Sidewalks (Minneapolis: safety, moving, suburbs) - Minneapolis - St. Paul - Minnesota (MN) -Twin Cities - Page 4 - City-Data Forum

1stpontiac · 12-30-2010, 08:05 AM

Appreciate all the feedback! I'm mostly curious about pushing a stroller on an evening walk or going for a run in the morning. I'd love if, when we move to MSP, we find somewhere within walking distance to a grocery store and a hardware store, so its good to hear that that is possible out in some of the suburbs as well.

Interesting debate its turned into, as well.

uptown_urbanist · 12-30-2010, 08:26 AM

City streets don't have limited crossings, and most don't have heavy traffic. And besides, car traffic volume does not decide walkability; it's how that volume is managed, as well as what's within (safe) walking distance that make that determination. And if you walk on the residential streets in many city neighborhoods you also rarely see cars; lack of traffic isn't a "city" versus "suburbs" issue.

If you can walk to the grocery store from your house without walking on a major road, then more power to you, but that's not the norm in most areas of the Twin Cities. Since most businesses ARE located on busy roads, it's tough to avoid them.

uptown_urbanist · 12-30-2010, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1stpontiac

Appreciate all the feedback! I'm mostly curious about pushing a stroller on an evening walk or going for a run in the morning. I'd love if, when we move to MSP, we find somewhere within walking distance to a grocery store and a hardware store, so its good to hear that that is possible out in some of the suburbs as well.

Interesting debate its turned into, as well.

Don't discount the city neighborhoods, either; depending on where you're coming from you'll find that many of them are more "suburban" in character than those in many cities, meaning that they feel like streetcar suburbs. Walkable, tree-lined streets, single family homes, hardly any traffic, tons of kids running around. Much depends on budget and work location, though, but there are no shortage of neighborhoods with safe streets and at least some commercial nodes within walking distance. In general, though, I think it really is tougher in the suburbs. That said, there are some suburbs where things are relatively self-contained and walkable (safely), and even the areas that weren't designed like that are trying to go back and recreate it.

1stpontiac · 12-30-2010, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

Don't discount the city neighborhoods, either; depending on where you're coming from you'll find that many of them are more "suburban" in character than those in many cities, meaning that they feel like streetcar suburbs. Walkable, tree-lined streets, single family homes, hardly any traffic, tons of kids running around. Much depends on budget and work location, though, but there are no shortage of neighborhoods with safe streets and at least some commercial nodes within walking distance. In general, though, I think it really is tougher in the suburbs. That said, there are some suburbs where things are relatively self-contained and walkable (safely), and even the areas that weren't designed like that are trying to go back and recreate it.

Yeah, I really don't have prejudices whether to go suburb or city...I have some ideas what I'd like to see in our new neighborhood and beyond that it doesn't matter to me what its classified as.

Just have to wait for my wife's employment options to shake out as that will make a huge impact on where we want to live. Can't wait to get up there and start looking around. Nothing like seeing with your own eyes!

Drives me crazy waiting...patience is not one of my virtues!

golfgal · 12-30-2010, 09:27 AM

Go to Google Maps, type in Rosemount, MN and then go to street view. It will take you to downtown, you can pan, zoom, etc. Then move the map in the corner over to Shannon Parkway, 160th, 140th, Diamond Path or any of the neighborhoods around those streets, and you will see the "non-existent" sidewalks/paths that are lovely for evening strolls, walking to the grocery store, walking to friends' houses, parks, etc..

You can do street view for many towns around the metro and see what they have available.

1stpontiac · 12-30-2010, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfgal

Go to Google Maps, type in Rosemount, MN and then go to street view. It will take you to downtown, you can pan, zoom, etc. Then move the map in the corner over to Shannon Parkway, 160th, 140th, Diamond Path or any of the neighborhoods around those streets, and you will see the "non-existent" sidewalks/paths that are lovely for evening strolls, walking to the grocery store, walking to friends' houses, parks, etc..

You can do street view for many towns around the metro and see what they have available.

Just remembered that I could use Street View to check out neighborhoods yesterday, actually! Has not had good effects on my work productivity.

uptown_urbanist · 12-30-2010, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfgal

Go to Google Maps, type in Rosemount, MN and then go to street view. It will take you to downtown, you can pan, zoom, etc. Then move the map in the corner over to Shannon Parkway, 160th, 140th, Diamond Path or any of the neighborhoods around those streets, and you will see the "non-existent" sidewalks/paths that are lovely for evening strolls, walking to the grocery store, walking to friends' houses, parks, etc..

You can do street view for many towns around the metro and see what they have available.

Not to go too off tangent, but no one here has said that sidewalks don't exist in Rosemount. They don't exist in all areas in Rosemount, and they don't exist in a very large number of Twin Cities suburbs. This conversation has been about the many areas in which they DON'T exist.

Rosemount could well be a good option, if work is in that area; so, too, could any number of other city and suburban neighborhoods. I know how hard it is to wait until knowing for sure where jobs will be located and that sort of thing -- it makes it tough to really plan for the future! You (the OP) should be able to find something decent for walking and families somewhere near wherever you end up working, though.

demtion35 · 12-30-2010, 10:46 AM

Walkers have to be carefull when crossing streets, for the fact that there are so many drivers that do not yield to predestrians in the cross walk, even when the walker has the right of way.

krillbee · 12-30-2010, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfgal

I can't think of a single road in the metro, other than interstates, that have no pedestrian crossings or ban pedestrians-can anyone else??

The intersection of Olson Memorial Highway and Hwy 100 has no pedestrian signs posted in all directions.

I know Forest Lake has some intersections like this as well along their county roads, particularly along the main road that travels east/west just south of the lake and on the east side of 35.

demtion35 · 12-30-2010, 01:12 PM

[quote=krillbee;17192709]The intersection of Olson Memorial Highway and Hwy 100 has no pedestrian signs posted in all directions.

I know Forest Lake has some intersections like this as well along their county roads, particularly along the main road that travels east/west just south of the lake and on the east side of 35.[/quote
Duluth has one so must be some in metro also