I will give a two part talk. The first half of the talk will be about metro area bike trails, including state and regional corridor (rail) trails, urban trails in Minneapolis and St. Paul and park and rec trails. Then we’ll switch gears and talk about combining bikes and North Star Commuter Rail for some new biking options in the northwest metro area.  The second part of the talk is based on Bikeverywhere’s newest online map brochure North Star, You, Your Bike.

The Rovers meet at 7:30 at Macalester College, in St. Paul, in Olin-Rice Science Center, Room 350.  It is building #13 on this map. The talk will start at 8:00. Join us for an informative talk about bicycling in the metro area and learn more about this group of outdoor enthusiasts who not only enjoy the outdoors, but give back through volunteer service and educational programs.

While you’re there, talk to the folks at the Metro Transit booth. They will show you how easy it is to take your bike on North Star and they’ll have copies of my brochure “North Star, You , Your Bike” for viewing. Ask for the business cards with a discount code for ordering the brochure from bikeverywhere.com.

Bike parking is free at the State Fair. The closest lot to the Eco- Experience Building is Lot #3 at the intersection of Hoyt Ave and Snelling Ave. You can also park at Snelling Ave and Como Ave or at Commonwealth and Gortner near the UM St. Paul Campus.

Stick around after the talk to say Hi and talk bike trails. See you at the State Fair.

Bicycling Update Subscribers,

On Monday, August 8th, bicycle and pedestrian path reconstruction will begin at the southwest corner of Loring Park, across from the Walker Art Center. A short detour for bicyclists and pedestrians will be posted. Construction is expected to last for 2 to 4 weeks.

The goal of construction is to improve the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians entering and leaving Loring Park.  This will be accomplished by providing more space for waiting, a wider curb ramp, and clearly designated paths through the area. For more information visit the project website.

On Monday, August 8th, the Hiawatha LRT Trail will close between 11^th Avenue and 15^th Avenue for construction related to the Central Corridor LRT. Construction is expected to last through 2012. A detour route  will run along 5^th Street and 11^th Avenue.

Happy Riding,

City of Minneapolis Bicycle Program

Older versions of the Twin Cities Bike Map showed a bridge crossing from Inver Grove Heights to Newport. It was the only bridge crossing the Mississippi River between  Downtown St. Paul and Hastings. The bridge was unique in that it was a privately owned toll bridge that carried cars on the first level and trains on the upper level.  It was in rough shape in the early days of the bike map and got progressively worse over the years. First the trains stopped running because the bridge structure couldn’t support them, then the roadway deck began crumbling and eventually the bridge was shut down.

The crossing wasn’t special in a truly functional way. It was narrow, potholed, rusty and it dropped you off at the gates of a large refinery, but there was a charm attached to crossing this relict and the toll, I think it was around 0.35 for bikes, added more than it subtracted from the experience. Equally important, when it closed down it made Newport, Grey Cloud Island and roads in that area less accessible.

Since then DOT has added a bike crossing to the Wacouta Bridge and in 2010 the old toll bridge rose from the ashes as the Inver Grove Heights Rock Island Swing Bridge Recreational Pier. The new pier juts halfway into the Mississippi River and offers great views of islands, back channels, marinas and river floodplain.

Bicyclists can access the Swing Bridge by taking the South.. St. Paul Regional Trail to 66th St, then heading toward the Mississippi River (East). The trail runs north/south along the Mississippi River from Concord St. in West St. Paul to Old Concord St. in Inver Grove Heights.

Mississippi Market has carried the Twin Cities Bike Map for years along with other guides to aid bicyclists. Thanks Mississippi Market.

To redeem one free admission with one paid admission, park your bike outside, and check in at the museum’s Visitor Service desk inside. This offer is valid June 1, 2011-September 30, 2011, and may not be used in conjunction with any other offers or discounts. Limit 4 free admissions with 4 paid admissions per group, per visit.

The final phase of the Cedar Lake Trail is now complete! Come to a grand opening (pdf) on Tuesday, June 14th at 5 pm on West River Parkway near the Cedar Lake Trail access point (just north of the Hennepin Bridge)

• Looking for a casual ride and plenty of relaxation? Try the Rum River Loop from the Anoka Station. The trail starts across the street from the station, follows the Rum River north to Bunker Hills Rd, then crosses the river and drops into Rivers Bend. The round trip is about 12 miles, allowing plenty of time for lounging along the river or buying ice cream and hanging out in downtown Anoka.
• How about an overnight trip that isn’t more than 20 miles each way? Take Northstar to the Big Lake Station, ride to Lake Maria State Park, then spend the night at one of their walk-in campsites or camper cabins. Return the next day and pick up the train.
• Feeling strong? Take the train out to any station and ride all the way back to Minneapolis. The longest distance, from the Big Lake Station, is 55 miles. We’ve got two different routes mapped for you.

We’ve mapped out big loops and small ones, routes that follow country roads and routes that take in local trails. The brochure includes train fares, first arrivals and last departures, destinations, points of interest and local riding conditions. As a matter-of-fact, there is so much information, including our unbeatable maps, that each pdf is too large to download from the site. We’ll send it to your email address using YouSendIt. Check out the jpgs on the product page for samples of the route maps and information available for each station.

This is the perfect antidote to riding the same old loops again this weekend, and you don’t have to drive to get there, either!

Printed brochures are available on standard paper or tear and water resistant paper. Choose the delivery style that best fits your needs: Electronic delivery or hard copy.

Due to bridge rehabilitation work, the Midtown Greenway will have intermittent and partial closures through June.  The work is taking place to improve safety for bicyclists and extend the useful life of bridges.  Between Cedar Avenue and Hennepin Avenue, a mobile operation is blasting off loose concrete (which has been falling onto the trail) and making repairs on the undersides of approximately 30 bridges.

In order to protect the safety of trail users, the Midtown Greenway will be closed and detoured for short stretches at times.  Detour routes following 28^th Street and 29^th Street will be posted in these instances.  Work will take place on weekdays beginning at 7:00am and last until 4:30pm (although it will typically be completed by 3:00pm).  At times when it is safe for bicyclists to go through the work site, crews will direct trail users to the side.  Please respect your safety and the safety of city crews by following posted signs and closures.  The trail will remain open at all other times (including evenings, nights, and weekends).

Further west on the Midtown Greenway, bridges over Lake Calhoun Parkway, the Lake Calhoun-Isles Channel, and Dean Parkway are also undergoing bridge rehabilitation work.  This work is taking place to widen the trail and extend the useful life of the bridges, and will last through mid-summer.  The trail at these bridges will not be closed, but will be narrowed at times.

On Monday, April 11^th, Nicollet Mall was closed between Grant Street and Washington Avenue.  The closure will continue for approximately four weeks, and will facilitate curb, gutter, and concrete slab replacement on the Mall.

The suggested detour route follows Marquette and 2^nd Avenues.

Happy Riding,

City of Minneapolis Bicycle Program