Minneapolis - Call to Action

[drothex]

Call to Action

The city of Minneapolis is about to reroute the bicycle lanes off of 42nd Avenue North to go around one block because the 4 people listed below are claiming the bike lanes and loss of on street parking creates a hardship for them and their medical conditions somehow prevents them from parking in their own private driveways.

Flo Wold and Don Tuveson, at 822 42nd Avenue has a private driveway large enough to accommodate 5 vehicles and a private garage for 2 more, a total of 7 spaces. Jesse Keenan at 911 42nd Avenue has a private driveway large enough for 2-3 vehicles and a private garage. John Thomas at 810 42nd Avenue North has an oversized private double car garage and a private driveway. The bike lanes on 42nd Avenue North does not pose a genuine hardship for these people.

Please call Minneapolis City Council President Barbara Johnson at 612.673.2204 today and tell her NOT to remove the bike lane from 42nd Avenue North.

FYI

-----Original Message-----
From: Pflaum, Donald C
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 7:15 AM
To: 'quist004@...'
Cc: Johnson, Barbara A.; Mosing, Steve P; Murphy, Shaun B.
Subject: RE: bike lane on 42nd avenue

Sue,

After much discussion Public Works recommends that the bike lane be removed for 1 block between Bryant and Aldrich. The block club has been able to demonstrate hardship, which is unique to this block.

By statute we can not remove a bike lane on a state aid route without providing a reasonable alternative for bicyclists. We will be
recommending a signed bicycle route on 41st Ave N between Lyndale and Bryant and a signed route on Bryant Avenue North from 41st to 42nd St N.


Public Works will be preparing what is called a To the Record Letter
that must be signed by CM Johnson before we can proceed with a work order. We will be working to get this to her office as soon as
possible. It usually takes a couple of weeks before the change actually occurs.

Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention.

Donald Pflaum, P.E., P.T.O.E.
City of Minneapolis Public Works
309 2nd Avenue South - Room 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401-2268
612-673-2129

-----Original Message-----
From: quist004@... [mailto:quist004@...]
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 5:22 PM
To: Pflaum, Donald C
Subject: RE: bike lane on 42nd avenue

Hi Donald,

I'm just checking in to see if there have been any further developments regarding the bike lane on 42nd Avenue. You may have already heard from some of the people who live on 42nd Ave. If not here are the addresses and phone numbers of some people who are effected: Flo Wold and Don Tuveson, 822 - 42nd Av. 588-xxxx Jesse Keenan, 911 - 42nd Av. 588-xxxx John Thomas, 810 - 42nd Av. 345-xxxx

Sue Quist

On Oct 29 2007, Pflaum, Donald C wrote:
In
>Sue,
>
>I have received your letter, follow-up letter, and petition. Thank you
>for sending this; it is clear that the bike lane is not wanted in this
>block.
>
>We are currently discussing how to handle this request internally. We are looking at alternate bicycle treatments other than bicycle lanes and we will be discussing these ideas with CM Johnson.
>
>We need to learn more about the hardship that the bike lane creates. Please let us know which individuals (and their addresses) have medical conditions or disabilities that would warrant removing the bike lane.

I then need their contact information. I recall speaking with one of those individuals at the meeting but did not catch a name or an
address.
>
>
>Thank you for your patience as we try to sort this out.
>
>Donald Pflaum, P.E.
>City of Minneapolis Public Works
>309 2nd Ave S - Room 300
>Minneapolis, MN 55401-2268
>612-673-2129
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: quist004@... [mailto:quist004@...]
>Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 10:44 PM
>To: Pflaum, Donald C
>Subject: bike lane on 42nd avenue
>
>
>Dear Mr. Pflaum,
>
>Early last summer you met with our block club regarding the bike lane
on
>
>42nd Avenue North, between Bryant and Aldrich, and late in the summer we sent you a letter signed by the members of our block club. This letter requested that the bike lane be removed for that one block. We have not heard back from you regarding this matter. We did not send the letter registered mail, so would you be willing to confirm receipt of the letter?
>We sent additional signatures in a second mailing. Our block club is
>meeting on Tuesday October 30, and we would appreciate a reply.
>
>Thank you,
>Sue Quist
>
>>Dear Mr. Pflaum,
>>
>>
>>
>>I have a letter to send to you from my block club. Would you please
>>email your work address to me. Thank you.
>>
>>
>>
>>Sincerely,
>>
>>Sue Quist

[reverborama]

You should check out www.mplsbikelove.com

I cross-posted your note here:
http://www.mplsbikelove.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=67156#67156

in the Bicycle Advocacy forum. I think you will find many people there are interested in this.

[edzo]

if a resident qualifies with a hardship


then I would lay off
and allow the bike lane to be removed for one block

I mean jeeze...people may be in pain or can't walk well or have issues.

[drothex]

if a resident qualifies with a hardship


then I would lay off
and allow the bike lane to be removed for one block

I mean jeeze...people may be in pain or can't walk well or have issues.

This is a simple case of "friends of the council person" wanting to park in the street. Because the person that is spearheading the demise of the 42nd Ave bike lane (Sue Quist) is a writer for the Camden News (PO Box 11492, Minneapolis, MN 55411 • 612-521-3060) City Council President, Barbara Johnson is willing to do the wrong thing.

All of the individuals involved have convenient off street parking and private garages. No one is claiming any disability and one of the bike foes claims fear of being shot in the driveway so it is necessary to park in the street (like no one gets shot in the street on the Northside). Another person claims they have to park in the street because they are old, even though their driveway is actually closer to their house then the street. Another one has a fire hydrant in front so they cant park there anyway. These people are sad individuals that insist that parking their car in the street is more important than a bike lane that provides a vital connection, NE across the Camden Bridge (42nd Ave N to 37th Ave NE) to Victory Memorial Parkway, despite the over abundance off street parking in the area.

This is not a case of one block on one bike lane. This is a city wide problem of a lack of commitment to sustainable transportation. First it was one block on 26th Ave bike lane dismantled, then it was one block on the 2nd Av No bike lane, then police quit enforcing parking altogether in bike lanes on the Northside, now it one block of the 42nd Ave bike lane! Where will it end? I tell you we must stop it now before all of our bike lanes and trail are nibbled to death, a little here a little there until we have nothing left. Because that is exactly what is happening.

Please call Minneapolis City Council President Barbara Johnson at 612.673.2204 or email Barbara.Johnson@ci.minneapolis.mn.us today and tell her NOT to remove the bike lane from 42nd Avenue North.

Daniel