Notice of Decision for the Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the Superior Plating Site Redevelopment

Via a May 11 City of Minneapolis News Release:

Notice of Decision for the Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the Superior Plating Site Redevelopment
 
Monday, May 11, 2015 (Minneapolis) – The City of Minneapolis has completed the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) process for the Superior Plating Site Redevelopment located on the properties at 315 1st Avenue NE, 101 4th Street NE, 115 4th Street NE, 119 4th Street NE, 125 4th Street NE, 108 5th Street NE, 116 5th Street NE, and 120 5th Street NE in Minneapolis.  On May 1, 2015, the City Council decided to not order the development of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), therefore making a Negative Declaration, and adopting the Findings of Fact and Record of Decision document. This City Council action was approved by the Mayor on May 8, 2015, and was published in the Finance and Commerce newspaper on May 9, 2015.
 
Copies of the EAW and the Findings of Fact and Record of Decision document are available for review in the office of the City of Minneapolis department of Community Planning and Economic Development, Land Use, Design and Preservation Section at 250 S. 4th Street, Room 300 Public Service Center.   Copies of these documents can also be provided to individuals upon request.
 
For further information contact Becca Farrar-Hughes, Senior Planner, at 612.673.3594 or via email rebecca.farrar@minneapolismn.gov. This EAW, supporting information and the Findings of Fact and Record of Decision for this EAW are also available for review on the City of Minneapolis website.

Opening Day at the 2015 Mill City Farmers Market

It was a non-stop hugfest at the May 9 Market as vendors, customers, neighbors and friends all converged to celebrate opening day. 

The Black Cat crew back in action!

The new method Barkley's Bistro is using to roast bones retains more marrow.

Juut Salonspa hosted a seedling planting table for little ones to create a Mother's Day gift.

At the Wedge Community Co-op booth, shoppers were treated to packets of organic seeds.

During the May Markets, vendors are ready to help you start your own garden with an array of flowers, veggies and herbs. 

Bikeways for Everyone informed interested shoppers about the collaborative campaign of community partners, businesses and individuals advocating for 30 new miles of protected bikeways by 2020.

In addition to delicious, crisp toasted hazelnuts and oil, Hazelnut Valley Farm offers bags of shells for mulch. They're attractive, and the sharp edges will keep the slugs under control.

Here's a handy new complimentary service this year - the Veggie Valet.  The staff at the Info Booth will hold your items so you can enjoy a meal, do more shopping, or take in an event at the Market.

We're proud to be on the Sponsor board along side organizations committed to the continued success of the Mill City Farmers Market.

The Market just wouldn't be complete without the Singing Hills Goat Dairy mascot.  :)

Just Published - Floorplans of Patio Units at The Portland Tower

The Portland Tower of Minneapolis just published floor plans that will offer stunning views of downtown. These units will also offer top-level standard features, upscale amenities and tailored finishes to meet each buyer's individual needs.

 

The Portland Tower is located at 740 Portland Avenue South, at the corner of Portland and 8th Avenue. For more information, contact Luke Kleckner of 612Group at lukekleckner@gmail.com or 612-310-8616. 

Tomorrow! Mill City Farmers Market 2015 Season Opener!

Please join us tomorrow in celebrating the opening of the Mill City Farmers Market 10th season!  There's a lot going on, so get there early with shopping list in hand.   Enjoy the Mill City Cooks demo, grab a delicious meal, tap your toes to some live music, and learn something new at a Community Booth.  Plus, bring along a print out of the below graphic, and you'll go home with a complimentary herb plant from Market Sponsor Cynthia Froid Group. Don't forget to stop by the Info Booth and become a Member - you'll reap savings all season long.  See you there!  :D

Closure/Detour of West River Parkway Trail at Franklin Avenue Bridge

Via a May 6 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

The off-street bicycle/pedestrian trail under the Franklin Avenue Bridge is closed for the next 4-6 weeks, effective immediately.  Hennepin County and Kraemer North America are removing concrete and rebar from the west pier of the Franklin Avenue bridge as one of the first steps in the reconstruction of the bridge, which will be ongoing until the end of 2016. 

The trail detour begins on the south side of Franklin Avenue to westbound Franklin Avenue to Riverside Avenue and then to 4th Street South back to West River Parkway.  For your own safety, please follow the trail detour (map).  Photos of the detour will be posted on the project webpage within the next few days. 

The area under the bridge remains open to northbound and southbound automobile traffic on the parkway. Access to the Franklin Terrace Dog Park will not be affected.

The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul presents I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story May 15-21

The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul is screening I Am Big: The Caroll Spinney Story May 15-21 at the St. Anthony Main Theatre 

For 45 years, Caroll Spinney has been beloved by generations of children as the man behind Sesame Street's Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch - and at 80 years old, he has no intention of stopping. A loving portrait of the man in the yellow suit, I Am Big Bird features extraordinary footage of Spinney's earliest collaborations with Jim Henson as it traces his journey from bullied child to childhood icon. And as the yellow feathers give way to grey hair, it is the man, not the puppet, who will steal your heart.

Mill City Live 2015 Line Up!

Mill City Live returns for its twelfth season with four outdoor concerts on Wednesday evenings in August.

Set in the museum's dramatic open air Ruin Courtyard, "Mill City Live" features four great evenings of outdoor music by top local artists. 

• Time: 6 to 8 p.m.
• Fee: $5 includes concert and museum admission from 4 to 9 p.m., an opportunity to visit Mill City Museum at a significant discount.  Free for Minnesota Historical Society members.  
• In case of rain, Mill City Live goes on indoors! 

Wednesday, August 5th, 6-8pm

PaviElle Neo-soul/R&B

 

 

PaviElle French is a Neo Soul Vocalist, activist, dancer, and actress. In the past, PaviElle has taken the stage professionally as a vocalist, singer songwriter and spoken word artist. Her new endeavor is a musical collaboration with bassist, producer and composer Casey O’Brien and presents ten years of her songwriting, all of it deeply personal and autobiographical. Fear Not, a new independently produced record, presents the captivating work of innovative, potent and dynamic neo-soul singer PaviElle French, and represents her much anticipated return to performing after a five year hiatus.

 

“Brace yourselves, Twin Cities, because another conquering diva is about to storm our beaches. PaviElle French is poised to own 2015 like Lizzo did a few years back, and it’s time to welcome our brassy new boss. French has been honing her show with a monthly residency series at Icehouse for the last year, blowing away folks who just walked in for a cocktail with a whiplash-inducing voice.”  -Zach McCormick, City Pages

(photo: Bruce Wilcox)

 

Wednesday, August 12th, 6-8pm

Black Diet Garage, Indie, Soul

 

 

Recent winners of Vita.mn’s Are You Local? Showcase and named one of First Avenue’s Best New Bands of 2013, Black Diet is a garage/indie/soul band with a sartorial flair. Indebted to Stax records, they put on shows that look like Baptist church services held at punk houses. Part of a stream of vintage sounding acts coming out of Minneapolis’ Piñata Records, they’re spitting out sharp, testimonial jams for the masses.

 

Wednesday, August 19th, 6-8pm

 

Malamanya Cuban Soul, Salsa, Latin

Malamanya is a six-member Minneapolis-based Cuban Son ensemble, composed of a diverse group of musicians who share a mutual respect and enthusiasm for traditional rhythms and melodies of Latin American and Caribbean music. Their onstage energy and compositions reflect the communal, complex, and celebratory spirit prevalent in these musical genres.

Wednesday, August 26th, 6-8pm      

Davina and the Vagabonds New Orleans Blues, Jazz & Soul  

Davina and The Vagabonds are known for their high energy stage performances and their genre-busting mix of jazz, blues, and roots music. Led by Florida transplant Davina Sower’s powerful and evocative voice this guitar-less, horn-heavy band has the ability to make any crowd happy.

"Davina is the hardest -working Blues woman in Minnesota, but......two things remain consistent at all her shows, though: her throaty but cushiony voice, which has a sort of hardmattress comfort to it that's part Bonnie Raitt, Etta James and a little Amy Winehouse, and her band's rollicking New Orleans flavor, driven home by dueling horn players and a bayou-thick standup bass” – Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune

The Dinkytown Uprising - May 8-14 at the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul’s St. Anthony Main Theatre

THE DINKYTOWN UPRISING

May 8-14 at Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul’s St. Anthony Main Theatre

 

 

The year is 1970 and the disastrous Vietnam War keeps escalating. Protests are erupting all over U.S. campuses. But in Minneapolis, word that the national Red Barn Restaurant chain wants to erect a new fast-food franchise in old, venerable Dinkytown, the “war at home”  takes a different turn. This stunning documentary chronicles the unprecedented 40-day, 40-night continuous Dinkytown “Occupation” to prevent construction of an unwanted hamburger joint.

From film programmer-turned-filmmaker Al Milgrom, the story is recounted by seven participants whose varied reminiscences about defending the neighborhood becomes a microcosm of the memorable ‘70’s Generation. Music featured in the film by Bob Dylan and Willie Murphy.

Milgrom founded the University Film Society in 1962, which later became the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul.

Mill City Farmers Market Begins 10th Season on May 9

Via an April 30 Press Release from the Mill City Farmers Market:

OPENING DAY OF 
MILL CITY FARMERS MARKET’S
10TH OUTDOOR SEASON!
SATURDAY, MAY 9th 8am-1pm

MINNEAPOLIS  (April 30, 2015)—It’s finally here. Spring. Sunshine. Warm weather. And Mill City Farmers Market! Join us on Saturday, May 9^th  for Opening Day of Mill City Farmers Market’s 10^th season of “Healthy Foods, Local Farmers!”

We've dusted off our tents and tables and are ready for the Outdoor Market Season to begin. Join us Saturdays, rain or shine, from 8 am to 1 pm to find the best in seasonal, local, sustainable, and organic produce and products from around our great northern state.

On May 9th, we will celebrate the much awaited growing season, farm-fresh food, local fine arts, and treat moms for Mother’s Day with spring bouquets and fun family activities, including flower planting with Juut Salonspa, mini-farm nuzzles with our friends from Oliver H Kelley Farm, and lively music from local sensation Roe Family Singers. Relish the spring harvest by filling your baskets with fresh asparagus, spring greens, carrots, baby beets, kale, farmstead cheese, pastured meats, freshly baked goods and much, much more!
At 10:00 am, don’t miss Mill City Cooks for a special cooking demo featuring Market Chefs Heather Hartman and Jenny Breen with their daughters in honor of Mother’s Day. Outreach and Education Coordinator Emily Larson of the Wedge Community Co-op will also be in the kitchen offering helpful tips about buying in bulk.

This season, we welcome the return of many wonderful Mill City Farmers Market vendors, as well as several new:

Artisan MN will bring sprouted crackers, fermented foods & home fermentation kits, Body Bliss adds unique skin care & wool products, Hazelnut Valley Farm brings us fresh-roasted hazelnuts & nourishing hazelnut oil, Horner's Corner offers local maple syrup, apples & pears, Northern Fires introduces locally sourced wood-fired pizzas & toasts, and Northern Waters Smokehaus provides cured sausages, smoked salmon, and Lake Superior trout & whitefish!

Have questions? Need more information on what's available? Stop by our market information booth in the center of the Market or visit millcityfarmersmarket.org. EBT services are also available at the information booth.

Hello, Market Season! We've been waiting for you!

Minnesota Historical Society Volunteer Program Earns National Honor

Via an April 29 Minnesota Historical Society e-newsletter:

Minnesota Historical Society Volunteer Program Earns National Honor

The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) has been certified by Points of Light, a national service organization, as a Service Enterprise. This designation honors the work MNHS does to leverage volunteers and their skills to address community needs.

The Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration and Hands On Twin Cities sponsored a group of eight nonprofits, including MNHS, to participate in the certification process. MNHS is the first historical society in the country to receive this certification.

Last year 2,300 volunteers contributed 43,000 hours of service to MNHS. “Our volunteers bring unique skills, a strong desire to contribute, and of course people power. We could not do the work that we do without them.” said Jean Nierenhausen, director of volunteers and interns at MNHS.

MNHS always has openings, but positions fill up quickly. Currently MNHS is looking for volunteers to help with the museum-going public at the History Center, Mill City Museum and Historic Fort Snelling. For more information go to mnhs.org/volunteers.

About the Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories and connects people with history.

MNHS is supported by our Premier Sponsors, Xcel Energy and Explore Minnesota Tourism.

Get Ready to Ride During Minneapolis Bike Week, May 11-17

Via an April 28 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

In partnership with the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition and the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Bike Week is back for another year! Join us May 11th through May 17th for a fun week of group rides, classes, commuter pit stops, free breakfasts, educational events and much more as we celebrate biking in Minneapolis. Minneapolis Bike Week is a coordinated effort among local businesses, nonprofits, community groups and government organizations to host a diverse range of events and activities throughout the week. Every day of Minneapolis Bike Week will have a theme, with events and activities that will engage and inspire seasoned cyclists and brand new bike riders alike:

Monday, May 11th - Fix it Day
Tuesday, May 12th - Go by Bike Day
Wednesday, May 13th - Nice Ride Day
Thursday, May 14th - Women's Day
Friday, May 15th - Bike to Work Day
Saturday, May 16th - Bike to Small Businesses Day
Sunday, May 17th - Family Parks Day

Want to help us spread the joy of biking? Minneapolis Bike Week is powered by over 100 volunteers like you! Volunteering is a fun, easy-going way to promote biking in your community, meet new people, and have a good time doing it. There are a many ways to get involved and each will get you a free Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition T-shirt! Secure yours today! Visit http://www.mplsbikeweek.org/ to learn more and join the fun!

Contact Ginny Herman at ginny@mplsbike.org to get your organization or business involved, and Beth Wagner at beth@mplsbike.org for volunteer inquiries.

Thanks so much to all our volunteers. See you at Minneapolis Bike Week!

New Tour this Summer from the Mill City Museum: Hennepin Island Hydropower Tour

This summer the Mill City Museum and Xcel Energy are partnering on a series of weekday walking tours highlighting the story of waterpower at St. Anthony Falls, including rare access to an operating power plant.

During the early 20th century over two dozen mills and hydroelectric plants used the water power from St. Anthony Falls. Today there is just one left: Xcel Energy’s Hennepin Island Hydroelectric Plant. On this tour of Hennepin Island and Father Hennepin Bluffs Park led by a Mill City Museum guide, participants will get special access to this power plant. Along the way participants will learn about the historic uses of waterpower at the falls for flour milling, sawmilling, and hydroelectricity, the role of hydroelectricity in Xcel Energy’s green energy and energy efficiency initiatives, and the future of waterpower on the Minneapolis riverfront.

Tours are scheduled for June 18, July 2, July 30, August 13 and August 27 from 1:00pm-2:30pm, with approximately 1.5 miles of walking.  Tickets on sale online or at 612-341-7555.

West River Parkway – James I Rice Parkway Trail Improvement Construction Begins

Veit and Company has begun its spring construction activities along the new West River Parkway – James I. Rice Parkway trails.  Construction is expected to be completed by the end of May.  Much of the work remaining includes grading and seeding, planting trees, installing signs and creating a small trailhead plaza at Bohemian Flats.  Please obey detour signs and trail closures during this period. 

For more information, please see the project page (or go to www.minneapolisparks.org/currentprojects and select "West River/James I. Rice Parkway Trail Improvements").

MPRB Receives $500,000 Grant for Sheridan Memorial Park

Excerpt from an April 21 announcement shared by the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

Secretary Jewell, Director Jarvis Announce $3 Million to Develop and Enhance Parks, Outdoor Recreation Facilities in Minneapolis and Seven Other Cities

Revenue from Offshore Oil and Gas Royalties Used to Benefit Disadvantaged Neighborhoods with First-of-a-Kind, Competitive Grants

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Director of the National Park Service Jonathan B. Jarvis today announced $3 million to assist eight cities in constructing and enhancing parks and other outdoor recreation facilities in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is receiving a $500,000 grant for development of recreation facilities at Sheridan Memorial Park, located on a former industrial site on the Mississippi River in Northeast Minneapolis. Other projects range from the renovation of an athletic complex in Detroit, Michigan to construction of a new skate park in Madison, Wisconsin.

The grants, part of a new competitive grant program called the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership, are funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). For more than 50 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has invested revenue from federal offshore oil and gas royalties into more than 40,000 outdoor recreation facilities and conservation projects in every state.

“These eight projects are models of what we have been able to accomplish through the Land and Water Conservation Fund over the past half century,” Jewell said. “We are reinvesting revenues from offshore oil and gas development into parks and open spaces, giving back a portion of what we have taken from our lands and waters. These investments will bring badly needed outdoor spaces and recreational opportunities to urban areas where people, especially young people, will benefit from improved places for healthy outdoor activities.”

“Supporting local communities as they create and improve spaces for outdoor recreation through the LWCF Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grants allows the National Park Service to meet our goal of connecting all Americans to spaces where they can enjoy the great outdoors and establish meaningful relationships in their communities and with their public lands,” said Jarvis.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will apply the grant funds toward development of the 3.5-acre Sheridan Memorial Park, located in an area that is underserved by recreation opportunities and characterized by significant low-income and minority populations, a larger youth population, and above-average rate of negative health issues.  The park’s master plan includes a playground, multi-purpose field, picnic area, picnic shelter/restroom building, pathways connecting to a regional trail network, and an environmentally restored riverfront.
 
“We are thrilled to receive this grant for Sheridan Memorial Park. It will allow us to develop some of the recreational features within the park and increase park use by the community and the region,” said Liz Wielinski, President of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. “Sheridan is part of our RiverFirst initiative to transform 5.5 miles of the Mississippi River from Downtown Minneapolis to the northern city border, an area that has historically been industrial. We have done a lot of work with the Department of Interior, National Park Service, City Parks Alliance and other public and private agencies to create awareness of the significance of RiverFirst and the long-term environmental, recreational and economic benefits it will bring to the city.”

City of Minneapolis to Host Open Data Forum April 27

From the City of Minneapolis website:

If you're interested in learning more about what the City is doing around open data, staff from the City’s Information Technology department are hosting an open data public forum Monday, April 27, to give folks an opportunity to learn more about the City’s open data efforts and what will be new this year on the open data portal.

During the forum, staff will provide an overview of the City’s open data policy and give a presentation of the City’s open data portal. There will be time for discussion about what data sets are currently available and also what data sets will be available in the near future. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask staff questions about the portal and policy and provide feedback.

Open data public forum:
Monday, April 27, 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Flour Exchange Building, 310 4th Avenue S, Suite 400

Natural Food Cook Opportunity at Spoonriver Bar & Restaurant

Spoonriver, 750 South 2nd Street, is seeking a full time Natural Food Cook to share their commitment to local, sustainable and organic cuisine in the exciting and vibrant Mill District. Ideal candidate is a multidimensional kitchen expert, possessing experience with creative vegetarian specials and natural foods. Join a team of dedicated food professionals in an independently owned and operated establishment. Serious, responsible, creative and flexible applicants please call 612-436-2236.

800 Youth Expected to Attend Annual Minneapolis Teen Job Fair at Central Library on April 25

Via an April 17 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

Over 800 Twin Cities Metro Area Youth Expected to Attend the Annual Minneapolis Teen Job Fair on Saturday, April 25

On Saturday, April 25, between 800 and 900 teens are expected to attend the Annual Minneapolis Teen Job Fair taking place at the Minneapolis Central Library from noon to 3:00 p.m. 

The Minneapolis Teen Job Fair is an opportunity for teens aged 14 to 19 to connect to job-search resources and find out more about available volunteer, internship, and employment opportunities.  Approximately 30 businesses and organizations are expected to take place including TJ Maxx, JC Penney and Taco Bell. 

Additionally, the Minneapolis Youth Congress will host two workshops “How to Get a Job?” and “Who We Hire” presented by a panel of employers including: North Community YMCA, Juxtaposition, TJ Maxx, and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

Youth will also have the opportunity to learn easy and fun ways to dress professionally during the event from Aveda Institute Minneapolis.  The flagship institute is planning two “Work Couture” fashion shows for the fair to demonstrate to youth how to use dress to leave a lasting positive impression when networking, inquiring about a job opening, and/or interviewing.

The Teen Job Fair is free and open to the public.  Preregistration is not required.  A complete list of exhibitors is available on the City of Minneapolis website.  The event can also be followed on social media by using the hashtag #Jobs4yoUth.

The Teen Job Fair is produced by City of Minneapolis department of Community Planning and Economic Development, Hennepin County Library, AchieveMpls, Minneapolis WorkForce Centers, Lunds and Byerly’s, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis Youth Congress, and Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board. 

When: Saturday, April 25, 2015
            12:00p.m. – 3:00p.m.
               
Where: Minneapolis Central Library
             300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 55401
             Second Floor

Neighborhood Volunteer Opportunities

Our Mill District neighbor, Claudia Kittock, would like to spread awareness of two volunteer opportunities in the area: Webster Elementary and Mile in My Shoes.

Webster Elementary opens this fall to serve downtown Minneapolis. Initially the classes will be K-2, and a grade will be added each year thereafter. 

They will need volunteers to assist teachers throughout the day, help with the literacy hour by reading with children (every day, but times are yet to be determined), in the lunch room and possibly at recess.  Once staff is hired and final numbers are received from the district office, details will be provided.  Whatever time you have is welcome!

To volunteer for Webster, email Kaylie Burns Gahagan at Kaylie.BurnsGahagan@mpls.k12.mn.us. An application can be filled out online.  All volunteers are required to attend an orientation session -to begin August 4.

The other organization is Mile in My Shoes (MiMS). Their goal is to foster wellness, empathy and empowerment within individuals and communities by bringing together diverse populations through the power of running. Members are made up of guests of the Emanuel House and the local running community.  

This group meets 6:00am – 7:00am Tuesday and Thursday mornings at Emanuel House, 818 South 3rd Street - rain or shine. They warm-up, run, and cool down together, with routes ranging from 1-3 miles. If interested, please send an email to Mishka at mn.mileinmyshoes@gmail.com and specify that you wish to run with the Emanuel House group.  This Minneapolis Running article from last Fall provides insight on what MiMS is all about.

Feel free to contact Claudia at cjkittock@gmail.com with questions on either of these opportunities.

Traffic Alert - One block of Fourth Street in Downtown Closing for Construction

Via an April 15 e-newsletter from the City of Minneapolis:

Crews will be filling in a tunnel that connected two Star Tribune buildings

Fourth Street South, from Portland Avenue to Park Avenue on the east side of Downtown, is closing to traffic today, Wednesday, April 15. Over the next couple months, crews will be filling in a tunnel that used to connect two former Star Tribune office buildings. They will also be rerouting utility lines located in that tunnel. 

The affected block of Fourth Street is one way eastbound. Traffic will be detoured onto southbound Portland Avenue, to eastbound Sixth Street, to northbound Park Avenue and back onto Fourth Street. The bike lane along Fourth Street is closed until the construction is complete, which is tentatively set for July 8. 

This is one of many construction projects that will affect traffic in Downtown this year. To help drivers know about all of the current and upcoming work, the City has mapped these projects. Links to the maps are available at www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/traffic.

Hennepin County Board Adopts Updated Bicycle Plan

Via an April 14 Hennepin County News Release:

Hennepin County board adopts updated bicycle plan

Hennepin County and Three Rivers Park District worked together to update a county-wide bicycle plan that reflects current and growing use of cycling in the region. The plan, called the Hennepin County 2040 Bicycle Transportation Plan, will guide the county’s work to expand the bikeway system, improve safety for people who bicycle, walk or drive, increase bicycling for transportation, and improve the health of county residents.

This plan, replaces the 1997 plan. Since 1997, the county has made great progress in enhancing its bicycle transportation network. It has built and funded more than 136 miles of new bikeways and closed 59 gaps in the bicycle network. Bicycle commuting has doubled in Hennepin County since 2000 from 0.8 percent to 1.6 percent of trips to work.

The plan includes 45 strategies and more than 170 action items that address infrastructure, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation. The plan also recommends the continuation of current county practices that contribute to the goals of the Hennepin County Pedestrian Plan and the Transportation System Plan.

Bicycle usage and interest continue to grow in Hennepin County. Transportation costs have increased and there is greater public concern about the environmental impacts of transportation. There is also a greater emphasis on active living and the public health benefits of bicycling.

Goals of the county bike plan:
•Quadruple the number of bicycle commuters from 2012’s 12,000 people to 48,000 people by 2040
•Complete an average of 20 miles of the bikeway system each year.
•Close an average of five bikeway gaps each year
•Achieve an access level where 90 percent of homes in Hennepin County are within one-half mile of a bikeway or within a mile of the enhanced bikeway network by 2040
•Move toward zero bicycle deaths
•Halve bicycle crashes per capita from 2010 levels by 2040

Development and implementation

Hennepin County will lead implementation of the plan, but also partner with other agencies and cities. This plan is a guide for supporting the vision of increasing bicycling within Hennepin County. Implementation of the plan requires additional action by the county board through the annual capital appropriations and cooperative funding agreements.

Development of the plan began in spring 2013, with community engagement activities throughout the plan drafting process. The plan was available for public comment in fall 2014 and winter 2015. It has been revised based on comments received.

For more information or to view the full plan, visit www.hennepin.us/bike.