urbanMSP

Before getting too far along in asking "How will people transfer between the Blue and D Lines?", I think it would be wise to first ask that question with a "Why" instead of "How". I don't mean to suggest no one will transfer; obviously there will be some transfer demand...

Here's the full presentation from the Corridor Management Committee meeting on 8/10: https://metrocouncil.org/getdoc/f92eafe6-c9e5-4765-9cc9-541a831aaa93/BusinessItem.aspx Next meeting is 9/14. From my reading of the project website, the next formal steps will be approval of the new route by Hennepi...

Something that would be pretty critically important to do as a pre-requisite to reducing traffic in the 94 corridor between the downtowns (up to and including replacement with a surface boulevard) is to first remove the ramps connecting 394 to 94, especially from eastbound 394 to eastbound 94 due to...

Personally I'm in favor of freeway capping, limiting access and adding BRT. Full freeway removal will require a careful navigation and bulding up of political capital in addition to the technical challenges. I feel like I-94 in North Minneapolis has a good case to be the flagship freeway removal. R...

Did they choose a specific option for the 21st Ave bridge over 94, or is that TBD later on? Referring to pages 5-7 on this doc: https://metrocouncil.org/Transportation/Projects/Light-Rail-Projects/METRO-Blue-Line-Extension/Web-Docs/2023/Winter-Open-Houses/July-East-of-I-94-Meeting-Materials.aspx As ...

A Met Council pre-design grant was authorized for the former site of El Nuevo Rodeo. It doesn't say who the owner/developer would be. Probably a strong chance that a building of at least 4 stories will replace the 4-story structure that was lost to arson. Rodeo Plaza, Minneapolis: $150,000 for desig...

Milwaukee got a 25-story mass timber apartment building, tallest in the world (for now). Ascent MKE: https://www.fs.usda.gov/inside-fs/delivering-mission/apply/worlds-tallest-timber-building-opens I can't imagine it will be much longer before Mpls gets another mass timber building that will top the ...

Are people in fact breathing poison from HERC? I was under the impression that the exhaust systems are pretty sophisticated and have been upgraded over the years. The biggest source of emissions related to HERC operations could very well be the garbage trucks coming and going, and those emissions wo...

An exclusive look at the $6.49 million penthouse in the Eleven condos in Minneapolis: https://www.startribune.com/an-exclusiv ... 600286600/

That makes it all the more interesting that no one tried to call for a special meeting to be held on Monday or Tuesday this week. The date change for Eid (happening Wednesday instead of Thursday) was apparently known 10 days ago. They could have called for a special meeting as late as Friday, in ord...

Counter-thought: The three who were not in the room were all strong proponents of rent control, and they 100% knew the vote was happening at this meeting (which, again, had already been rescheduled from Thurs to Weds in efforts to avoid conflicting with Eid...until the holiday changed just 10 days a...

Apparently Serbia's victory is coming as a total surprise to those who were involved in the MN-US bid. All along this was thought to be a close contest between the US and Spain (Malaga), but that the US would prevail.

Regarding jurisdictional transfers / turnbacks (e.g. MnDOT to County, or County to City), I came across this map in Hennepin County's 2040 transportation plan. Circa 2018, so nothing new and has probably been shared here before, but interesting to look at. These are not set in stone to actually happ...

Two random questions/thoughts on MAC, since the conversation went there: 1. I still think it makes sense to close the Crystal Airport and develop the property with housing. 400 acres of land in a 1st ring suburb, located along the Blue Line extension. This would likely require an infill station as t...

MCAD just bought this property to use as student housing.
https://finance-commerce.com/2023/06/mc ... -students/ (unlocked)

Macy’s furniture store to be redeveloped with housing and offices. Quite overdue. https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2023/03/16/macys-furniture-store-in-edina-to-be-redeveloped.html Here's the Environmental Analysis Worksheet (EAW): https://www.bettertogetheredina.org/7465/widgets/22453/do...

I really like this one: https://newmnflag.org/designs/letoile-du-nord https://i0.wp.com/NewMNFlag.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/brandon-hundt-north-star.png?w=1000&ssl=1 I'm a tough customer, and I really like this one too. North Star, Snowflake, done. Easy to imagine this being put on hats, t...

Happy population estimates day to those who celebrate. Census estimates were out a few weeks ago, but Met Council's are considered to be more accurate since they are based off of additional data points like the exact number of units added since last year, etc. https://metrocouncil.org/Data-and-Maps/...

Lower fares would be great, but I can't imagine families with multiple kids being a core market for NLX. Maybe once just to try it out, but I'm hard pressed to see how that would make sense either economically or practically, compared to driving. For college students or singles or couples, etc., sur...

It only turns away from Lyndale/Franklin because all of the old window openings were covered up long ago. There's no reason they can't put windows (and hopefully a door) back in many of those ground floor openings. I actually like saving the main building that fronts on Lyndale and Franklin, but wis...