MnDOT gathering info for Minnesota bicycle study and map

After making several stops throughout Minnesota to gather ideas for how to make bicycling safer, state transportation officials will host an online discussion on March 22.

A statewide bicycle planning study -- and possibly Minnesota's first electronic bike map -- may result from the information gathered by Minnesota Department of Transportation officials earlier this month.

Public meeting were held most recently in Duluth (March 15) and St. Cloud (March 14). A diverse crowd showed for the March 12 stop in Willmar, according to this story in the West Central Tribune.

According to a nice preview of the meeting in St. Cloud by the St. Cloud Times, MnDOT will use the input collected from the nine community meetings in a year-long effort to help the state agency best determine how to spend limited funds on improving bicycling.

After the meeting there, the St. Cloud Times published a staff editorial noting that the highest local priority is to extend by seven miles the Lake Wobegon Regional Trail from St. Joseph to the St. Cloud metro area. "This extension would provide 135 miles of continuous separated blacktop trail, the longest in Minnesota and possibly in the nation," the editorial stated.

An outcome that would benefit cyclists throughout Minnesota would be an online bicycling map. MnDot last published a bicycling map in 2001, Minnesota Public Radio reported.

At the first six meetings, MnDOT bicycle and pedestrian coordinator Tim Mitchell said staff has heard from people concerned about tourism, health and economics.

An hour-long live webinar or online discussion will take place March 22 starting at 11:30 a.m.. For the web address, conference call number and participant code, go here.

MnDOT also welcomes written comments by email to greta.alquist@state.mn.us or sent to Statewide Bicycle Planning Study c/o Minnesota Department of Transportation, Bicycle and Pedestrian Section, MS 315, 395 John Ireland Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155. The fax number is 651/366-4192.