In the coming years Glenwood Avenue N (County Road 40) in Minneapolis will see a number of changes. As a part of the Southwest Light Rail project slated for opening in 2020, Glenwood will be reconstructed from Aldrich Ave N to 10th St. (downtown). Prior to the reconstruction project, Glenwood will be repaved from Aldrich Avenue N to Xerxes Avenue N. During the paving project Hennepin County will remove one side of on-street parking (likely from the south side of the street).

It’s extremely important that further community engagement be conducted as to which side of the street parking should be removed on Glenwood from Gramercy to Thomas Avenue N in the Hennepin County 2017 paving project from Xerxes to Aldrich Avenues North to allow for contiguous bicycle facilities.

Northside residents are calling on Hennepin County Board of Commissioners to invest in protected bicycle lanes on Glenwood from Aldrich Avenue N to 10th St., crime and safety enhancements, and lighting upgrades as part of the 2018 Hennepin County roadway reconstruction project. The roadway area under the I-94 bridge presents us with a number of positive opportunities for bike and pedestrian improvements.

The future vision of Glenwood demands that we re-envision our streets, sidewalks, boulevards, and pedestrian lighting. It’s time to develop Glenwood to serve residents better. That looks like a reconstruction project that incorporates protected bicycle facilities and pedestrian realm enhancements that improve safety for all users.

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