A showdown was inevitable. And that showdown is Hennepin Avenue. The City Council passed a Climate Action plan to address the climate change crisis—a no-brainer for a progressive city like Minneapolis. The Council passed Vision Zero, meant to make our streets safer for vulnerable users like pedestrians and bicyclists. They passed a comprehensive Transportation Action Plan which includes specific commitments to transition away from cars and towards public transportation and more walking and biking. And then they produced a plan for repaving Hennepin Avenue, a plan that is consistent with these policies. Oops! Clearly, we have a clash of priorities here. There’s a limited amount of space on a street everyone feels is important. It’s a key artery for public transportation. It’s a busy commercial artery that everyone—pedestrians, cars, bicyclists, and transit—want to be able to use safely. How is it possible to address the climate crisis without reducing dependence on cars? Will improved public transit and bicycle facilities encourage people to use their cars less?
Some folks say that bike lanes are just for young people. Not true! In fact, protected bike lanes are critical for expanding bike use, so that more people feel safe bicycling. A bicycle is much cheaper than a car, so it’s more accessible for poorer folks. I’m a senior citizen (I’ll be turning 70 in a few weeks) and in good weather, I enjoy using my bike for short errands—a trip for groceries or to the pharmacy. It turns out many car trips within the neighborhood are short. On a lovely day, wouldn’t it be great to feel safe being able to bike to stores on Hennepin? Bicycling instead of using a car not only reduces carbon emissions but it also improves your health! My husband much prefers to bike commute to work, rather than driving. Even though it takes a little longer, he feels so much better getting exercise rather than sitting in his car in rush hour traffic.
At the Hennepin Avenue Open House, City staff said that data shows there’s ample parking within a few blocks of Hennepin, for those who still want to use their cars. I keep hearing folks say, look what happened to Uptown after they removed parking on Hennepin from Lake St to 31st St. That’s such a bogus argument. I was never able to park on that block—it was always completely parked. There are so many reasons for the problems Uptown is facing, not the least of which is the universal crisis in retail.
Downtown is suffering too, as are cities everywhere. People on bikes, pedestrians and users of public transit spend money just like people in cars. Making Hennepin Avenue more accessible and safer for those folks just might help business. And do yourself a favor. Next time the sun is out, the temperature is in the 70s and you are only going on an errand of a mile or two, take your bike instead of your car. The air will thank you and you’ll feel better, too.
