeway capacities, and the economic value they bring, not only […]
For the data lovers out there… Minneapolis is a relatively dense residential city with a fairly dense central business district (5th highest job density in the country). Minneapolis is also consistently rated one of the best cities for cycling in the country (as if that really means much). Yet as a city we probably under-perform on […]
Some of my recent posts have seemed to bemoan some of Minneapolis’ public realm or proposed projects, asking for better. I intended to shake that up, but I couldn’t swing it. Instead, I’ll keep the theme going by bringing up a place near and dear to me as a U of M alum – Dinkytown. […]
For those not in the know, Minneapolis is proposing to construct a protected cycle track along 36th Street West this summer. This project hits near and dear to me as my wife and I will be moving into a home a mere 200 feet from this facility in exactly two weeks. Glancing over the design, […]
We’ve all probably seen some images floating around on Twitter or other blogs showing the public space various modes take to transport people. This is a powerful, visual way to highlight the inefficiencies of how we’ve laid out our streets and roads, but we still seem to lack the political will to make major changes […]
I’ve spent a bit of time in the St Anthony area recently, looking for homes and reminiscing about my runs along the river during college, attending the midnight opener for Snakes on a Plane at St Anthony Main, and memories of the church my wife and I were married in. The area is quite beautiful, […]
Whenever a new development is proposed, be it six-story mixed-use residences in Dinkytown, an overhaul of Downtown East on the Star Tribune lots, or most recently, a proposal for the southwest corner of Franklin and Lyndale, resistance will most likely show its face. There are many reasons people or organizations oppose development, and simply writing […]
This post is the second in a three part series on MN road infrastructure, use, and funding. Part I can be read here, check back for the finale over the next week. Bill’s latest post highlights the nature of educated and well-meaning folks’ lack of real data to back up certain opinions when it […]
Sports venues remain a major piece of shared culture in 2013 USA. Thousands of strangers gather together on gameday, sharing only a passion for their sporting team on the field (or court, rink, etc), and perhaps a love of beer and hot dogs. We revel in victory as one, despair in defeat together, and the […]
This post is the first in a three part series on MN road infrastructure, use, and funding. Check back over the next week for the follow-up pieces. We’re mostly done with the holiday season, and I’m sure many readers had interesting conversations regarding transportation over dinners over the past month. It’s even possible these conversations become […]