A Moving Transportation Policy

By Joe Sheeran, Communications Director, January 5, 2012 at 10:30 am

This winter hasn’t earned hearty outdoor enthusiast any bragging rights. Other than a few sub-freezing nights, the weather has been awfully pleasant by Minnesota standards, providing kinder conditions for non-motorized transportation.

Bicycling through the Twin Cities, especially in Minneapolis, you’ve probably noticed a lot more signage, like double-dotted bicycle lanes, special green lanes, even bike boxes at intersections.

What do they all mean?

As a bicyclist or motorist you could link to the City of Minneapolis’s new page dedicated to non-motorized transportation for descriptions.

In a time when conservative policy seeks to strip cities’ services to bare minimums—police, fire and little else—this bicycle program shows the need and payback for broader investment in our communities.

When public policy aims to fund at minimums, we remain average at best. As a top 20 metro area, with location working against us, Minnesota communities must work smarter and harder to maximize on our assets. Minneapolis’s approach to becoming a more bicycle-friendly city is a prime example.

Over the past two years, it’s doubled on-street bikeway miles, according to its website, improving mobility while cutting traffic congestion and pollution, and ultimately making the city more livable and attractive for people looking to relocate.

It might not have the same draw as good schools and low crime rates, but a healthy, bike-friendly city is definitely in the quality of life mix companies like to push when attracting talented workers.

While Minneapolis’s new non-motorized infrastructure is a great step forward, what highlights one of Minnesota’s best public policy attributes is the major public awareness and education campaign around these improvements. The city’s “Bicycling in Minneapolis” site isn’t just a listing of road signs. It’s full of biking maps, safety tips, links to connect with other cyclers, and other helpful information and networking opportunities.

It literally shows Minnesota moves forward, when we move together.

Posted in Transportation | Related Topics: Minneapolis / St Paul  Complete Streets  Bicycles  Infrastructure  Road Safety