NUMO and WRI have released a report outlining the findings and recommendations. They summarized the top five major issues identified during the inspection that are likely contributing to crashes and crash risk on the corridor.
As part of the safety inspection, the NUMO and WRI team walked the Olson Memorial Highway corridor with Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) staff and community members present to identify areas of concern.
Should the Rondo community desire to reconnect the neighborhood at-grade, then the boulevard could run below grade through this portion of the corridor. This strategy would solve multiple serious problems created by the highway, from neighborhood disconnection to air pollution and community health disparities.
Data has shown that expanding highways causes more people to drive, thus worsening traffic congestion. This is called induced demand, and it is why the country’s biggest highways are also the ones jammed with traffic.
Electric vehicles are not a panacea for addressing the challenges of climate change mitigation.
Urban highways degrade the health of our communities.
While caps can be an attractive alternative to standard bridges over a depressed highway, they only address the micro problems that the highway causes, not the macro issues.
It’s understandable for local business owners to fear losing a parking space means losing revenue, but there is no data to support this fear. Many studies show unchanged or improved local economic impacts when active transportation options are included in street redesign.
While it might not be at the front of your mind, the way streets are designed in your community impacts your likelihood of being involved in a crash, your ability to get around without a car, and the quality of air you breathe.
Community Benchmarks of Twin Cities Boulevard
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