On the Way
Volume 1, Issue 8
July 2007

Welcome
Welcome to On the Way, Transit for Livable Communities’ monthly e-newsletter. This newsletter arrives monthly and gives you information about transit, walking, and bicycling in Minnesota, as well as news and upcoming events.

Photo Credit: Metropolitan Council.

Table of Contents

• Job Announcement: TLC Seeking Administrative Assistant.
• Transit, Walking, and Bicycling Projects Need Your Input This Summer!
• What Does TLC Leader Larry Johnson Have in Common with Bus Route #61?
• Why Did Bike/Walk Twin Cities Member Terra Cole Become involved?
• Events
• In the News
• Subscribe!

Transit for Livable Communities Seeks Administrative Assistant.
We're seeking somebody with strong organizational and administrative skills to serve as an administrative assistant for the Bike/Walk Twin Cities initiative. This position will work closely with TLC staff to create outstanding results for our pilot project. Want more information? (P.S. We love working here. We think you might too!).

 

 

Transit, Bicycling, and Walking Projects Need Your Input This Summer!
We may take vacations in the summer, but transit never takes a rest. Find out what's happening with Central Corridor, regional transportation plans, and ways you can take action.

 

What Does Larry Johnson, a TLC Leader, Have in Common With Bus Route # 61?
In August 2007, when he turns 61, Larry Johnson, Transit for Livable Communities leader and professional storyteller, will take a 61 mile hike. The deliberate walk will raise awareness for (1) better health care for all ages, (2) healthy transit on all levels, and (3) bipartisan, genuine total support for veterans and currently deployed soldiers and families.

Why Did Terra Cole Become Involved with TLC's Bike/Walk Twin Cities initiative?
Terra Cole volunteers on Transit for Livable Communities' Bike/Walk Twin Cities advisory committee. When she lived in New Orleans, people walked and biked everywhere; she'd like to see the same thing happen in the Twin Cities. Learn more about Terra's experiences walking and bicycling.

 

Events

July 13, 2007. The Saint Paul Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, July 13, 2007 in Room 40 (basement) of the City Hall Conference Center, 15 W. Kellogg Boulevard, on the Central Corridor Development Strategy, a proposed chapter of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.  Written comments will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on July 13, 2007.

July 15, 2007. Jazz88 Bike Day on the Greenway will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This is a KBEM fundaiser event (benefiting KBEM's summer student intern program at North High School) with a suggested donation of $10 per person and a limit of 60 attendees. The Jazz88 bike crew will gather from 8:30am to 9:15 am at the Midtown Global Market Greenway access point at the bottom of the stairway by the Sheraton Hotel. To reserve your spot, contact Kevin Barnes at 612-668-1735.

July 31-August 2, 2007. Transit for Livable Communities is pleased to offer two free workshops on walkable environments as part of its Bike/Walk Twin Cities initiative. Designing Streets for Pedestrian Safety (held on July 31-August 1, 2007) is a two-day workshop for engineers and planers, featuring Peter Rusch of the Federal Highway Administration and Michael Ronkin, principal of Designing Streets for Pedestrians and Bicyclists. Introduction to Pedestrian Safety and Walkability in Urban Environments is a half-day workshop (held on August 2, 2007) for planners, activists and community members, featuring Michael Ronkin, principal of Designing Streets for Pedestrians and Bicyclists. Registration priority is for advocates from and employees of eligible jurisdictions of our federal grant (Minneapolis and immediately adjoining communities). Other interested individuals will be put on a waiting list and able to participate in the workshops as space permits.To register, contact Sacha Peterson at SachaP@tlcminnesota.org.

For more cool events, check out Transit for Livable Communities' calendar.

In the News

• Transit Lines Are the New Frontier in Urban Development. In dozens of cities -- from Charlotte, N.C., to Denver to Portland, Ore. -- the hottest redevelopment projects are happening next to the local train station. This transit-oriented development, as it's known, is being promoted by local officials and developers as a way to counter sprawl, reduce traffic on the roads and revitalize struggling urban neighborhoods.
• Minneapolis Bikes to Work. According to figures released this month by the U.S. Census Bureau, more people in Minneapolis ride their bikes to work than in any other U.S. city, except Portland, Oregon. Don Pflaum, Minneapolis Bike Coordinator and Transportation Planner, says that department counts show that more than 10,000 people in the city ride their bikes to work, run errands, or for recreation each day.
• Seeking to Put Light Rail Project on Track. It's nail-biting time for the Central Corridor light rail line. Supporters of the rail link between downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis were counting on legislative approval to keep the project moving along. Some of the supporters are now lobbying the governor for a special session to take up a bonding bill that includes borrowing for light rail.
  

The Details
If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, please contact Katie Eukel at 651-767-0298 x143 or KatieE@tlcminnesota.org. Also, if you have questions, comments, or story ideas, please let Katie know.