Update 3/28: People sending in public comments have heard that Public Works is not recommending the use of bollards: make sure to ask for bollards in your comments!
Update 3/21: The next Transportation & Public Works meeting is on the 27th, according to the project website, this project will be up for approval at the end of March.
In 2018, the city will resurface one mile of 24th Street between Hennepin Ave and 3rd Ave S. This provides the city with the opportunity to install dedicated bike lanes along that portion of 24th Street.
On Monday November 13th, the Whittier Alliance held a meeting that included the proposed 24th Street bikeway. It was a hostile room dominated by opponents of bike lanes and those upset by last weeks election results in Ward 10, including the former council member who participated in the Nazi Lane protest against the protected bike lanes on 26th and 28th Streets.
Opponents of the lanes have raised typical concerns about traffic, parking and safety, however: a parking study was conducted in late July, at various times of the day and weekend, and determined bike lanes can be installed on over half of the corridor without changing existing on-street parking, with some changes necessary on 24th Street between Hennepin & Lyndale and Nicollet and 3rd Ave.
24th Street in this area is extremely wide, encouraging drivers to speed. Sight lines are bad for pedestrians and bikers, so a reduction in both crossing distance and parking along this stretch would be an improvement. 24th Street is already a bus route with parking on one side of the street, which means there isn’t a significant number of parking spaces at stake.
Adding in bike lanes will improve conditions for the most vulnerable users: people who walk and bike. 24th Street was included in the Bike Master Plan that was approved by the City Council in 2011. Let’s encourage the city to pursue the best design that works for all users. This is not just about bike lanes; we need to design a smart and safe city by reclaiming space for people. Everyone should feel safe in whatever mode they choose to travel. Traffic calming is good for drivers as well.
How to support the project
Send in a letter of public comment to Transportation & Public Works Committee members by April 17th (click here to CC everyone), no agenda has been posted yet, but this is the likely date that the recommendation will come forward for approval. Two or three sentences will do, feel free to be brief! The Transportation and Public Works committee members’ emails are below:
Ward 1: Kevin Reich (Chair) — Kevin.Reich@minneapolismn.gov — (612) 673–2201
Ward 10: Lisa Bender (Vice-chair) — Lisa.Bender@minneapolismn.gov — (612) 673–2210
Ward 2: Cam Gordon — Cam.Gordon@minneapolismn.gov — (612) 673–2202
Ward 3: Steve Fletcher — Steve.Fletcher@minneapolismn.gov — (612) 673–2203
Ward 12: Andrew Johnson — Andrew.Johnson@minneapolismn.gov — (612) 673–2212
Ward 13: Linea Palmisano — Linea.Palmisano@minneapolismn.gov — (612) 673–2213
Transportation planner: Virginie Nadimi—virginie.nadimi@minneapolismn.gov—(612) 673–5011.
Talking Points
- I support traffic calming as cars routinely speed along 24th Street
- The proposed bikeway needs bollards or concrete to be fully effective at providing separation between lanes for drivers and lanes for cyclists.
- Sightlines are terrible along this stretch which is dangerous for those crossing the street.
- Parking studies have shown that there is more than enough free parking around the clock in the area to handle removing a few spaces for a safer street experience for all.
- I encourage safer shorter crossing distances to be implemented.
- We need bike lanes on this route because sharrows are terrible for new and less confident riders who aren’t comfortable riding with cars.
- Cars pass too close when you’re biking on 24th Street.
- Protected bike lane will make riders feel safe.
- Dedicated space for bikes will help riders feel safe especially ones who aren’t vehicular cyclists.
- We need to complete our network of protected bike lanes throughout the city that get people to various destinations.
- Just because the Greenway, 26th St, 28th St exists doesn’t mean we don’t need more protected bike lanes.
- Having an extra east-west connection back to the Bryant Ave bike boulevard will be useful.
- I support the removal of parking to improve sightlines for the most vulnerable users.
- The traffic study showing ample available parking in the neighborhood is consistent with my experience.
- Families bike this route to take their kids to daycare and school.
- Families walk along this route and deserve safe streets.
- Our neighborhoods should have safe streets for everyone walking, biking, and driving.
- Cross-town routes allow for easy and comfortable trips between destinations.
- I support prioritizing streets for people.
