Twin Cities Streets for People

Sponsored by the Pollution Control Agency, this year's central exhibit in the Eco Experience is around a streetscape Read more >

Q: What's the best way to get to the state fair?

A: On a bike. And it's not even a close competition.

Driving to the fair is like taking a cheese grater to your sanity. And the buses are packed and logistically challenged and, most of the time, have to drive slowly in the clogged traffic lanes. No, the best way to get to the fair is on a bicycle. It's fast, fun, and even begins to offset some of the fried food you just ate.

So that's why its aggravating that there really aren't any good bike routes into the Fair. The fair routes bikes around the fair, and temporarily 'removes' the bike lane that goes straight to the entrance.

Given the inevitable mile-long bumper-to-bumper jams in every direction, you'd think they would be doing everything they could to encourage people to ride bicycles, not making it more difficult.

The Minneapolis Bike Master Plan is moving forward to adoption. The plan which will guide investments for the next several years, identifies priority routes and sets a framework for staff when they apply for federal funding to get programs and projects rolling.

Visit the project website to view the document. Five opportunities for public review and comment will be provided:

• Monday, August 30th, 6:30 to 8:30pm, Edison High School Auditorium, 700 22nd Avenue NE
• Wednesday, September 1st, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, Roosevelt High School Auditorium, 4029 28th Avenue S
• Wednesday, September 8th, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, Washburn High School Auditorium, 201 W 49th Street
• Monday, September 13th, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, Minneapolis Central Library, Pohlad Hall Auditorium, 300 Nicollet Mall
• Wednesday, September 15th, 6:00 to 8:00pm, University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center, 2001 Plymouth Avenue N

For comments or questions related to the plan, fill out the City's online form or contact Don Pflaum at donald.pflaum@ci.minneapolis.mn.us or 612.673.2129.

The public review period will end on October 1, 2010. Read more >

Some text has been added to the Hennepin Avenue green stripe.  It reads, "TURN RIGHT BIKE BUS" from top to bottom, or "BUS BIKE RIGHT TURN" from bottom to top.  

I think this means that the stripe is for buses and bikes, and cars should only enter the stripe if they want to turn right.  I believe there are still plans to add a bicycle symbol to the green stripe to indicate that this portion of the shared lane is primarily for cyclists.  

Is this becoming more legible to you as a street user?  As one cyclist told me, "maybe [the green stripe] has something to do with [A New Musical] Wicked," which is currently playing at a venue on Hennepin.