Hennepin County Walking, Biking and Rolling Progress Report
Sunday, May 13, 2018 at 5:45PMVia an e-newsletter from Hennepin County:
Welcome to the new Hennepin County walk, bike, roll newsletter! You are receiving this mailing because you told us you wanted to hear news and updates related to walking, biking and accessibilty in the county. We hope you find the items below informative and interesting. Please send any feedback or suggestions to ride@hennepin.us.
2017 bicycle and pedestrian progress report
Biking, walking and rolling are an important part of everyday life for many Hennepin County residents. Whether it is for transportation, recreation or physical activity, we work to create options for getting around that are safe, comfortable and efficient for more people.
Every year, we invest in our growing network of sidewalks, trails and bikeways. In 2017, the county bikeway network grew by 18 miles with 22 projects completed and three priority gaps in the network closed. We also installed or upgraded 485 sidewalk ramps and added 70 accessible pedestrian signals.
Check out the full report to learn more about how Hennepin County worked to serve people walking, biking and rolling in 2017.
May is Bike Month!
Every year in May, people of all bicycling abilities and experience levels celebrate the many benefits of bicycling. Whether you’re trying biking for the first time, or you’re a seasoned cyclist, May is the month to discover and appreciate all the reasons to ride. What are yours?
Bike month events
Washington Avenue cycle track garners national recognition
Woman riding bike on Washington Avenue cycle track near Hennepin Avenue
Completed in 2017, the Washington Avenue cycle track project added dedicated off-street bikeways to both sides of Washington Avenue between Hennepin and 5th avenues in downtown Minneapolis.
The first cycle track of its kind in Hennepin County, this new high-comfort bikeway connects to existing bike lanes on Washington Avenue to the west, and new buffered bike lanes, also installed in 2017, to the east. The project was named one of America's 10 best new bikeways of 2017 by PeopleForBikes. The Franklin Avenue Bridge also made the list in 2016.
Washington Avenue bicycle traffic signal survey
New bicycle-specific traffic signals were also installed as part of the Washington Avenue reconstruction and cycle track project in 2017. These signals are intended to help reduce conflicts and confusion by separately controlling movements of people biking and driving.
To continue improving signal function, we invite you to take a short survey about your experience with these new signals.
Biking and walking improvements underway in 2018
66th Street (County Road 53), Richfield
Several construction projects are underway in 2018 that include major improvements for people biking, walking and rolling in Hennepin County.
Three miles of new protected on-street bike lanes and shared off-street trails are coming to Richfield in 2019. These high-comfort bikeways will serve local business districts, jobs, schools and other key destinations. Other pedestrian improvements include new wider sidewalks, green boulevards, enhanced intersections with shortened crossing distances, updated signals and high-visibility crosswalks. More
Bottineau Boulevard (County Road 81), Brooklyn Park
New shared paths for biking and walking will extend the Crystal Lake Regional Trail. The segment between 63rd and West Broadway avenues is under construction. Similar improvements between West Broadway and 83rd avenues are planned for 2019. More
Douglas Drive (County Road 102), Golden Valley
New shared paths and on-street bike lanes were added between Highway 55 and Medicine Lake Road in 2017. Final work will be completed in summer 2018. More
Flying Cloud Drive (County Road 61), Eden Prairie and Chanhassen
A new shared path between Charlson Road and Highway 101 along the north side of the roadway will fill a gap in the trail network between Shakopee and Eden Prairie. More
Lake Street Connections (County Road 3), Minneapolis
As part of the MnDOT 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown project, Hennepin County is adding wider sidewalks, improved pedestrian ramps, and intersections that are easier to cross along Lake Street near I-35W. A future phase of this project will also add a trail connection from the planned transit station at I-35W and Lake Street to the Midtown Greenway. More
Pinto Drive (County Roads 115 and 116), Medina
A new shared path will be added to Pinto Drive, as well as sidewalk ramps at intersections near Highway 55. More
Planning for bike and pedestrian connections along the future Bottineau LRT route
A man and woman getting off the Light Rail Transit train with their bikes in downtown Minneapolis
Combining your bike trip with a ride on the bus or train is a great way to extend your range on two wheels. Hennepin County is planning for the future of biking and transit in the region. We're working with residents and cities along the planned Bottineau LRT (Blue Line Extension) to improve biking, walking, and rolling connections near future stations.
Show us where walking and biking improvements are needed along the corridor:
Visit the Bottineau connectivity wikimap
County bike map gets fresh look in 2018
Back side of the new 2018 county bike map
The Hennepin County bike map has a new look and even more helpful info and features in 2018.
They're hot off the presses and will be hitting the stands at your local county library and other locations across the county soon.
You can also grab one at any number of summer community events like Open Streets.
