North Minneapolis Greenway Planning
This image shows a street converted into a full greenway, with a trail in the center and no motorized traffic. Image developed by Community Design Group, funded by Bike Walk Twin Cities/ Transit for Livable Communities, and provided courtesy of Twin Cities Greenways.
DID YOU KNOW...?
- Greenways are safe, beautiful routes for bicyclists and pedestrians. They are designed to be user-friendly for people of all ages and abilities and are a free, accessible space for recreation, commuting, and physical activity.
Would you like to stay in the loop about the Greenway project? Email or call Sarah Stewart at sarah.stewart@minneapolismn.gov (612-673-3987) to be added to the project email list.
Project Description:
The City of Minneapolis is developing plans to convert a low-traffic street in north Minneapolis to a greenway. The City is proposing to make most of the greenway a full "linear park" greenway or a "half-and-half" greenway (see below). The greenway could allow for amenities such as community gardens, playgrounds, barbecues and public art.
The greenway would be a north-south route from Shingle Creek Trail (north) to approximately Plymouth Avenue (south). It would primarily follow Humboldt and Irving Avenues North and connect the Crystal Lake Cemetery, three schools, and four parks. The bikeway will be the second of its kind in north Minneapolis. Other examples include 37th Avenue North between Queen and Knox Avenues, Milwaukee Avenue in Seward neighborhood, and the Midtown Greenway. You can download frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the project here.
This project is a response to community interest in a greenway in north Minneapolis and an extension to previous health department efforts in the area. Some of these projects include Venture North Bike Walk and Coffee, the Nice Ride bike expansion, the installation of bike and pedestrian wayfinding signs, and the Bike Walk Move campaign. The City has also continued to improve the bike infrastructure in north Minneapolis with bike lanes on Emerson and Fremont, and maintaining bike lanes on Plymouth, 26th and Lowry Avenues.
This project is supported by the Statewide Health Improvement Program from the Minnesota Department of Health.
Preferred Greenway Route and Proposed Designs:
Download the North Minneapolis Greenway Preferred Route Map (PDF). You can also view a Word document describing the route here.
The City presented three route options to the community in Fall 2012. The preferred route was chosen based on input from community members and the project steering committee. You can view the original three route options here: North Minneapolis Greenway Route Map and Design Options. (Note that the route options map incorrectly labels Girard Avenue North as "Grand")
Possible Greenway Designs:
The images below show what a full greenway, a "half and half" greenway, and a bike boulevard might look like:
Accomplishments and Results:
- Winter 2013 report completed. The City conducted a community engagement process in January and February of 2013 to gather input on a proposed greenway route and greenway types, and a report is now availble summarizing that process. Download the two-page executive summary (PDF or Word) or the full report (PDF or Word).
- Fall 2012 report completed. The City conducted a community engagement process in the Fall of 2012 to gather input from community members on the greenway project. Download the two-page executive summary (PDF or Word) or the full report (PDF or Word).
- Project steering committee convened. A Steering Committee for the north Minneapolis greenway project met three times and will continue to meet to provide input and oversight. The committee is made up of community residents from north Minneapolis and technical experts from the City, Hennepin County, and other organizations. You can view the minutes:
May 8, 2012 meeting August 28, 2012 meeting October 30, 2012 meeting - Planning consultant hired. The health department has hired a planning firm (SRF Consulting) to study the route options and develop plans for the greenway. SRF developed the graphics above and will continue to develop plans based on community input.
Resources:
- Twin Cities Greenways is a grassroots effort promoting the construction of greenway-quality trails to better connect the Twin Cities area. Visit their website for more information about greenways. http://www.tcgreenways.org/.
For more information about bicycling and walking in Minneapolis, visit Bicycling in Minneapolis (www.minneapolismn.gov/bicycles)and Walking in Minneapolis (www.minneapolismn.gov/pedestrian).
Last updated Dec. 5, 2013
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