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Community Corner

Richfield Bike Task Force to Recommend Upton Avenue Route to Council

The Richfield Bicycle Master Plan Task Force reviews and discusses their combined comments about proposed bike routes.

The reviewed the results of their Wednesday night and decided it would recommend the Upton Avenue route to the Richfield City Council.

The commission decided that the Upton Avenue route was a main priority route because of the heavy amount of commuter users. The Upton Avenue route is a North/South route that will start at County Road 52 and continue down to Interstate 494. This route will run by several parks and schools.

Besides the Upton Avenue route, commission members discussed other favorable routes, but decided they were less of a priority at this time:

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The Oliver Avenue route was liked because it will connect to the Mass Transit Park and Ride building. There was some disagreement about the Oliver route because a commission member felt it was not the safest route due to basket-weave stop signs and heavy traffic after sporting events. Chairman David Gepner disagreed saying the school and the field is a main reason to have a route there.

The Logan Avenue route also got good scores because it is quieter and is connected to parks and the Xerxes Avenue route had admirers because it is a more recreational route and is a direct link to shopping centers.

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Proposed routes along Lyndale, Nicollet and Portland Avenues were liked if they became three lane sections, while the Penn Avenue route was ruled out because of traffic and safety concerns.

The commission will now work to finalize its route map and send in their recommendation for the Upton Avenue route  to the city council for approval.

In other business:

  • Gepner asked for further discussion about making Richfield a bike-friendly city.
  • Gepner also suggested the commission discuss a commuter challenge with Bloomington and Edina to see which city could have a better percentage of people using alternate means of getting places

The next commission meeting will be at 7 p.m. May 11 at the Building.

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