Minneapolis residents, get ready to celebrate your newest neighborhood upgrades. According to an announcement from the City, there will be a community event on July 30th to mark the completion of the 1st Avenue NE and E Hennepin Avenue improvements. Festivities are set to kick off at 5:30 PM at the corner of E Hennepin Avenue and SE Main Street, which include some opening remarks, giveaways, and yes, free ice cream, as long as quantities last.
The project, now complete, featured enhancements that cater to pedestrians, protected bikeways, and busways stretching from Main Street all the way to 8th Street in the downtown Northeast area. These improvements are designed to bolster safety and comfort for both locals and visitors in this burgeoning neighborhood and commercial sector. The celebration plans also include community rides or walks along these newly minted thoroughfares, as detailed on the City website.
As Minneapolis pursues its Transportation Action Plan (TAP), significant strides are being made to cater not just to the car-centric but to all modalities of transit. The city has set an ambitious goal of ensuring that by 2030, 60% of trips in Minneapolis are made by walking, rolling, biking, or transit. These recently completed avenues serve as key pieces to this complex urban puzzle, aiming to encourage residents to reduce their reliance on personal vehicles.
These community-centric events and infrastructure enhancements are part of the City's "As You Go MPLS" campaign. This initiative seeks to aid Minneapolis travelers in making modal shifts by showcasing improved infrastructure and by providing necessary information and resources. For those interested in participating in similar events or seeking further details, information can be found on the 2025 As You Go MPLS events page.
