bike - Midtown Greenway
Photograph by Velo Steveon Flickr.
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To the east, the Greenway connects to West River bike Parkway, a part of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. The rail line was originally built between 1879 and 1881; however, as traffic increased, the city of Minneapolis mandated bike U.S. Bicycle Route 1 a trench be built between Hiawatha and Irving avenues in 1910.
It is considered under segregated cycle facilities. Used both recreationally bike and for commuting, the partially below-grade Greenway runs east-west about one block north of Lake Street. The Midtown Greenway is a 5.7-mile (9.2 km) rail trail in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
It provides cyclists, inline skaters, runners and pedestrians a virtually traffic-free route across the city. The Greenway lies in a former bike Milwaukee Road railroad corridor along 29th Street. In fall of 2007, the new Martin Olav Sabo Bridge was opened by Hennepin County and the city as Phase Four, eliminating a dangerous at-grade crossing at seven-lane Hiawatha Avenue. The Greenway consists of two one-way bike lanes and one two-way walking path, though they are combined in some places with space constrictions.
Phase Two opened in November 2004, running from 5th Avenue to Hiawatha Avenue. In addition, engineers have expressed concerns over the safety of the bridge. Using part of the Greenway right-of-way for mass transit is also under consideration and has the support of the Greenway Coalition, using either streetcar or light rail technology.
Coordinates: 44°57′00″N 93°17′10″W / 44.95°N 93.28611°W / 44.95; -93.28611 . A fifth phase, which would carry cyclists across the Mississippi River, has an undetermined completion date.
Running between Lake of the Isles and Lake Calhoun, the Greenway enters the 29th Street trench near Hennepin Avenue. Paul, though the Canadian Pacific Railway (successor to Milwaukee Road) has not been receptive to the proposal.
In between, there is access to the Chain of Lakes, as well as the Light Rail Trail, connecting the Greenway to the Downtown East community. The Freewheel Bike Center, consisting of a bike store and repair shop, as well as shower and locker facilities, opened in May 2008 at the Midtown Exchange near where the Greenway intersects Chicago Avenue. Bike traffic on the Greenway has jumped 30% in 2008 over ridership counts from 2007. Because of the historic nature of the corridor, it cannot easily be widened or modified. To the west the Greenway connects directly to the Southwest LRT Trail, named after the future Southwest Corridor with which it will share right-of-way.
Planners hoped to use the Short Line Bridge to St. Phase One of the Greenway opened in August 2000, starting at the intersection of 31st Street and Chowen Avenue, just outside Minneapolis city limits.
It also connects to the Kenilworth Trail (which in turn connects to the Cedar Lake Trail) providing access to downtown Minneapolis and the western suburbs.
