In preparation for Thanksgiving, my son’s first grade class constructed three villages to compare and contrast the ways of life of three peoples: The Wampanoag Indians, 17th century Plymouth Plantation, and the Modern Suburb. First, the handout. This came home in his backpack, conveniently labeled with his specific assignment: Initial reaction: “He has to build […]
The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) have a conference every year to talk about legislating. And states. And such. This year, it took place in Minneapolis. Beyond a veritable smorgasbord of sessions ranging from community corrections to sales tax, attendees got to experience Minneapolis in a number of ways. On Friday morning, BikeMN and Bike […]
Former Congressman and longtime transportation champion Jim Oberstar died unexpectedly Saturday morning at age 79. News outlets are all posting the usual obituaries that one expects for a man of distinction and achievement. He was a giant for transportation, not only in Minnesota, but in the United States. He was a member of the House […]
Have you voted yet? As previously noted, Streets.MN is up for Best Local Blog in the CityPages Readers’ Choice Awards. We’re facing tough competition, including dogs and food — we love dogs and food too. But, without trying to sound like narcissists, we hope you love us too. Voting goes through April 4. You can […]
If you oppose density, don’t be surprised if you don’t gain any of the benefits of density. In Blaine, there has been a very suburban kerfuffle: Within a large, multi-builder housing development, there were several commercial plots. Despite the housing boom in the area, no one would step up to develop them as commercial, because […]
Witness: The struggle that is a bike lane in winter, via these (poor) images, taken from inside a car. That glacier is the bike lane. Now, certainly, over the railing is a well-cleared sidewalk. It is an option. It’s actually an appealing option. But if you’re coming right off Marshall, once you commit, you are […]
So. It’s over. 2013 is in the books. And, while we know you’ve been reading our Best Of series with fevered delight, how about a January 1 recap of the magic that was 2013? Without further ado, your complete list of 2013 Best Of, as chosen by YOU, our readers. Best Minnesota County Seat: Grand […]
As urbanists, many of us love us some Minneapolis and some Saint Paul, and even some Duluth, Rochester and Mankato. But there’s nothing like getting out of town and looking at some stars, maybe a moose or two, and leaving bus routes far behind. For our readers, the top place to do this is the […]
Here, for your holiday pleasure(?) is the only Christmas song I know that mentions Minneapolis in the title or lyrics. If you got a nice bottle of Scotch for the holiday, now’s the time to kick one back. If you’d like something merely done by kids from Minneapolis that won’t depress you, I offer this: […]
Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle and Metropolitan Council Chair Sue Haigh will be hosting a series of metro-area town halls to discuss transportation — including bicycle transport and transit — on several upcoming dates. Dates include: Tuesday, Dec. 10 – St. Paul Union Depot, Veterans Gallery, 214 E. 4th Street., St. Paul Thursday, […]