Public policy needs more input from renters, but organizing them is difficult
The task of organizing tenants poses all sorts of social barriers. But physical barriers can be important too.
Bill Lindeke
Bill Lindeke, Ph.D., is an urban geographer and writer who focuses on how our environments shape our lives. He has taught at the University of Minnesota and Metro State University, blogs at Twin City Sidewalks and streets.mn, and is a member of the Saint Paul Planning Commission. Follow Bill on Twitter: @BillLindeke.
Twin Cities statues: ubiquitous but ‘not at the forefront’ of public art
“Public art has really moved away from that,” says Colleen Sheehy, executive director of Public Art Saint Paul.
A revived debate: What role should police play in traffic safety?
Those who want to see less police enforcement offer varied solutions, including design and education approaches; regulations on devices that distract drivers; and automatic cameras for red-light running.
Amid overlapping crises, two very different efforts have helped shelter people without homes in Minneapolis
Thanks to both unique efforts, over the last week in Minneapolis, hundreds of people with nowhere to go have remained safe in hotel rooms for days.
With effects of COVID-19, Twin Cities face uphill battle to balance the books
“It’s a big deal,” said Amy Brendmoen, St. Paul City Council president. “We’re bracing for it both in 2020, with a revision of what we imagined this year was going to look like, and also looking down the pike at 2021 … with a different landscape and different ability to generate revenue.”
Traffic down, fatalities up: Speeding is ‘everywhere across the state right now’
The rash of speeding comes at an odd time for Minneapolis, which launched its ambitious Vision Zero plan just last year, aimed at eliminating fatal crashes within the city.
Bike tag: The perfect answer to cabin fever
The game is part trivia, part exercise, part competition, part art. It might be the ideal corona pastime.
Public Works crews embrace social distancing as routines shift
With many Minnesotans staying at home, the streets are emptier than usual right now. In some ways, that makes the pandemic the ideal time for some street repair.
How COVID-19 is affecting six of the Twin Cities’ shuttered bars
They’ve gotten some help at the margins, but bar owners are worried about everything from upcoming bills to potential break-ins.
Demolition or preservation? St. Paul’s vacant 1914 Ford Building sits in limbo
It’s one of the two dozen “branch factories” that Henry Ford built to produce the Model T. It ran as a car plant for 21 years, before eventually being bought by the state in the early ’70s. It was used for office space until 2004, and has been vacant ever since.
How do market-rate building projects affect nearby housing costs?
A proposed St. Paul apartment complex has sparked a lot of pushback in the surrounding Lex-Ham, Rondo, and Frogtown neighborhoods over what the building would do to affordability in the area.
Traffic fatalities: Can ‘Vision Zero’ be a realistic goal for Minneapolis?
The average annual number of fatal and severe crashes in the city has bounced around 100 for a decade, and that’s even with a lot of recent safety improvements.
What causes ice storms like the one that recently wreaked havoc in the Twin Cities?
The Dec. 28 storm resulted in around 500 crashes, dozens of severe injuries, and two deaths.
Minneapolis’ tight rules usher in a new era of window shopping
Shop windows still sit at the center of an ongoing debate in planning circles about how to foster street life.
Ambient public music: Some love it, and some leave it
Music sets a mood, creates a vibe, and can be an acoustic welcome mat for people to enjoy themselves in the city. Or, if you prefer, it pollutes the atmosphere and inflicts ear worms on innocent passers-by.
TAP is a lifesaver for many Metro Transit riders
Once folks get enrolled, their card is registered under their name for a year, allowing them to get dollar fares at any fare box or light rail station.
Risky Hennepin and Ramsey County streets are increasingly being put on ‘road diets’
Both counties are aggressively replacing four-lane street designs with a three-lane concept, where turning traffic takes up a center lane.
Remembering Minneapolis’ most infamous bar: Moby Dick’s
Moby Dick’s was a bar “that folks visited just to say they’d been there.” An excerpt from the forthcoming book, “Closing Time: Saloons, Taverns, Dives, and Watering Holes of the Twin Cities,” by Bill Lindeke and Andy Sturdevant.
St. Paul is rethinking its speed limits
The compromises forged at the end of last year’s legislative session included a new law that allows Minnesota cities to set their own speed limits on city streets.
When it comes to getting kids to school, is there a better way?
Combating the chaos of pick-up and drop-off.
