Recognizing the Positives of Minneapolis

Room for improvement? Of course - here and everywhere. But let's take a moment to recognize some of the many positives happening in our City, which has received national recognition for an array of features that make Minneapolis a destination for visitors and a source of pride for residents. 

Per a recent news release from the City of Minneapolis, those recognitions include:  

· One of the best in the U.S. and internationally for downtown activity rebound, according to a study from the University of Toronto School of Cities 

· Best city for college graduates, named by the staff at the New York Times 

· Best big city for biking, pedaled by the PeopleForBikes 

· Happiest city in the country, named by Institute for Quality of Life  

“Minneapolis is cruising into the summer and racking up some major wins,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “While we all know our parks are special, our arts scene is unique, and our people are happy, seeing Minneapolis top all these national lists puts a serious hop in our collective step. Our city is on a roll, and we all have to lean into the positive accolades to keep the momentum going.” 

Downtown rebound 

The destination feel of the city was in full force this past weekend, when hundreds of thousands of people descended on downtown for “Gymnastics City USA” and Pride events. City teams report all events were safe and successful because of increased traffic control and true collaboration between city teams and downtown businesses. 

Nicollet Mall was transformed into Promenade du Nord, an ode to all things Paris where athletes will compete in the Summer Games. As part of a citywide effort to revitalize downtown, city leaders are exploring the conversion of Nicollet Mall into a pedestrian only zone, along with options for directing transit service elsewhere through downtown.  

The bustle will continue as Minneapolis hosts the Taste of Minnesota this weekend and Aquatennial celebrations July 24-July 27.  

Pedaling toward success 

For the second year in a row, Minneapolis is ranked number one in biking out of 2,300 cities in the U.S. in the PeopleForBikes’ seventh annual City Ratings, in addition to having one of the best new U.S. bike lanes of 2023. The city’s neighbor, St. Paul, ranked fourth. Cities are measured by the quality and connectivity of its bike network based on safe speeds, protected bike lanes, reallocated road space, intersection safety, network connections and trusted data. Minneapolis boasts 25 miles of on-street protected bikeways and 111 miles of off-street bikeways and trails for residents and visitors to enjoy. In fact, to keep up with demand, the City of Minneapolis is even hiring a bike coordinator.  

“Biking is one of the most popular ways people get around the city, and we couldn’t be prouder of this distinction – for two years running,” said Jenifer Hager, director of transportation planning & programming for the City of Minneapolis. “Our bike share program and trail systems are some of the best in the country. Pedaling through Minneapolis is a great way to see the city and spend the day.”