Do It Green, an organization dedicated to educating and motivating Minnesotans to live more sustainably, will host a Commuter Buddy Program on Saturday, June 7. Experienced bicycle commuters will pair up with new commuters to plan a commuter route and set a date to practice and time the route. I’ll be there to help create a custom bike route to work for new participants. Commuter Buddy Program

In a previous post, I mentioned a new route planning program through the Met Council. The program, called Bike2Benefits, asks bike commuters to commit to riding at least once a week for eight weeks before December 31. Riders receive a personalized route map, a booklet on bicycle commuting, information on safe and lawful bicycling and a reflective leg strap. Riders who complete the program get entered in a year-end prize drawing.

The program has launched and, according to program coordinator John Svigeland, it has exceeded expectations by 10-15 times. The program is going through growing pains. As of last posting, over 100 requests were waiting for custom bike routes.

The program is looking for more bike route planners. If you are an experienced bike commuter and feel comfortable laying out bike routes for new riders, please contact John Svigeland for more information. Bike route planners get paid for their work and get to choose the number of routes they wish to do from a list of route requests.

Roads around the I-35W/Hwy 62 interchange have been in constant flux as the new highway alignment continues. The good news, for now, is that Minnehaha Parkway has re-opened. It was closed during construction of the support pillars that will take I-35W over Minnehaha Creek. Nicollett Ave under Hwy 62 is slightly more open again because pillar work in that area has been completed. I checked out the new Diamond Lake Rd bridge. It isn’t any worse than the old bridge, but it isn’t better, either. The approach lanes on both sides of the bridge are wide enough for shoulder/bike lane striping, but no paint had been added on my last visit. Shoulder stiping is still visible on the old “unimporved” part of Diamond Lake Rd to the east of the bridge. the 58th street bike bridge ws removed and still hasn’t been rebuilt.

Minnehaha Park has gone through a multi-year renovation to become one of the premier parks in Minneapolis. The latest improvements include new picnic shelters near the Veterans Home and bike paths that connect the Veterans Bridge to the road down to Lock and Dam #1. A spur trail also connects the upgraded picnic area to the trail near the falls. The trails were paved within the last week and are ready for your enjoyment.