Greenways vs. The Grid: Is Mpls' Greenways plan a good move?
One of the more interesting aspects of the recently completed Minneapolis Bicycle Master Plan is the inclusion of a long-term vision to convert some local roadways to Greenways. The master plan map lays out a network of future Greenways (most facilities we're currently referring to as Bike Boulevards are envisioned to transition to Greenways over time. However, the Master Plan provides only minimal insight into what exactly this means or how it will be accomplished. From page 184 of the plan:
Create a network of “greenways” or “green streets” where roadways are converted to bicycle and pedestrian only corridors. Milwaukee Avenue is a good example of this concept. “Greenway” corridors may be constructed in collaboration with stormwater management projects. Care must be taken to ensure that the street grid is not severely compromised. (ENG-19)
The vision is more or less similar to what is being promoted by this group. The City has nearly finished construction on one greenway conversion called the 37th Avenue Greenway, although I get the impression that the overall objective of this project was more about flood control than promoting biking or walking. In the Master Plan, the language acknowledges that the creation of greenways could have a larger overall impact on the roadway network if the existing grid is compromised - in the 37th Avenue Greenway, none of the perpendicular roadways or alleys are severed. I certainly don't oppose the creation of new trails through the City, and this is probably the only realistic option available since the City is fully built-out. However, I think severing the existing grid system will have impacts that should not be minimized, and public acceptance may be a tough battle for the City. What do you think about converting existing roadways into roadways? Do the positive aspects (new trails, new parks) outweigh the negative aspects (severed grid, reduced motorized access to properties)?
Comments
Yes please
Sign me up! I love walking down Milwaukee Ave. I thought I was on private property at first, it seems so alien in Minneapolis. But I couldn't imagine a better front yard.
Great idea if done right
I live on a street that is targeted as a possible future greenway, and I am in love with the idea. I can imagine it being built in such a way that would still allow some traffic access but discourage it where appropriate. I think it would greatly improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.
An ideal world would turn all of our street facing minneapolis houses around and turn the alleyways into greenways have car access in the back. But we have to work with what we have built already, and I think this is a good start.
the problem with greenways
the problem with greenways and bike paths and all that is they can be very scary places to be, especially at night, which means you're excluding women from being able to use them at least at night. if we stick to Jane Jacobs, and work on 'increasing' instead of 'decreasing', we'll be alright.
Granted being down in a
Granted being down in a trench in the city at night isn't the first place I'd want to be, but I don't see any problem walking down something like Milwaukee Ave at night. In fact I'd think a greenway setup like that would encourage more folks to use their front yard as an extended living room and it would be safer than some sidewalk along a road nobody looks at.
Not quite worth it
While I appreciate the concept of adding green space and bicycle routes, I don't think severing the street grid is the right way to go about it. One of the reasons why suburbia is so miserable is because of the focusing of vehicle traffic on only a few select routes. Severing the street grid, as the Greenway supporters suggest, would do much the same thing in the city, which IMO would outweigh the green space benefits and DEFINITELY would make things worse for those who live on the sections of the street grid that remain.