Leave it to the City of Minneapolis to hold a meeting for public feedback about their "Bicycle Master Plan" in the middle of a snowstorm. Did it ever occur to the city planners to reschedule the meeting for a time when BICYCLISTS could actually attend? I hope it was. Otherwise, this seems to be yet another example of the mentality that brought us traffic signs like "Bike Route Ends".
I found Lori Marker's useful post right next to the snow emergency declaration from the Minneapolis Communications Department. The snow emergency stated, "There are more than 1,100 miles of streets and parkways in Minneapolis." How many miles of new bicycle lanes is the city proposing? The maps on the web site appear to show very few: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/citywork/public-works/transportation/bicycles/index.html Does the city really expect to get people out of their cars this way? I doubt it. I think the "Bicycle Master Plan" is another transportation afterthought. Notice that the plan was developed in conjunction with the Park and Recreation Board. There is a huge difference between planning for recreation and planning for transportation. The latter requires a much greater commitment, in my opinion. The Minneapolis five-year plan for a few more scattered lanes and trails falls far short of any real commitment to alternatives to the "car culture". Once again, bicyclists are being offered crumbs, while the city and state lavish resources on an ever-expanding infrastructure for the internal combustion engine -- redesigning the Crosstown Highway, widening 35W, building more parking ramps and lots, paving ... always more paving ... Meanwhile, bicycling becomes more dangerous. Two weeks ago, I was hit by a car again. The fault was the driver's (for not looking) and the city's (for not designing a system that minimizes the danger of mixing cars with bicycles). Here's some irony for you. The city will be spending over a million dollars to provide parking spaces next to its new library. This library will be frequently occupied by HOMELESS people -- especially as our growth-addicted economy continues to sputter. How many of these homeless people will drive cars to the library? For some ideas on what a greater commitment to bicycling and alternative transportation would look like, see the essay I wrote for my City Council campaign: http://www.knappster.org/transport.html I hope our new city leaders develop a different approach to transportation issues than what we have today. I am particularly encouraged to see bicyclists like Robert Lilligren on the City Council. Mark Knapp Lyndale __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! GeoCities - quick and easy web site hosting, just $8.95/month. http://geocities.yahoo.com/ps/info1 _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
