New this year will be scheduled meetings with representatives, with scheduling facilitated by BikeMN — probably in response [...]]]>

The second Minnesota Bike Summit has been scheduled for Monday, March 5, in Saint Paul. This event, hosted by BikeMN, brings together people from across the state to talk bicycling amongst themselves, then with state officials and elected representatives.

New this year will be scheduled meetings with representatives, with scheduling facilitated by BikeMN — probably in response to many attendees’ bafflement with the process. (I’m hoping for encouragement for slightly more upscale attire from BikeMN for these meetings as well, but we’ll see. Last year’s crew was occasionally pretty motley, and played right into perceptions of cyclists as a fringe group.)

The 2012 legislative agenda will no doubt be a big part of this event. It’s pretty similar to 2011s, since so little got done last year (in most areas of government, not just bikes!).

I attended last year and provided a lot of coverage of the event. The event is likely to be larger this year, which may serve as a warning to those with claustrophobia — the event site is nice enough, and convenient to the Capitol, but a tight squeeze nonetheless. We had 175 attendees last year. I suspect 200 may require us all to be extra-friendly to one another.

Registration is super-cheap — $10 for BikeMN members, an extra $5 for the unconverted.

I’ll be there. Will you?

This is a reasonably good article, with some gaps. The main gap is really surrounding the concept of Complete Streets, and I’m not strictly certain that’s on the author [...]]]>

Shouts out to @reubencollins on ze Twitter for tweeting this article about people looking to have the resurfacing project on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul include bike lanes.

This is a reasonably good article, with some gaps. The main gap is really surrounding the concept of Complete Streets, and I’m not strictly certain that’s on the author so much as the people he spoke to for the piece.

Would adding bike lane striping be cheapest during a resurfacing project? Certainly. Do cyclists lack reasonable North-South choices to get through the Saintly City? Ohmyyes. Is slapping some paint lines going to make most of Snelling Avenue a Complete Street? OhmyNO.

The article does mention a few reasons why — first, Snelling is a truck route. There is a limited ability to narrow the lanes and maintain the status of the road as a truck route. And, much as cyclists lack north-south options through the city, so do trucks. Snelling Avenue is a key arterial route for trucks, and connects to many local businesses that need trucks to be able to reach them. Most of the north-south streets aren’t truck routes, and have significant direct residential frontage — people who would oppose their north-south streets becoming truck routes, and people who have less need for trucks to be able to get into their neighborhood than many of the businesses with Snelling Avenue frontage.

There are also a large number of uncontrolled intersections. The merges off the Pierce Butler Route and Como Avenue come to mind, where cars have about 3 feet to merge and the curve is not entirely blind but certainly not unobstructed.

Another key consideration is the parking situation. Snelling has a lot of on-street parking, and a lot of driveways. If the on-street parking is maintained, parked cars + abundant driveways equals out to crummy visibility for cyclists coming through. Dropping some of the parking reduces this visibility issue, and makes room for bike lane striping. However, it almost ensures local businesses to mobilize heavily against such a plan. Much of the city is unlikely to get involved in a parking removal project right now, given the many challenges in the Central Corridor, parking included. (Check the closing quote in this article about Central Corridor parking. Oy vey.)

It’s nearly impossible to argue that Snelling doesn’t need traffic calming. It does. A lot of traffic calming, in fact. Bike lanes can be a part of a traffic calming strategy. But just slapping some bike lanes down does not equate to a Complete Street, or to making Snelling an attractive roadway on which to bike. For that matter, bike lanes won’t do much to promote pedestrian safety.

Doing this project correctly could be a very good thing. Just painting in some bike lanes is not a correct approach to the problem that is Snelling Avenue, and won’t do a lot to encourage alternative mode share through much of the corridor. I have high doubts that the public meetings will do much to really address the totality of the situation, because to actually address the real issues will be very expensive, and require a lot of people to cooperate. After all, this is St. Paul, where there are still fights about simple changes to Jefferson Avenue that are unlikely to impact most residents or users. To make Snelling safe for, well, anyone not in an armored tank will require changes that will impact everyone.

At Interbike in Las Vegas, Saint Paul, Minnesota, was named to the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Community list for the first time. They check in with a Bronze designation, which is an excellent first-time recognition for the city.

As a sometime Saint Paul resident, I will testify [...]]]>

Enough about Minneapolis. Let’s talk about Saint Paul, baby.

At Interbike in Las Vegas, Saint Paul, Minnesota, was named to the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Community list for the first time. They check in with a Bronze designation, which is an excellent first-time recognition for the city.

As a sometime Saint Paul resident, I will testify to the city’s bikeability. While everyone knows Summit Avenue and the Gateway Trail, the city is also full of hidden gems, like the Battle Creek MTB trails, and the creek-level paved trail. The trails in Hidden Falls and Crosby Farm are often missed by cyclists who know the River Road routes. And let’s not forget the mighty climbs of the city — Ramsey Hill, Ohio, and Springside all come to mind, with the last being the steepest hill in Ramsey County. And can you bike past the House at Pooh Corner in Minneapolis? Nope. Saint Paul, bay-bee. Some of the best rest stops in the city can also be found in the capitol city.

The city’s been working on improving things for cyclists as well — everything from median tests to designating some new bikeways. The Saint Paul Bicycle Coalition has been growing more active as well.

And, in a rare statement, I’ve always been impressed with the knowledge city law enforcement has of bike laws and their enforcement.

I should also mention that La Crosse, Wisconsin, also received designation as a Silver-Level Community, and River Falls received an honorable mention. Hooray for them too. But Saint Paul is home, and I’m glad to see them finally request the recognition they deserve.

A printable map of station locations is available online, along with an interactive online map that offers real-time information about station status, and, when open, bike availability.

Key new stations [...]]]>

To cap off 2011 Bike to Work Week, Nice Ride MN has announced the locations of  40 new bike-share stations to be located in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

A printable map of station locations is available online, along with an interactive online map that offers real-time information about station status, and, when open, bike availability.

Key new stations include several stops in North and Northeast Minneapolis — currently not well served by the network — as well as the Lake Street YMCA and light rail station. Funded stations in St. Paul will be near several of the colleges in St. Paul — Concordia, University of St. Thomas, Macalester College and Hamline, plus along Marshall Avenue and Summit/Grand, and several stations near/on University Avenue. The perky press release claims that “if you want to avoid congestion during the Central Corridor construction, Nice Ride will get you to your University Avenue destination fast!” but let’s all view that as publicity propaganda, because no one is getting anywhere on University fast via any mode of transport for some time. (Also, bring a breathing mask for the construction dust, gak.)

As expected, projected future St. Paul Nice Ride stations focus on downtown, the Macalester-Groveland area, and the Highland area. Aside from projected stations at the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus, stations are not presently planned for the Como and Phalen areas or Indian Mounds/Battle Creek, let alone the wilds of the North Side. Presumably in the longer term the park areas will be connected into the system, particularly Como.

It is good to watch this network expand, and it is to be hoped that future stations continue to reach into diverse neighborhoods and education centers.

One project of especial note to bicyclists is the 3-year project to replace the structurally-deficient Lafayette Bridge (US 52) in Saint Paul. The project is [...]]]>

MNDOT has released the list of 2011 major road projects for the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota. All kinds of mayhem will ensue, especially during I94 work between Cretin/Vandalia and Nicollet Avenues.

One project of especial note to bicyclists is the 3-year project to replace the structurally-deficient Lafayette Bridge (US 52) in Saint Paul. The project is expected to add another river crossing for cyclists and pedestrians.

Obviously, many county and local roads are also subject to construction as well, and the projects for those roads are controlled by more local authorities. Cyclists should stay abreast of planned street work near their usual routes.