|
Happy Spring to all my 3rd Ward neighbors,
As we enjoy the warm weather and the opportunity for outdoor activities, I want to share updates on the ride share ordinance, the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Gay Civil Rights ordinance in Minneapolis, and the opening of the new 911 call center.
On Thursday at the City Council meeting we revisited the ride share ordinance. The end result of our deliberations was to extend the date the ordinance will take effect to July 1st instead of May 1st. We also voted down a proposal to set a rate of $1.21 per mile. The State has recommended a range of $0.89 to $1.21 per mile. I voted yes to extend the effective date to July 1st in order to give the State more time to pass a State-wide law that will keep Uber and Lyft in the market. I voted no on the $1.21 per mile amendment because both Uber and Lyft would still leave the market at that rate. You can read the presentation given by the Department of Labor and Industry to Council Members to learn more about the State’s study and their methodology for determining rates.
Also at the Council meeting, we passed a resolution honoring the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Gay Civil Rights ordinance in Minneapolis. I was approached by current 3rd Ward neighbor and former 7th Ward Council Member, Lee Munich to author the resolution. The resolution was received by members of the LGBTQ+ community as well as members of the City Council that passed the ordinance 50 years ago. Of the many words of wisdom that were shared, one remark stood out in particular: “love is love.”
Our Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center handles 600,000 calls per year. After 30 years in the basement of City Hall, they have moved to a new secure facility. It is a testament to the outstanding job all the staff are doing under the leadership of Director Joni Hodne during a very busy time.
As always, Henry, Patrick, and I are here to serve you. We can be reached at ward3@minneapolismn.gov. Please report all issues to 311 before contacting us so there is a paper trail and staff are already aware of the issue when we speak with them. You can contact 311 by simply dialing 311, email them at Minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov or by submitting a 311 Contact Form.
Your neighbor,
Michael
Public Works crews are gearing up to start the City’s comprehensive street sweeping program to clear away what has accumulated in the streets over the winter. The City has scheduled Tuesday, April 16, for the first day of sweeping. Beginning Monday, April 15, drivers should watch for hot pink temporary “No Parking” signs to avoid a ticket and tow.
Starting April 16 for approximately four weeks, sweeping crews will take care of more than 1,000 miles of city streets. To make sure the crews can do the most complete job possible, temporary “No Parking” signs will be posted at least 24 hours in advance to make sure streets are clear of parked vehicles. Drivers need to follow street sweeping parking rules or they may have their cars ticketed and towed to the Minneapolis Impound Lot.
Find your street on the schedule
You can see when your street is scheduled to be swept by visiting the interactive street sweeping map. It will go live Friday, April 12, with this year’s schedule.
Learn more about street sweeping.
Give your input on the capital budget at an upcoming listening session. Every neighborhood in the city is affected by capital projects such as streets, sidewalks, parks and much more. Each year, the Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee, an advisory committee made up of residents appointed by the mayor and City Council, makes recommendations about which capital projects to fund in the next year’s budget. The committee would like to know your priorities.
Join a listening session or send an email
You can share your priorities in person or by email.
- Northeast Minneapolis public listening session
6 p.m. Thursday, April 18
Audubon Recreation Center, 1320 29th Ave. NE, Multipurpose Room
- South Minneapolis public listening session
6:15 p.m. Thursday, May 2
Lynnhurst Recreation Center, 1345 W. Minnehaha Parkway, Multipurpose Room
- Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee/Planning Commission joint public hearing
6 p.m. Thursday, May 9
Public Service Building, 505 Fourth Ave. S., Room 100
- Or send an email to the committee.
See the proposed capital budget requests up for consideration this year.
The Minneapolis City Council designated the Fifth Street Southeast Historic District in 1976. Documents about the district’s history are being updated. In 2024, the City hired historical consultants New History to research the district. Research will determine which properties in the historic district are contributing or non-contributing. The consultants will recommend a period of significance. This project will help us better understand the properties in the historic district. A federal grant is funding the work.
City staff will hold two meetings to inform the community about the project. The first meeting will be at the First Congregational Church, located at 500 8th Ave SE. It is on Monday, April 22, 2024, from 6:30-7:30 pm in the building’s Gathering Hall. City staff will talk about the project and answer questions at the meeting. Everyone is welcome to attend. Please refer to the project website for more information and project updates:
https://www.minneapolismn.gov/resident-services/property-housing/preservation/historic-preservation/current-studies/fifth-street-southeast/.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is repairing the Stone Arch Bridge over the next two years. Starting at 5 a.m. Monday, April 15, the St. Anthony Main side of the Stone Arch Bridge will close through spring 2025 to allow construction crews to begin preservation work. The downtown side of the bridge will stay open until spring 2025.
During the closure, people can walk or bike across the Mississippi River on the new protected pathways on the Third Avenue Bridge. See the MnDOT website for detour details.
More about this project
Crews will repair and replace stone, replace the mortar on the entire bridge, and make other repairs as needed. Stone repair and mortar replacement will slow deterioration and improve the condition of the bridge. Construction is anticipated to be complete by spring 2026.
For more information, visit the MnDOT project webpage. If you have questions or concerns regarding the Stone Arch Bridge project, please contact the MnDOT project team.
Meet Minneapolis is conducting a survey of Minneapolis residents, and your input can help shape the future of travel and tourism in Minneapolis. The information gathered will be part of Meet Minneapolis’ efforts to develop an updated 10-year destination master plan to increase the appeal of our city as a destination for travelers.
The survey, which closes on May 3, will take approximately five (5) minutes to complete, and your responses will be confidential.
To begin the survey, please select:
English – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MinneapolisEng
Hmoob (Hmong) – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MinneapolisRShmong
Soomaali (Somali) – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MinneapolisRSsomali
Español (Spanish) – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MinneapolisEsp
People on Nicollet Island and nearby areas along the Mississippi River may smell or see smoke during an upcoming prescribed burn in portions of Nicollet Island Park.
The burn was originally planned for November 2023, but was delayed due to weather conditions.
Now it’s planned to take place between Monday, April 8th and Friday, April 19th in grassland areas labelled G1 and G2 in the map above, east of DeLaSalle High School and at the northern tip of the island.
It is part of ongoing maintenance for these natural areas of the park, as well as part of a restoration plan implemented by Friends of the Mississippi River, an MPRB partner.
The objective of the burn is to suppress weedy plant species and cool season grasses that are still actively growing in the fall. These grassland areas will be seeded after the burn to prevent erosion and further suppress weedy species, then seeded again with native species in 2024.
Next week, Hennepin County will begin work on improving the trails along Main Street (County Road 23) as part of the Hennepin and First (County Road 52) reconstruction project in Northeast Minneapolis. The existing trail on the south side of Main Street between Merriam and Hennepin will be rebuilt and a new trail between Hennepin Avenue and 1st Avenue NE will be added.
Beginning Monday, April 15 through late May, southbound Main Street will close between 3rd Avenue Northeast and Merriam Street. Vehicles traveling south on Main Street should follow the marked detour: 3rd Avenue Northeast to University Avenue to 6th Avenue Southeast. Northbound traffic is not affected. People walking and riding bikes can continue to use existing trails and the sidewalk on the north side of Main Street during the construction.
Stay informed
Please bookmark the project website and sign up to receive email updates. If you have questions or concerns, you can reach out to our team:
Construction is expected to last through fall 2024. For more information, visit Hennepin and First roadway improvements.
|
