If You Build it, They Will Come

October 30, 2024

More than half of Americans are interested in riding a bike for transportation but are concerned about routes, distances, and traffic (source). Even Minneapolis’ quietest side streets involve interactions with huge physical threats every couple blocks or more.

Minneapolis’ network of protected bike lanes is slowly unlocking thousands of riders. A complete system has the potential to replace hundreds of thousands of car trips.

The Northside Greenway has been in the works for more than a decade. The city wants to create a low-stress place for people to walk, bike, and roll. Studies show that building bicycle infrastructure increases ridership (source) and has the potential to unlock thousands of Minneapolis riders and reduce traffic burdens on our city. In fact, this is the case with whatever infrastructure you build. Car infrastructure adds more drivers to the roads, for example.

More bikers means less traffic, safer streets, lower infrastructure costs and taxes, reduced pollution, healthier communities, increased property values, and on and on.

We had a great time talking with city staff at the public engagement session at the Folwell Rec Center. Things are still in the brainstorming phase. The city is seeking feedback from residents and other constituents and no plans have been adopted.

There is broad support for a something along this route, but the details are much more controversial. Plenty of residents are understandably concerned about parking in front of their house, however the various plans available at the meeting offered few options that removed cars entirely from the street. This kind of change could only happen with strong support from residents of each block.

But the project is finally funded. There isn’t money for every idea on the table, but something is likely to get done.

Unfortunately not all of the possible designs include protected bikeways. Tell the city this is critical for getting people to start riding.

Project website: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/northside-greenway-project/