Bike Routes in Downtown St. Paul
Posted by Bikeverywhere, August 1st, 2018
I spent the afternoon exploring Downtown St. Paul, looking for better routes through the area. The good news is that the Gateway Trail has been extended through Downtown to the riverfront trail along Shepard Rd.The two-way trail takes up one lane of Jackson Street. According to one traffic engineer, the trail won’t freeze up in winter even with ice and snow. Impressive, if it works.
The bad news: That’s it for Downtown St. Paul except for a single path along the south edge of CHS Field. Downtown lacks bike lanes, sharrows or designated routes. The city makes no effort to guide riders to Rice Park, the Farmer’s Market, Landmark Center or any of the major employers. Access to the area is awkward at best from the west.
Recreational cyclists do better, as long as they stay away from the center of the city. The Bruce Vento Trail, Lafayette Bridge and river front trails offer good recreational riding.
The attached map shows the new alignments I suggest for riding through Downtown, They aren’t great, but offer some guidance. The photo shows a single sign post along the Bruce Vento Trail. The purple signs direct you toward Downtown, but don’t expect additional signage as you get closer. You will be on your own.