Solutions for Northfield’s “parking problem”

Maybe some of these could work here….?

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Older streets are safer

Someone asked me recently to explain why the Planning Commission “doesn’t like culs-de-sacs”. I have a fondness for culs-de-sac and used to live on one, but they do have some serious shortcomings which, to me, outweigh their pleasant aspect. I was interested to read some new research that clearly quantifies ways in which [...]

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In the Obama-Era, Plans Revive for a Northfield-Twin Cities Rail Line

Logan Nash, a student in Doug McGill’s journalism class at Carleton College, has written a piece titled In the Obama-Era, Plans Revive for a Northfield-Twin Cities Rail Line (PDF – full text below).

See the Dan Patch commuter rail line/corridor web page on MNDOT’s site for more info, as well as the Northstar [...]

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Why the knuckle-busting barriers on Mill Towns Trail bridge?

Josh Rowan sent me this photo of barriers on one of the Mill Towns Trail bridges.

He notes that the barriers are very narrow, forcing bicyclists to put their feet down lest they risk scrunching their knuckles if one of their handlebar-mounted brake levers makes contact with the barrier as they pass through.

Anyone have details?

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Smart Car in Northfield

I noticed this Smart car parked outside the Grand Event Center a few weeks ago and didn’t have my camera ready. Today, I caught it on film…or in pixels.

I saw my first Smart Car a little over five years ago. My family and I were traveling in Italy and we saw one pull up in [...]

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Much Ado About Autos

Freeway CF

An recent op-ed the Sacramento Bee had an interesting angle on some of the traffic and transportation issues facing many parts of the U.S., including Northfield.

We’re stuck with the landscape we’ve built over the past 60 years, much of which is literally uninhabitable without a car. Trying to make our communities less car-dependent [...]

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Round About Farmington

Over the past few years, a number of prominent Northfielders have raised the possibility of creating a roundabout in town. I seem to recall Jim Pokorney and Victor Summa suggesting that we could consider one for Third Street and Dahomey Avenue and Vern Ripley and Bruce Anderson advocating for one at Prairie Street and Woodley [...]

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Rediscovering the Human Scale

I have no confidence whatsoever that this won’t be polarized into a partisan issue, but it certainly shouldn’t be.

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Bicycle safety, laws: What’s needed? What’s reasonable?

The Northfield News ran a story last week titled Road rules, bicycle style. Eric Johnson, Bruce Anderson (blogger), and Bill Ostrem (blogger)– members of the City of Northfield’s Nonmotorized Transportation Task Force (NMTTF) — are quoted in the piece.

… as more and more bicyclists and pedestrians take to the streets as a result of [...]

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Gravel on streets, city parking lots

I got this from a local resident a week or so ago:

The city has dumped tons of gravel on nearly new streets, including Jefferson Parkway and Maple and others branching off Jefferson. I’ve never in my life seen dry gravel poured on new blacktop streets. I just don’t get it. It kicks up dust and [...]

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Major Transportation Meeting Tonight

Tonight’s the night (Thursday, July 31st) of the Open House on Transportation. The meeting will be held at the Northfield High School (1400 Division Street South) in the Upper Cafeteria, from 4 to 7 pm.

The purpose of this meeting will be to preview the recommendations for the City’s 2030 Transportation Plan. Information on both the [...]

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Listening to Rather than Talking at MNDoT Might be a More Productive Approach

Okeh, I will begin by “revealing” that I am the brother-in-law of Ray Cox. However, Ray isn’t running for elected office now, so find something else to get you excited.

Ray had a letter to the editor published in the June 24, 2008. It was unfortunately titled,”Widening not best Hwy. 19 plan”. A more accurate, if [...]

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Do the pros of a narrow Jefferson Parkway outweigh the cons?

I bike the sidewalks along Jefferson Parkway between Bridgewater Elementary and the Northfield High School a lot more since we’ve moved.

I don’t remember what year it was revamped and made narrow. (Anyone?) And I don’t remember which city staffers were instrumental in the change. But I do remember hearing lots of complaints [...]

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How is the price of gas changing your life?

As the price of gas keeps escalating, I’m starting to see a lot more bikes downtown, including more weird ones like the Xtracycle that I blogged about last week.

Left: the crowded bike rack in front of the Goodbye Blue Monday on Tues. morn around 7 am.Center: my wife’s Giant Revive, a super [...]

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Let’s Stage a “Sit-Out”

I’ve had it.

As I mentioned at the tail end of our podcast a couple of weeks ago, I’m thinking that a little civil disobedience might be in order in re the outdoor dining situation in Northfield.

Let’s pick a date and stage a “sit-out”! The restaurants in town could put out tables and chairs, citizens [...]

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A new way to bike your groceries, kid, spouse, computer, laundry, kitchen sink around town

Someone has a new Xtracycle (sport utility bicycle) here in Northfield:

Imagine your favorite bike, with the rear wheel stretched out behind the seat, a big, stable platform for a load or a passenger, and elegant saddlebags on either side that are expandable when you need them and are cleanly out of the way [...]

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Traffic Fatality Near NHS

Some very sad news – a pedestrian was killed, and another injured, this morning at the intersection of Hwy 246 (Division Street) and Jefferson Parkway. Names have not yet been released. Both the Northfield News and the StarTribune have reported on the incident.

According to the Northfield News,

The intersection is under review as part of [...]

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Downtown streets in the winter: good, bad, or ugly?

Downtown building owner and resident Bart ‘put your money where your mouth is’ de Malignon has a letter to the editor in this week’s Northfield News titled, Downtown streets aren’t that clean.

With all due respect to our city workers and their late-night shifts, our downtown streets are a mess. Intersections, crosswalks and curbs are full [...]

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