What’s it like to walk where you live?

Eric Ringham February 17, 2012, 5:00 AM Feb 17, 2012

A civic group called Walk Denver is working to improve that city’s friendliness toward pedestrians. It wants Denver to qualify as a “Walk Friendly Community,” a status that Minneapolis already has. Today’s Question: What’s it like to walk where you live?

About the blogger

Eric Ringham

eringham@mpr.org

Gary F

Fine, except for all the people in Highland Park that don’t shovel their sidewalks.

Ashley

We are very grateful for Three Rivers Parks and their trail systems in Scott and Dakota counties. Murphy-Hanrehan in Burnsville would be our personal favorite ‘walk in the woods’.

Bob

@ GaryF

Then you must be pleased that we did not have any appreciable amount of snow this winter…..

david

Good and bad. Bad if I want to take a sidewalk anywhere. I live in a new, isolated development where the sidewalks leaving end a block later. We’re surrounded by busy roads and highways so walking that direction is not great. Behind us is miles of woods and farm fields. The dogs and I love walking back there. They get to escape their leashes and run. Even though it’s posted no trespassing the corporate owners don’t seem to mind except during hunting season.

I miss working and living in downtown Minneapolis. Walking downtown is always interesting and the skyways are great for walking on your lunch break during the winter. Wouldn’t be dog friendly though.

St. Paul near Mac is great … except when it comes time to cross the street that is.

GregX

Odd. 1st ring suburb of Saint Paul and …. almost no sidewalks except on arterial streets – and even then – not so much. Really hard with young kids. You’re sort of forced to drive to the park … which sort of defeats the purpose of getting out for some exercise. When the kids are older …. 10-13 and biking about for their own activities – you just gotta wonder some days with the iPod and Nintendo … are they really aware enough to avoid the random cars.

but hey my taxes are lower because we don’t pay for a buncha sidewalks … that’s good right?

Gary F

Bob, not really.

I put extra roof cables on my house last fall.

I bought a new pair of Columbia winter boots. The shoe repair guy said I shouldn’t be using my English Setter upland hunting boots for winter wear.

I bought two new shovels.

I got a pair of insulated Carhartt bibs for Christmas.

But, since we are in the home stretch, I want spring to come. I’m mentally over winter.

Pitchers and catchers are reporting.

Craig

Very nice. There are routes for the flaneur and trekker alike. I appreciate the shops nearby and the dappled leafy walks along the bluff.

And though I don’t walk down them, I appreciate the alleys. They allow each house to have an aesthetic public face toward the street and keep the garages and trashcans out of sight.

Jenn

For a suburb, Shoreview is not bad- there are lots of parks and trails within walking distance- but you almost have to drive to get to them. Much better for biking around here. If they would just put in a path along the southern part of Hodgson Rd, getting to the library, shops, and community center would be much easier.

Jim G

We live in a suburb so sidewalks are few. We walk mostly in the street. We like the three mile walk at the University of Minnesota Arboretum when it’s closed in the winter. We don’t like the cold, so the rule is it has to be 5 above. The wife is a native of CA, and she swears we’re out of here after retirement

Matt B

In South Minneapolis (Whittier), it’s pretty great actually. I mainly walk around W 28th Street and the Lyndale-Lake area, where many of the sidewalks are newer. The Lyn-Lake business district has done a great job with their logo embedded in colored concrete along with plenty of trash cans and benches (a critical, but forgotten part of the pedestrian experience). Then of course, I live 3 blocks from an access point to the Midtown Greenway, which is top notch for walking, running and biking.

Jess

I live in Whittier Mpls and have been without a car for almost four years. Walking is great! I see a lot more of the neighborhood and am more mindful of giving patronage to local shops.

It’s excellent. My walk to work involves cutting through the nature area of St. Olaf. And with little or no snow, I haven’t had to avoid the non-exsistent groomed ski trail.

Regnar James

I walk my dog at least 2 miles every evening.

It is very quiet and peaceful.

With my permit to carry I feel very safe with my 1911 45ACP on my hip:-)

∑

DTOM

Bill A.

Pretty dang Nice. Armatage MPLS, resident here.

Gordon near Two Harbors

I live in a fairly remote area and nearly all of the land is in public ownership, so a walk is often a solitary affair. A lot of times I can walk for several miles and not encounter another person. In winter there are the tracks of wolves, pine martens, deer, and sometimes moose. I like that and feel very fortunate to live where I do.

suzie

I live in a smaller city in Greater Minnesota and walking is usually great except for those, who are physically capable, but too lazy to shovel their portion of the sidewalks and the self centered idiots who think pedestrains walking in crosswalks are fair game. Oh, and then there are the kids, whose useless parents, have not taught them that walkers have rights too.

DNA

A pleasure.

Steve the Cynic

There are no sidewalks, and the speed limit is too high for pedestrians’ comfort. Other than that, the scenery is nice. If I’m lucky I find some wild cannabis to harvest.

Scott Slocum

During trapping season, my neighbors and I can’t safely walk our dogs on the public marshland in White Bear Township behind our homes. Our dog Phillip was killed there by a “legal” trap hidden in the grass on 1/26/2012. We’re spreading the word and sponsoring a petition to avoid future deaths like this. Please join us in signing the following petitions:

http://signon.org/sign/protection-from-trapping

http://signon.org/sign/safe-public-lands
JasonB

My neighborhood has sidewalks, so I feel it’s a better and safer experience than some sidewalk-free suburbs. I’m also closer to amenities that can be accessed via walking, something that will probably become more common in the design of neighborhoods as gas prices continue to rise.

Regarding Craig’s comment I feel we should not think of alleys as the repository for our less attractive items (in fairness I’ve been guilty of this too). In many countries where urban space is a premium the alleyway has become an attractive and pedestrian friendly common area, even serving to showcase the best of a property. With similar care and attention there’s no reason why our alleys can’t be the same. They’re a way to connect neighbors by being more communal and inviting spaces.
Mark in Freeborn

Going for a walk in Freeborn can be difficult, because most drivers stop and offer a ride.
John P II

The east side of St Paul is remarkably well connected to multi-use trails including the Sam Morgan Regional Trail (westerly along the mighty Miss to Ft Snelling), the Battle Creek Park trail system (east to Woodbury) and the Bruce Vento Trail (north and connecting to the Gateway Trail.) All my neighborhood streets have sidewalks and I can easily walk to downtown St Paul or any of the above trails without using city streets.
Marc

St. Paul (Highland/Mac-Groveland) drivers are a menace to pedestrians! Consistently ignoring speed limits and talking on their phones, they are surprised and sometimes angry to find people actually daring to use the crosswalks!
John

No problem, I have my conceal and carry. Not afraid of anything.
John

No problem, I have my conceal and carry. Not afraid of anything.
Mary Jo

Wonderful!! I live in NE Minneapolis. Bikes and pedestrians are frequent. Cars, for the most part, are aware and friendly. Many, many stores are within 2 miles. A great place!!
Audrey

I live in Uptown, walking is fabulous but hate it when folks use salt to melt the ice. Wish the city would push for better environmental alternatives and pet health safety as well.
Wally

Our streets aren’t made for walkin’

‘Cause drivin’s what we do

And if you try to walk

We’re gonna drive all over you . . .

Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom . . etc.
frank wright

I live on a park with a lake and it is reasonably safe people use the paths late at nite and early mornings in ways that those who live on the Isles, Calhoun, Harriet chain feel they cannot.

I know many people who are unhappy with the way landowners on Cedar Lake have converted publicly owned land into their back yards and made it impossible for people to use this park land.
Veronica

Very difficult to traverse the sidewalks in my Minneapolis neighborhood. Lots of houses where people still have Wellstone signs in their windows. It’s my experience that they don’t own shovels.
Jess

I live in Crystal and there are few if any sidewalks in my neighborhood. People cut through my neighborhood driving too fast. Even those who live in my area drive too fast and don’t pay attention. When I do walk in my neighborhood I enjoy watching two albino squirrels living in the area, the different birds, various types of trees and the sound of children playing in the nearby park.