Every day, The Overhead Wire collects national and international news about cities and sends the links to their email list. At the end of the week they post some of the most popular stories to Greater Greater Washington, a group blog similar to Streets.mn that focuses on urban issues in the D.C. region. World’s smartest city: After gaining a reputation as being a rural outpost, Etteln, Germany, has stepped into the modern age. A digital communication strategy has connected every part of ...| Streets.mn
At a moment of transition between managing editors and editors-in-chief, let’s take a look back at how Streets.mn got started, how we have evolved, and where we are headed in the future. Links Earliest Streets.mn post that Ian could find Twin Cities Streets For People, the site that Tony Rossell was hosting before Streets.mn was formalized Greater Greater Washington Urban MSP forums Gleeman and the Geek, the Twins baseball podcast that inspired Bill An early podcast episode that Bill is pro...| Streets.mn
Editor’s Note: This is the third in an ongoing series of articles touching on aspects of the City of Minneapolis’ planned reconstruction of 35th and 36th streets in South Minneapolis. We encourage residents and users of these streets to weigh in with city officials. When it comes to streets, the devil’s always in the details. As the City of Minneapolis plans its full reconstruction of 35th and 36th streets, one of the more under-the-radar policy considerations bearing on the project i...| Streets.mn
On Saturday, May 7, Scott and I walked a stretch of the Midtown Greenway, a 5.5 mile bicycle and pedestrian trail that runs parallel to Lake Street. Traffic was heavier than usual because of the Bi…| Streets.mn
Hello, Streets.mn community, I’m so excited to introduce myself as the new managing editor here at Streets.mn. Writing, editing and community journalism education have been at the heart of my work for many years. I feel deeply honored to be able to step into this role, because I believe that conversations about transportation and land use are at the center of whatever justice and equity conversations we have. We know that historically, decisions about land use have been shaped by systems of...| Streets.mn
Some of you may have already seen local coverage of new six-unit homes being proposed near the University of St Thomas campus. You also may have heard about some pushback from neighbors in that area — specifically an ask for a moratorium on all multifamily housing construction in the area. The two multi-unit structures would replace two single-family homes at 2143 and 2149 Selby Avenue (both owned by Elliot Capital Group in Eden Prairie, according to Ramsey County records). The houses, one ...| Streets.mn
Hello Streets.mn community, Welcome to our biweekly newsletter, delivering the latest Streets.mn news and views directly to your inbox! In each issue, our editorial team will provide ongoing stories, news, updates and event information related to Streets.mn, city life and Greater Minnesota. Reading our newsletter for the first time? Subscribe here to get it in your inbox bi-weekly. New in Streets.mn: First-time contributor Jack Riely embarks on an odyssey to track down a six-pack of beer...| Streets.mn
I recently attended the open house where St. Paul city staff presented the plans for the reconstruction of Pelham Boulevard. The open house was well-attended, and I saw many familiar faces, including others wearing face masks like my own in light of the unhealthy air quality on the day of the event. In summary, the reconstruction plans include converting the current flexpost-separated bikeway along this section of the St. Paul Grand Round into an off-street trail, similar to those along Como ...| Streets.mn
A recent study suggests that improving infrastructure may be key in allowing more kids to experience the benefits of walking and biking to school.| Streets.mn
Inspired by the Câmbio Verde in Curitiba, Brazil, Taylor Lahey organized a bike donation drive in which all participants get tangible value out of the exchange. Links The Bike Exchange event write-up Câmbio, Taylor’s children’s book Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website. This episode was hos...| Streets.mn
Every day, The Overhead Wire collects national and international news about cities and sends the links to their email list. At the end of the week they post some of the most popular stories to Greater Greater Washington, a group blog similar to Streets.mn that focuses on urban issues in the D.C. region. Trips are now a commodity: Bill Fulton notes that in the 1980s, the head of SAS Airlines Chief Executive Officer Jan Carlzon thought of the whole trip a customer takes as a journey, versus ...| Streets.mn
Effective Saturday, August 16, Metro Transit will increase service on numerous routes as it continues to recover from COVID. This is the start of implementing the Network Now makeover of the route structure, emphasizing frequency improvement, especially during weekday middays and on weekends. The goal is to make the service more convenient seven days a week. Here are the highlights: Route 6 service to southeast Minneapolis, Dinkytown and the University of Minnesota will double. Throughout the...| Streets.mn
In July, I tabled at the “Mobility Mingle” on behalf of the Saint Paul Bicycle Coalition. The event was organized by the City of Saint Paul to highlight some of the many bicycle, transit and street redesign projects that are currently happening in the city. Agencies tabling at the event included Ramsey County, Metro Transit, the Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the City of Saint Paul. It also included a few non-profits like Move Minnesota. Lower...| Streets.mn
Figuring out which neighborhood to move to is one of the best ways to induce choice paralysis. There are so many places to choose from, they all seem to have their pros and cons, and the stakes are really high if you choose a place that you end up unhappy with. After I moved two years ago, we recorded a podcast episode comparing my data-driven approach to Tim Marino‘s intuition strategy. Well, I moved again this year, and I had a new spreadsheet in my tool belt this time. I’d like to intr...| Streets.mn
Coasting south on the Bryant Avenue bikeway, riders coming from all directions coalesced with me as we approached the meeting place of Genosack’s second slow-pace ride of the summer. I learned of this ride from a few friends and dear acquaintances who have been participating since the beginning way back in September 2023. If you missed the first three, do not worry. One more official ride is scheduled on Monday, September 8. And if, like last year, the weather is kind, the group might throw...| Streets.mn
Hello Streets.mn community, Welcome to our biweekly newsletter, delivering the latest Streets.mn news and views directly to your inbox! In each issue, our editorial team will provide ongoing stories, news, updates and event information related to Streets.mn, city life and Greater Minnesota. Reading our newsletter for the first time? Subscribe here to get it in your inbox bi-weekly. New in Streets.mn: First-time Streets.mn contributor Ilse Griffin struck a chord with their piece ‘How Dr...| Streets.mn
The Minneapolis neighborhood of Kingfield is bounded by 36th Street to the north, Interstate 35W to the east, 46th Street to the south and Lyndale Avenue to the west. It is known for a great farmers’ market, hip restaurants and the landmark Church of the Incarnation. Local restaurant Bucheron recently won a James Beard award for best new restaurant while staples like Boludo, Petite Leon and Sebastian Joe’s are city favorites that keep people coming to Kingfield. The neighborhood also c...| Streets.mn
Every day, The Overhead Wire collects national and international news about cities and sends the links to their email list. At the end of the week they post some of the most popular stories to Greater Greater Washington, a group blog similar to Streets.mn that focuses on urban issues in the D.C. region. Seoul combats loneliness: South Korea has created “mind convenience stores” with ways for people to gather and relax as a way to combat loneliness in the country. Single-person househo...| Streets.mn
Editor’s note: This is part three of an ongoing series about femme/trans/women (FTW) who are leaders — either quietly or overtly — in transportation issues and advocacy throughout Minnesota. I have another batch of aunties for you! In this third installment of our “Aunties of Active Mobility” series, you’re going to learn about two metro-based powerhouses and some incredible community-building they’re both formulating. First, meet Cristina, a music-teacher-turned-bike mechanic w...| Streets.mn
Jeremy Stomberg, aka John Maddening, won the Streets.mn Podcast crew over with his playful Nerd Nite talk, “Finding Your Time in Place.” Enjoy this nostalgic, laughter-filled trip through history–and through Jeremy’s brain. Links Jeremy’s Nerd Nite presentation video and slide deck Nerd Nite St Paul Nerd Nite Minneapolis Gale Family Library | Minnesota Historical Society NETRonline: Historic Aerials CONvergence Convention | Minneapolis, MN Sci Fi & Fantasy Con and Jeremy’s Taskmas...| Streets.mn
Editor’s note: This article is reprinted with permission from Minnesota Trails magazine, where it ran in the Summer 2025 issue. The story details the author’s experience on the Gitchi-Gami Trail Association (GGTA) North Shore Bike Ride in August 2024, in anticipation of this year’s 25th anniversary ride on Saturday, August 16, 2025. Click here for registration. From the moment I received the registration email, I knew I was going to have a great time on the Gitchi-Gami Trail ride in Aug...| Streets.mn
Near my Stevens Square home in South Minneapolis, the dangerous signal-controlled intersection at Third Avenue and 18th Street was recently changed to a four-way, stop sign-controlled intersection. This temporary change (while traffic signals are being fixed and replaced) spurred a question I’ve had for a long time: Are stop signs the answer to quick, effective, safe street improvements in residential areas? Third Avenue near Downtown Minneapolis is located in the most densely populated nei...| Streets.mn
We all know that it’s better for the earth to forego driving (or drive less). It’s vastly safer to have fewer cars on the road (cars being one of the main causes of death in our country). But in order to actually make significant changes in our lives and learn how to live in a values-aligned way, we need to have a personal stake in the matter. I will introduce two selfish reasons to give up your car or drive less: quality of time spent and cost of living. They both come down, more or less...| Streets.mn
I’ve long held the opinion that Northeast Minneapolis’ street design is terrible, often wide one-way designs or worse — four-lane death roads — that date back to the neighborhood’s industrial past. Note: That past is now largely missing and/or replaced by artists’ studios, wood-fire pizza restaurants and high-rise apartment buildings, mostly good changes. Yet even though the neighborhood has changed dramatically, the streets have long remained terribly dangerous, chaotic, confusin...| Streets.mn
Hello Streets.mn community, Welcome to our biweekly newsletter, delivering the latest Streets.mn news and views directly to your inbox! In each issue, our editorial team will provide ongoing stories, news, updates and event information related to Streets.mn, city life and Greater Minnesota. New in Streets.mn: Will any of us live long enough to ride the Summit Avenue Regional Trail? Photo by Dan Marshall Dan Marshall’s recent piece detailed the latest effort from the “Save Our Street...| Streets.mn
Every day, The Overhead Wire collects national and international news about cities and sends the links to their email list. At the end of the week they post some of the most popular stories to Greater Greater Washington, a group blog similar to Streets.mn that focuses on urban issues in the D.C. region. Race the L8: Transit advocates in Seattle showed up in droves to race-walk the Metro Route 8 bus, one of the busiest and consistently late in the system. The race segment they chose is sche...| Streets.mn
For almost four years, supporters and opponents have debated the idea of making Summit Avenue’s on-street bike lanes into off-street, protected paths. Both sides presented and debated their views in public meetings and in the media. For Summit Avenue trail supporters, parking-protected, off-street bike paths have three major benefits: They would make a safer, more comfortable bikeway that encourages new or more cautious riders. They would create a major east-west route to downtown that can ...| Streets.mn
Editor’s note: A version of this article appeared as two opinion pieces in the Duluth News-Tribune in spring 2025. Since then, the Minnesota Legislature has reduced funding for the Northern Lights Express (NLX) by some $77 million, and Republicans in Congress are threatening to cut off federal funds. Amid the flurry of activity at the State Capitol in May as the 2025 Minnesota Legislature worked to balance the state budget, $77 million in funding for the Northern Lights Express was realloca...| Streets.mn
Two transportation conversations may converge in transportation policy circles, stemming from efforts to rethink our car-oriented transportation system as aging interstates need to be replaced. In cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul and across the country, communities are reconsidering urban highways that once divided neighborhoods and instead exploring removal and reconnection projects. The Minnesota Legislature has also moved toward redefining highways as multi-modal corridors in statute...| Streets.mn
During a recent run along St. Paul’s Mississippi River Boulevard by the Lake Street Bridge, as I savored the blue sky, fresh breeze, chirping birds and lush green foliage, my eye caught a bright flash in the undergrowth. Running toward its source and peering into the shadows, I identified the culprit: a shiny silver snack wrapper, reflecting sunlight. Bend — reach, grab — stow, and I was back on my way in seconds, having once again practiced plogging! Shiny objects stand out amid greene...| Streets.mn
Greetings, Streets.mn friends and family! We’ll be hosting our annual picnic this Saturday, and due to air-quality alerts, we have changed the location to give folks the option of both indoor and outdoor sites. Join us on Saturday, August 2, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 1200 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. We have reserved an indoor party room, as well as an outdoor courtyard and grills. We look forward to seeing familiar faces and making new friends! What’s to Eat? As usual, Streets.mn w...| Streets.mn
Every day, The Overhead Wire collects national and international news about cities and sends the links to their email list. At the end of the week they post some of the most popular stories to Greater Greater Washington, a group blog similar to Streets.mn that focuses on urban issues in the D.C. region. Human impacts on animal evolution: New research shows that human culture — including politics, religion and war — has influenced the evolution of wildlife in cities. The genetic structu...| Streets.mn
Introduction: Spring 2023 Through a series of lemony snickets, this past spring I found myself without a bicycle. It made me sad, as I love riding my bicycles, and at the time I was unsure if I would ever see them or my home again. After spending several days in an Extended Stay, I found a small studio apartment that would become my home for the next year. That apartment had a cute little bicycle corral. My slot was inhabited with only the cold January memory of leaving my bikes in a garage a...| Streets.mn
In a television appearance in March 2025, Governor Tim Walz said the following about our incumbent president: “I think we have to assume the very worst in everything this administration does, and we need to prepare for it.” In a glib sense, one’s mind can easily run amuck when considering what “the worst” might entail: Invading Canada? Weakening public health protections, and letting the bird flu rip through? Increasingly egregious persecution (paywall article) of immigrants and pol...| Streets.mn
While Ian was on vacation, he got a delightful text from his parents asking if they could stay at his apartment to explore Minneapolis more. Let’s chat with them about how the experience went! Links Our episode about Warmshowers The Wedge Adventure Book Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website. Thi...| Streets.mn
On the warm summer evening of July 10, 2025, about 90 local residents crowded into a church hall to plan once again how to defeat the Summit Avenue Regional Trail. The meeting was organized by Save Our Street (SOS), which has been fighting a proposed bike trail along St. Paul’s most celebrated street for several years. At this late date, SOS has chocked up an unbroken list of defeats. Multiple levels of government have already approved the Summit trail plan: Approved by the St. Paul Plannin...| Streets.mn
Last fall, Minneapolis found itself in a pickle over one of its affordable housing programs. The 4d Affordable Housing Incentive, which lowers property taxes on apartment buildings if owners designate a portion of units as affordable housing, had become exceptionally popular. However, because of Minneapolis’ relatively low housing prices, 4d was no longer very effective in its goal: increasing the availability of lower-cost housing in Minneapolis. The 4d program offers landlords a lower p...| Streets.mn
Editor’s note: This article is reprinted with permission from the author’s Substack blog, “Place and People.” The original article appeared on May 20, 2025. Since the birth of the New Urbanism movement in the 1980s, those in the urbanist community have held the suburbs in high contempt for the ecological and sociological havoc they wreak. The critiques are largely justified: A suburban geographical structure locks in car dependence, leading to less beautiful neighborhoods and increase...| Streets.mn
Streets.mn is conducting what we hope will become an annual reader survey. This survey has two purposes: To gather demographic information about our readership. To get information about general reader habits. You may access the survey here, or read on: We’ve also got a link at the bottom of the story. Why Are We Asking? We are gathering demographic information as part of our ongoing efforts to develop as an anti-racist organization. As we wrote in our Anti-Racism Vision Statement: “Our ...| Streets.mn
Editor’s note: “Let’s (St)roll There” is an occasional series about ways to get to unusual or out-of-the-way places by foot, bus, train or bike. A visit to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum has been on my to-do list since I relocated to the Twin Cities a couple of years ago. Initially, when I looked at the map, I envisioned walking the 20 miles from Downtown Minneapolis over two days, but that idea soon faded due to too many unknowns along the route. When I scheduled a weeklong stayc...| Streets.mn
Every day, The Overhead Wire collects national and international news about cities and sends the links to their email list. At the end of the week they post some of the most popular stories to Greater Greater Washington, a group blog similar to Streets.mn that focuses on urban issues in the D.C. region. Reversible architecture: Many buildings are constructed to last a long time, but what if we built only for immediate needs, and repurposed buildings to meet new goals? This idea — that ...| Streets.mn
Editor’s Note: Max Hailperin is walking each of Minneapolis’ 87 neighborhoods, in alphabetical order. He chronicles his adventures at allofminneapolis.com, where the original version of this article was published June 5, 2025. “The Wedge” is widely understood as the neighborhood formally named Lowry Hill East. Heck, the informal name even featured in a trademark dispute between a respected independent journalist and someone else. But the east bank has its own wedge, just wait...| Streets.mn
Editor’s note: We asked Streets.mn correspondents Laura Groenjes Mitchell and Michael Daigh to cover the second annual Cargo Bike Show & Tell event in Minneapolis in June. Laura begins the story, and Michael picks up the narrative midway through. From Laura: On Sunday, June 1, 100-plus people gathered around 20-plus cargo bikes in a South Minneapolis park. The event was the second annual Cargo Bike Show & Tell organized by Levi Mills and Terri Lindenbaum of Piecycle. This cycling club (feat...| Streets.mn
Saint Paul author Naomi Kritzer is notable for her ability to infuse her works with a strong sense of place – in particular, several novels set in the Twin Cities! Producer Sherry Johnson sits down with Naomi to talk about her process. Links The Four Sisters Overlooking the Sea The Year Without Sunshine – text or audio Will Tell Stories For Food | Naomi Kritzer’s blog Liberty’s Daughter Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck’s Blues. B...| Streets.mn
As road construction snarls traffic across the metro, there’s never been a better time to try alternatives to driving. However, it can feel daunting to try taking transit or riding a bike when these options aren’t familiar, especially because complaints about missing a bus or riding on a dangerous street tend to stand out more in your memory than when things go smoothly. With this in mind, I’d like to propose the transportation version of Meatless Monday (wherein you forgo meat one da...| Streets.mn
Every day, The Overhead Wire collects national and international news about cities and sends the links to their email list. At the end of the week they post some of the most popular stories to Greater Greater Washington, a group blog similar to Streets.mn that focuses on urban issues in the D.C. region. Airplanes as neighbors: The Santa Monica Airport in California is set to close for good in 2028. But some residents are fighting to extend airport operation into 2029 to avoid building more ho...| Streets.mn
Shared streets legalized in Washington State, the Highway Trust Fund goes broke and how a friend group developed its own apartment building.| Streets.mn
Minnesota’s suburban “donut” has devoured resources, jobs and hospitals — deepening decline in both rural towns and inner-city neighborhoods.| Streets.mn
In this issue of the Streets.mn newsletter, catch up on the history of the Midtown Greenway, fighting for safes streets in the western suburbs, efforts to transform the streets in Duluth, and a sel…| Streets.mn
A first-time Streets.mn contributor shares the joys, challenges and lessons learned from 10 years of running for transportation in Minneapolis.| Streets.mn
