EP 263 LAURA MITCHELL: Reflections on the emerging high-comfort cycle network in Minneapolis

[@knarf_on_a_bike]

I often "take the long way". Sometimes because it's safer, sometimes because it's more scenic, sometimes just because I feel like riding. Bicycles are so much more than a means to an end. 😀 Thanks for introducing us to Laura. Terrific interview!

[@ActiveTowns]

Yay! Delighted that you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for the support. Cheers! John

[@colleenharrison2942]

It is good to hear about the active mobility choices in Minneapolis. Hope the organization is able to do more improvements.

[@ActiveTowns]

Indeed! 😀

[@JustClaude13]

I like that rail trail. I wish we could do that here, but the Trolley is using the old rail line, and the RoW isn't wide enough to add a bike trail. San Diego is starting to put in better routes, but slowly.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yeah, the Midtown Greenway is truly a classic! Keep on advocating for those better routes in SD Thanks so much for tuning in again, Claude. Cheers! John

[@rmdvto]

What is the city in the thumbnail? Portland, OR?

[@ActiveTowns]

Nope. This episode is all about Minneapolis, MN. This is a street transformation in Laura's neighborhood. I hope you can join us for the video Premiere on Friday. Note: The video is available now on Patreon if you just can't wait, hehe 🤣 www.patreon.com/activetowns

[@rmdvto]

Ah I should have read the description where you mention Minneapolis 😅 thanks ! I'll try to catch the premiere if possible but I'm curious about this: How would you rank cycling in Minneapolis against other North American cities in 2024? You're somebody who probably has more experience travelling specifically to use bike infra than most so you have a highly comprehensive perspective on this type of thing. As far as I can tell MSP is growing their bike network faster than basically any other major US metro (at least since covid) however the modal share split is still not really reflective of that. Any insights? Thanks again for your great urbanist content! 🙏

[@ActiveTowns]

@@rmdvto All good! Yes, Minneapolis proper seems to be growing out its high comfort cycle network at a consistent pace. Laura and I spend considerable talking about what that looks and feels like. They, as do most North American cities, however, have a very long way to go yet. There are certainly many other cities, including Austin, where I live now, that are also aggressively building out their all ages & abilities active mobility networks. As for modal share numbers: In general we, the imperial we of the USA, are terrible at collecting data. Most modal share data we see bantered about are inherently flawed by primarily being based on commute to work information collected via the census and/or ACS (America Communities Survey). Want to know how many kids ride their bikes to school, to their friends houses, to the park, or to various after school activities? Or the number of seniors or people with disabilities unable to drive cycling to their meaningful destinations? Tough. There's currently no reliable way to collect this data, which is truly unfortunate. Of course the "competition" between cities is also hampered by their sprawling nature where the neighborhoods in the outer most reaches will typically see the lowest numbers of people walking, cycling and using public transit due to a lack of infrastructure and/or greater distances. As a general rule of thumb is that the more "historic" city center core neighborhoods, typically with gridded streets and corners stores will see the greatest potential for living a car lite lifestyle. That's how we roll in Austin. bit.ly/AT-AustinPlaylist Thank you for watching! It's very much appreciated. Cheers! John