New Bike Ramp From 2nd Street Is Christened By Mayor Frey
Getting to and from the North Loop on two wheels just got a little easier, with the opening of a new bike ramp between North 2nd Street and the trail along the railroad tracks below. (Update: bikers will have to wait three months to enjoy it as the Metropolitan Council is closing the trail for much of the spring and summer).
Mayor Jacob Frey cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the new ramp which is part of the newly-opened Intersect Apartments built by real estate developer Crowe Companies.
“How many of you have been walking through North Loop, one story up from a magnificent trail, wondering how do you get down to make that connection,” asked Mayor Frey before cutting the ribbon. “This bridge is that connection.”
The owner of Crowe Companies, Patrick Crowe, is a cyclist and runner himself and said it was an expensive but important amenity he wanted to provide when his company built Intersect. He had to negotiate with the railroad, Hennepin County and the city of Minneapolis to make it happen.
“As somebody that’s been a resident of Minneapolis and St. Louis Park and has used this corridor, I always felt like I was in a tunnel from Target Field to the river and I really wanted people to be able to come up and experience North Loop because you literally didn’t know this was happening unless you had the ability to come up.”
He says this new access point will ultimately help more people get into the neighborhood and discover all we have to offer.
By Mike Binkley, North Loop volunteer