April 12 Newsletter from 7th Ward Council Member Goodman

Open Doors Minneapolis

Doors Open Minneapolis is a new civic celebration that is a collaboration between the City of Minneapolis, the American Institute of Architects (AIA-MPLS) and sponsored by the Minneapolis Foundation and a variety of corporations and businesses.

The event is an opportunity for the public to enjoy free access to over 110 venues throughout the City of Minneapolis that tell the story of the city through the venues, businesses and individuals that make our city a great one.  It will be held from 10 AM – 5 PM Saturday/Sunday May 18-19.  If you go to www.doorsopenminneapolis.com you can see the participating venues and volunteer!!  We need 900 volunteer greeters please consider!! 

Join in the Earth Day cleanup and 5K run/walk

The 2019 Earth Day cleanup and 5K run/walk are Saturday, April 20. Neighbors, businesses and volunteer organizations come together for a common purpose: stewardship of our City’s parks, neighborhoods and watersheds. Volunteers pick up trash and help clean up at several sites around Minneapolis.

5K Bee Run at Boom Island Park 7:30 a.m. Registration opens 8:30 a.m. Kids run 9 a.m. Fun run/walk

Cleanup at sites around the city Individuals can arrive at any site between 9:30 a.m. and noon. No pre-registration required.

The cleanup is a collaborative effort held each April by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling, and several neighborhood organizations.

To learn more about the cleanup events or join in, call 612-230-6479 or visit the MPRB's website and click on “Get Involved.”

City Council approves vision, mission and values as part of City’s Strategic and Racial Equity Action Plan 

The City Council has approved the City’s vision, mission and values as part of the Strategic and Racial Equity Action planning process — a framework that will set the direction for the future of the City and ensure the implementation of racial equity goals.

The Strategic and Racial Equity Action Plan is a four-year plan that will embed racial equity principles into all aspects of the City’s work, aligning work from City leadership to departments and defining goals at all planning levels that can be objectively measured and inform resource decisions. The council is expected to vote on a final version of the plan in June.

The City’s vision adopted by the City Council reads as follows: “Minneapolis is an intentionally compassionate city where each of us can reach our full potential while caring for one another, eliminating racial disparities, improving our environment and promoting social well-being. We lead in innovative and creative ways, focused not only on our present needs, but also the success of future generations.”

The adoption of the vision, mission and values follows the approval of eight City goals earlier this year. The goals were informed by community engagement from the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Minneapolis 2040’s first goal is to eliminate disparities and a targeted number of policy areas from the plan have been identified as policy priorities for the Strategic and Racial Equity Action Plan.

Mayor Frey and the City Council have also directed City staff to focus on strategies in 2019 for three top priorities: reduce evictions among communities of color, increase the number of businesses owned by people of color and eliminate the disproportionate impact of violence in communities of color, immigrant and indigenous communities.

Additionally, the City Council adopted City enterprise goals in December 2018 that call for increasing the retention of racially and ethnically diverse employees, diversifying the City’s vendor base, improving the use of racially disaggregated data in policymaking, and improving the capacity of the City’s boards and commissions to advance racial equity work.

Responding to the urgent need to prioritize and address historic racial disparities in Minneapolis, this is the first time the City has merged its strategic planning with a racial equity framework. To learn more about the plan, visit the plan’s website or contact RaceEquity@minneapolismn.gov.

Minneapolis Public Health Week to honor public health heroes, resource fair April 17

As part of National Public Health Week, the City of Minneapolis will honor local public health heroes whose work supports the goals of the Health Department and helps to raise awareness of the critical roles that public health and prevention play in making Minneapolis healthier.

Public Health Hero award ceremony and resource fair 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday, April 17 City Hall Rotunda, 350 S. Fifth St.

The Local Public Health Hero Awards will honor the accomplishments of community partners whose service to public health activities transforms and strengthens the lives of our residents and visitors.

The resource fair will include interactive booths staffed by Health Department employees who will:

• Show you how to test mugs, toys, cookware and other products for lead.
• Offer you a chance to spin the wheel of worksite wellness, answer trivia questions and register for a prize.
• Provide a hand-washing station that helps you see if you are washing your hands correctly and demonstrates proper hand washing.

Is your child missing school because of asthma?

Is your child missing school because of asthma? The Minneapolis Asthma Program can help. Families with a child with asthma can get a home visit by a healthy homes specialist who can identify sources of asthma triggers in a home. Many homes have asthma triggers that can be reduced by using a HEPA air cleaner to remove pollen, mold spores and pet dander.

The healthy homes program offers the HEPA air cleaner, allergenic pillow and mattress covers and more products free to families.

Help your children to stay in school and reduce their asthma triggers. Request a visit by calling or texting Eliza Schell at 612-685-8512 or emailing her at eliza.schell@minneapolismn.gov. This program is run by the Minneapolis Health Department and is brand new in 2019.

Get ready for spring street sweeping, avoid a ticket and tow

Public Works crews are gearing up to start the City’s comprehensive street sweeping program to clear away what had accumulated in the streets over the winter. The City has scheduled Tuesday, April 16, for the first day of sweeping. Beginning Monday, April 15, drivers should watch for temporary “No Parking” signs to avoid a ticket and tow.

Starting April 16 for approximately four weeks, sweeping crews will take care of more than 1,000 miles of city streets in addition to sweeping alleys. To make sure the crews can do the most complete job possible, temporary “No Parking” signs will be posted at least 24 hours in advance to make sure streets are clear of parked vehicles. Drivers need to follow street sweeping parking rules or they may have their cars ticketed and towed to the Minneapolis Impound Lot.

Residents, workers and visitors have several ways to find out more about street sweeping:

• “No Parking” signs – Crews will post “No Parking” signs at least 24 hours before sweeping any streets. Parking will be banned from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the day a street is swept. The “No Parking” signs will be removed as soon as possible after a street has been completely swept to allow people to resume parking. Drivers should not park along these streets until these temporary “No Parking” signs are removed.
• Phone calls to residents – In addition to the “No Parking” signs that will be posted the day before sweepers come through, the City will make about 3,500 automated phone calls each evening to let residents know their streets will be swept the next day.
• Interactive web tool – To find out which week your street is scheduled to be swept, go to www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/streetsweeping and click on “street sweeping schedule lookup.” Then the weekend before your week, you can revisit the website to find out which day of the week the street is scheduled to be swept.
• Video – Street sweeping is explained in short video at www.YouTube.com/cityofminneapolis and on City cable channels.

Clean streets mean a healthier environment

Minneapolis is known for its sparkling lakes and waterways, and we want to keep it that way. That’s why protecting and enhancing our environment is one of the City’s top priorities. Street sweeping is one way we work to protect our environment because it keeps leaves, trash and other pollutants from clogging our storm drains and polluting our lakes and rivers.

Minneapolis streets are swept completely curb to curb once in the spring and once in the fall. 

Residents should not push leaves, grass clippings or anything else into City streets. It’s bad for our lakes and waterways, and it’s against the law. Anything that goes down a storm drain flows directly into our lakes, creeks and river, and decomposing plant material in the water encourages the growth of harmful aquatic plants and algae.

City gears up for 2019 construction season

The City’s 2019 construction season kicks off this month with projects planned throughout Minneapolis to improve the transportation network and underground utilities, making travel safer and more efficient for all travel modes.

The increased investment in the City’s street network is a result of a landmark agreement passed by the Minneapolis City Council in 2016 that provides $800 million over the next 20 years to help maintain streets and neighborhood parks. Improvements to pedestrian, bicycling, water and sewer infrastructure are also planned.

2019 construction projects at a glance:

• Hennepin Downtown: Hennepin Avenue between Washington Avenue South and 12th Street will be reconstructed to make the street more functional for all travel modes. The reconstruction will also update the aging infrastructure, such as the 1880s-era sanitary sewer system, and coordinate private utility work to support a growing city. Utility work begins Monday, April 15, on Hennepin between Seventh and 12th streets. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction on that five-block stretch of Hennepin. (Note: Hennepin bus routes will move to Nicollet Mall beginning Monday, April 15.)

• Eighth Street reconstruction project: Eighth Street between Hennepin and Chicago avenues will be reconstructed. Utility work is underway and heavier construction is scheduled to start in late April.
• Fourth Street reconstruction project: Fourth Street will be reconstructed from Second Avenue North to Fourth Avenue South. Utility work 80 feet below the road surface is underway, and roadway construction is expected to start in 2020.
• 10th Avenue Bridge rehab and water main project: The 1929-era bridge over the Mississippi River will be rehabilitated. The existing water main suspended from the 10th Avenue Bridge will be replaced with a new water main under the river. The water main relocation is scheduled to start in late April, and the bridge work will begin later this fall.
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  • 34th Avenue South reconstruction: The City is reconstructing 34th Avenue South between East Minnehaha Parkway and 58th Street East. Construction on the avenue between 50th and 58th streets is scheduled to start in mid-April.
  • 28th Avenue Bridge: A new bridge will replace the existing 1904-era bridge over Minnehaha Creek. Construction is expected to start in mid-June.
  • North Commons Park sidewalk gap: The project will focus on filling sidewalk gaps around North Commons Park in north Minneapolis.
  • Penn Avenue North lighting project: New lighting will be installed on Penn Avenue North between Glenwood and 44th Avenue during the two-year project. Work this year will focus on installing lights on Penn between Glenwood and 23rd Avenue North.
  • Hoyer Heights residential reconstruction project: The project in the Waite Park neighborhood of northeast Minneapolis involves residential street improvements along with the replacement of 1930s-era sanitary sewer infrastructure on multiple streets. Utility work starts in mid-April.
  • North Loop paving and pedestrian improvements: The paving project will reconstruct five streets, restore historic street material in some areas, widen sidewalks and add greening, among other improvements. A bikeway connection will also be made along Fifth Avenue North to Target Field Station. Pedestrian safety measures will be installed at 16 intersections throughout the North Loop. Construction will begin in May 2019 and is expected to be completed in spring 2020.

• Safe Routes to School-Roosevelt High School: The project will focus on pedestrian improvements on 28th Avenue South between 40th and 41st streets.

For more information about all of the City’s 2019 construction projects, visit minneapolismn.gov/cip. The City is working to minimize construction impacts as much as possible. Visit minneapolismn.gov/traffic to sign up for citywide traffic alerts and for traveling tips.

Work begins for Hennepin Downtown reconstruction project

Beginning Monday, April 15, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction on Hennepin Avenue between Seventh and 12th streets downtown as utility work starts for the Hennepin Downtown reconstruction project. Hennepin Avenue will be reconstructed from Washington Avenue South to 12th Street. The redesign will make the street more functional for all travel modes.

The downtown section of Hennepin Avenue was last rebuilt in 1986. After more than 30 years, the pavement is worn out and needs to be replaced. The reconstruction will also update the aging infrastructure, such as the 1880s-era sanitary sewer system, and coordinate private utility work to support a growing city.

Hennepin bus routes will move to Nicollet Mall beginning Monday, April 15, for the duration of the reconstruction project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2022.

Hennepin Avenue — one of the city’s most celebrated cultural corridors with several theaters and entertainment venues — attracts thousands of people every day. Once complete, the reconstructed Hennepin will remain a two-way street with wider sidewalks, one-way protected bikeways in both directions, enhanced transit stops and four vehicle lanes. Hennepin will remain a busy and thriving destination during construction with public art projects planned in coordination with the reconstruction project.

Animal Care and Control low-cost pet vaccinations April 28 and May 19

Minneapolis residents can bring in their pets for low-cost vaccinations April 28 and May 19. The City will offer rabies vaccine, feline distemper vaccine, canine distemper vaccine, and microchipping for $10 each or $25 for all three. You can use cash, check or a credit card.

Low-cost pet vaccinations

2-5 p.m. Sunday, Sunday, April 28 Minneapolis Animal Care and Control Shelter, 212 17th Ave. N.

2-5 p.m. Sunday, Sunday, May 19 Minneapolis Animal Care and Control Shelter, 212 17th Ave. N.

All dogs must be on a leash, and all cats must be in a carrier. Must have a valid ID and/or proof of Minneapolis residency to participate.

www.minneapolismn.gov/animals

35W@94 reconstruction update from MnDOT

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has announced the latest short-term and long-term road closuresthat will affect driving on I-35W. Remember to plan ahead and consider alternative ways to get downtown as work continues on MnDOT’s 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown project. Make sure to check the website before your trip, and sign up for email updates to stay current. Metro Transit bus routes and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority routes will be affected by construction.

About the 35W@94 project 

• MnDOT, Metro Transit, the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County are partners in the four-year reconstruction of I-35W between 43rd Street and downtown Minneapolis that will improve accessibility, safety and mobility in the corridor. The work started in September 2017 and is scheduled to be complete in fall 2021.
• The work includes reconstructing 2.5 miles of freeway, reconstructing 11 bridges and repairing four bridges, adding new access ramps from I-35W north to 28th Street and from I-35W south to Lake Street, and replacing ramps from I-35W north to I-94 west and I-94 east to I-35W south. Bus riders will experience a new two-story transit station at Lake Street and walkers and bicyclists will have new pedestrian bridges at 24th and 40th streets and improvements near the Midtown Greenway.
• To learn more about this project, current traffic impacts and detour routes, and to sign up for email updates, visit www.mndot.gov/35w94.
• Plan ahead, know your route and check 511 and the project website for updates: www.511mn.org.

Jobs with the City 

Ever considered working for the City of Minneapolis? Opportunity is knocking. The City of Minneapolis has more than 900 different job types. Find your dream job today.

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/jobs.