Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Cedar Towing on track to move into Longfellow


Settlement reached between Minneapolis and Cedar

by Tesha M. Christensen

It looks like Cedar Towing will be moving in Longfellow after all.
Although the city considered revoking the company’s license to operate earlier this year, an agreement was reached in mid-April that will not only allow Cedar to remain in business but also facilitate its move to 3527 Dight Ave. S.
Cedar Towing co-owner Tom Rodrigue expected to move to the Dight Ave. building at the end of April from the present location at 359 Hoover Street in the University neighborhood. The company had initially planned to move in to the building that formerly housed John’s Welding Service last fall.
“Everything is resolved,” Rodrigue said. “I’m originally from South Minneapolis and I’m glad to be back. I plan to bring a lot to the neighborhood.”
Minneapolis has announced its intention in January 2012 to deny the company’s license to operate because of numerous code violations, including overcharging customers and allowing its own employee to authorize tows from private property.
In the settlement reached between the city and Cedar Towing, Cedar does not admit to any guilt. However, Cedar will pay a $10,000 fine in two installments. If there are any further violations within a two-year period, the city may fine Cedar another $10,000.
The Class A towing license held by Cedar will also be suspended for 30 days sometime before the end of 2012. There are only six towing companies in Minneapolis to hold a Class A towing license, which allows towing companies to tow a car without the owner’s consent as long as the property owner has asked that it be done. Cedar will maintain its Class B towing license, which allows the company to handle tows for people whose vehicles have broken down.
“I think this is a very fair settlement and it adverted a very lengthy hearing process for both sides,” said Minneapolis Licenses Division Manager Grant Wilson.
Cedar Towing is the city’s largest towing company. In 2008, Cedar Towing agreed to pay $1,341 in fines for various violations, some of the same ones the company is accused of repeating in 2011.
Cedar Towing’s business operations include service tows, motor club towing/services, impound towing, jump starts, lock-outs, winching, tire changes and gas fills. Cedar Towing also provides snow plowing services, lot sweeping and a striping service. The business holds an Auto Lien Auction most Tuesdays at 11 a.m. 

This story printed in the May 2012 edition of the Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.

New bike trail to link Lake Nokomis with Minnesota River


Fat Lorenzo’s owner concerned about safety along Cedar

by Tesha M. Christensen

In a few years, bicyclists will be able to hop on a trail and ride from Lake Nokomis to the Minnesota River.
Portions of the 7-mile Intercity Regional Trail are slated for construction in 2014. Right now, planners are accepting comments on the design.
“The Intercity Regional Trail will expand opportunities for safe recreation and commuting. It will provide convenient, off-street trail connections to the Three Rivers Park District regional trail system via the Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail (which is nearing completion), as well as to the future state trail in the Minnesota River Valley. Trail users also will be able to connect to the Mall of America,” said Jason McGrew-King of the Three Rivers Park District.
The Intercity Regional Trail will begin on the south side of Lake Nokomis, connecting the Minneapolis Ground Rounds trail system to the Minnesota River in Dakota County through the cities of Minneapolis, Richfield, and Bloomington.
Like the other regional trails operated by the Three Rivers Park District, the Intercity Regional Trail will be a paved, multi-use trail surface with mowed grass shoulders, according to McGrew-King. The majority of the 10-foot-wide, asphalt trail parallel existing city streets.
“In Minneapolis, trail users will have good vantage points of Lake Nokomis. Also in Minneapolis, Edward Solomon Park offers natural areas and opportunities for passive recreation,” McGrew-King pointed out. “Taft Park in Richfield offers a great deal of recreational opportunities, and Taft Lake will be undergoing significant water quality improvements. In Bloomington, the trail also will travel near Wright’s Lake Park. Further south, the trail will provide views of the Minnesota River Valley.”
In some areas, the trail will travel through an urban environment and will provide access to employment centers, shopping and restaurants, and will offer connections to mass transit, McGrew-King added.
There will be rest stops every mile.
FEDERAL FUNDS WILL HELP PAY FOR CONSTRUCTION
Most of the trail is not yet constructed, although there are a few pieces already in place. Work will begin on 3.8 miles between Lake Nokomis and the Mall of America in 2014, courtesy of a Federal Surface Transportation Program grant in the amount of $5.5 million.
The trail segment between the Mall of America and Minnesota River will be constructed as resources are available and when the Minnesota Valley State Trail or a feasible and acceptable crossing of Long Meadow Pond is complete.
It will cost $348,000 for the portion of the trail in Minneapolis, which includes not only the cost of the trail but also that of modifying Old Cedar and Edgewater Blvd. The total project will cost an estimated $8,994,000, of which $630,000 is for right-of-way; the majority of this tab will be paid by federal funds. The annual cost of maintenance for the new section of trail will be about $817, and will come out of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation budget.
The bill did look larger for Minneapolis in the initial planning process, when it was proposed to replace the pedestrian bridge on Cedar to minimize vehicular conflicts and limit right-of-way. That option is no longer on the table.
CHANGES AT EDGEWATER AND OLD CEDAR
Changes in the area will affect how traffic moves. To make the trail crossing shorter, Edgewater Blvd. will be narrowed at the Cedar Ave. intersection to minimize the distance trail users will need to cross the street and better define the roadway intersection for motorists.
 The entrance to Old Cedar Avenue from Cedar Avenue southbound will be reconfigured and will include a longer deceleration lane. Old Cedar Avenue will remain one-way southbound until 58th Street E. Old Cedar will be narrowed and one lane of parking removed. This will create separate walking and trail facilities, and include a 4-foot grass boulevard between the trail and sidewalk, adequate space for snow storage and space for loading/unloading of parked vehicles on Cedar Avenue.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS
Fat Lorenzo’s owner Scott Siegel is skeptical that these changes will make the area safe enough for bicyclists. “I don’t know why you’d want to put a bike on Cedar,” he said. “I look at Cedar as a freeway. People drive fast around here.”
Instead, Siegel thinks the trail should go down 16th Ave. S.
Siegel pointed out that Edgewater is a busy, uncontrolled intersection, one at which he already sees bicyclists injured at on a regular basis. ‘The reality is they’re not going to stop the cars,” Siegel said. He has advocated for turning Edgewater into a cul-de-sac to help solve some of the traffic woes. Siegel wishes that the parks department will convert the open space between Edgewater and the Lake Nokomis Parkway into a parking lot.
He noted that people use Old Cedar and Edgewater more than the parkway, both for travel and parking. Siegel is concerned about removing one lane of parking on Old Cedar, pointing out it will not only affect his customers and attendees at Hope Lutheran Church, but also those who use the existing trails around Lake Nokomis.
As proposed, the trail will mean that half the sidewalk in front of his door will be taken away. Access into his business and space for outdoor seating is a major concern for Siegel.
He’s hoping for another neighborhood meeting at which to address his concerns, and those he’s heard from other residents. “I don’t think there’s a lot of neighborhood support,” Siegel stated.
COMMENT ON THE PLAN
The public has the opportunity to provide comments from April 2 through May 1; written comments may be submitted by e-mail to ICRT@ThreeRiversParkDistrict.org, by fax to 763-557-5248, or by mail to: Three Rivers Park District, Intercity Regional Trail, 3000 Xenium Lane N., Plymouth, MN 55441. Final trail design is expected to begin in late fall or early winter.

This story printed in the May 2012 edition of the Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.

Trail Watch riders keep Greenway safe



Volunteers report suspicious behavior, help fix flat tires, and provide a friendly presence on the trail

by Tesha M. Christensen

Trail Watch riders help keep the Midtown Greenway safe every night of the week.
Traveling in groups of three or more, the riders act as extra eyes and ears for law enforcement by observing and reporting suspicious behavior or unsafe conditions. Trail Watchers do not intervene in incidents they come across in the Greenway; rather they’re a friendly presence on the trail and report criminal or intimidating behaviors that are noticed during the shift to police.
The program began as an offshoot of the Minneapolis bicycle forum mplsbikelove.com in response the number of assaults and robberies on the Greenway that had happened in the fall of 2008. People talking together on the forum organized a citizen’s patrol. In 2009, the Midtown Greenway Coalition took over the program and formalized it. There are similar programs in cities such as New York, Portland and Anchorage.
FIGHTING PERCEPTION THE TRENCH ISN’T SAFE
Andrew Paule is a single dad with a daughter who uses the Greenway as a basic route from Uptown to the River Road. He joined the bike-mounted safety patrol because he thought it would make her safer, as well as other riders.
“The goal of the program has always been to make the riders on the Greenway feel safer,” said Paule, who leads rides on Fridays and Saturdays. “A perception existed that the Greenway was unsafe at night, and even though it is much safer to ride it than city streets, many people avoided it. Plus, the ‘trench’ (between 28th St. and Hennepin) is down, away from others, and can be eerie at night alone for some.”
“It’s important to know that crime against bikers and others is rare in the Greenway,” pointed out Midtown Greenway Coalition Executive Director and Longfellow resident Soren Jensen. “In fact, the Greenway is one of the safest places to ride a bike.” 
But like other places in the city, crime does exist, and Trail Watch riders help prevent it by their presence.
“I think we have had an impact,” Paule noted. “Crime is down on the Greenway significantly. We had zero incidents between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. for two years.”
There was a small crime wave this winter of two to three incidents near the 12th Ave. bridge. Trail Watch riders responded by patrolling that area more frequently, particularly during the time the incidents were occurring.
Gabriel Hoffman, the Seward representative on the coalition board, heads up the Midtown Greenway Coalition’s Trail Watch program and is the Thursday night ride leader. “I have come across the aftermath of several situations,“ he said. “We provide what help we can, and call 911, but most nights it is pretty quiet out there.  I keep my eyes open when I’m down there, but I’ve never had a problem, nor been in an uncomfortable situation.”
The Midtown Greenway Coalition encourages people to ride in pairs after dark when possible, and is launching a “buddy up” program this year.
“While Trail Watch will always be our #1 crime prevention program, the coalition has also recently started a Crime Prevention Task Force to look at more things we can do to help prevent crime, from working on more lighting and cameras, to hiring private security patrols,” said Jensen.
WHAT IS A RIDE LIKE?
Trail Watch riders set off nightly at around dusk from the Midtown building entry on 10th Ave., acknowledging that people using the Greenway tend to get uneasy around that time of day. They put on their vests and notify police dispatch that they’re heading out. Then they begin traversing the trail between Lake Calhoun and the Metrodome.
“For the first couple of hours after dark there are still a lot of riders out and we believe that many know who we are and feel safer because of it,” said Paule. “The police also know who we are now, and respond better. The dispatchers in particular know where we are now, and get cars out quickly.”
All rides carry a basic mechanical kit (fixing flats, broken chains, etc.) and will help people who are not able to fix their bikes. Trail Watch riders also sweep glass and pick up trash (especially glass bottles) to help out.
Each night the rides strike a different pace and tone.
“Friday night ride is a fast ride and we tend to do a lot of ‘up top’ riding,” said Paule. “We have had problems with people tossing rocks off of bridges, and problems with people hanging out on the Greenway. Being at street level allows us to peer down and see what is going on. The people who cause the problem spots know that we are out and looking for them and not simply riding along the Greenway.”  
Saturday tends to be the “pass out lights” ride. Paule and another rider buy lights and distribute them to people riding without. “It helps keep all of us safer,” he said.
Wednesdays used to be the WOW (Women Ride on Wednesdays) ride. In the winter, there’s hot cocoa on Sundays.
“The riders tend to know each other pretty well,” pointed out Paule, and each ride is a social event for those involved.
Just as there are more riders out on the Greenway during nice weather, so there are more Trail Watch volunteers during those months. “Biking is very seasonal for many people,” observed Paule. “They ride a lot during the spring, some in the summer (it’s hot) and basically stop for the fall and winter.  It’s like gyms - you can’t find a parking spot in early January, but you can use any weight station or machine you want in late summer at any time.  
“But, 30 years ago there were maybe a dozen people who rode in the winter. Now there are thousands, and every year more people are doing it. So we are getting more people out year round for Trail Watch.”
Some Trail Watch volunteers come out for several rides a week; others show up once a year. “It’s a volunteer thing and we view showing up even for an hour as a good thing,” noted Paule.
There is an incentive program for Trail Watch riders courtesy of local businesses. Bryant-Lane Bowl, Common Roots Cafe, Galactic Pizza, Pizza Luce provide free food once a month. Additionally, riders who participate in six or more rides in a quarter get a 10% discount on in-stock parts and accessories and a 5% discount on bikes at Free Wheel Bike, as well as maintenance and tune-ups from Bikes and Pieces. Wells Fargo donated $1,000 to continue development of the program.
Learn more at http://www.midtowngreenway.org. Or, email trailwatch@midtowngreenway.org.

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Q & A With Trail Watch Organizer Gabriel Hoffman
• What is the goal of the program? 
    “To keep the Midtown Greenway safe.  The trail is, in fact, a lot safer than the surrounding streets, and we want to keep it that way.”
• What's a typical night like on the Greenway?
“On a good night, where there are no incidents, it's just a fun ride with a bunch of friends.  And fortunately, most nights are good nights.”
• What sort of situations have you come across?
“Most nights, it is pretty quiet.  We sometimes get rocks being thrown off of bridges, and with some frequency we have to deal with people passed out drunk under one or another of the bridges.  On very rare occasions, we come upon the victim of a mugging (personally, I've only seen this once).  Then there are the occasional odd ones -- we had a person fall off one of the bridges and break his leg.  Most of the time, if we see anything, it is groups of young men who seem to be setting up for an attack, at which point we call it in and wait for the police from a safe distance away.” 
• What does a ride with the Trail Watchers look like?
“Rides last about two hours, and the mileage depends a lot on who shows up, and what happens while we are on the ride.  The most I've ever done in one night was about 25 miles, and the least (on a night with multiple events) was about 10.” 

This story printed in the May 2012 edition of the Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.

Sabo Bridge may reopen soon



Minneapolis considers opening the bridge back up before a permanent repair is completed.

by Tesha M. Christensen

The Martin Olav Sabo Bridge may soon open back up to pedestrian and bike traffic.
Experts are investigating whether Minnesota’s only cable-stayed suspension  bridge could be opened to users before a permanent fix is made, according to Minneapolis Public Works deputy director Heidi Hamilton.
The five-year-old bridge has been closed since Feb. 19, 2012 when a pair of cables was found lying on the bridge deck. The Chicago-based firm Wiss, Janney and Elstner (WJE) is currently investigating why the anchor plates holding the cables fractured. Minneapolis and Hennepin County are splitting the $150,000 fee.
In order to reopen the Sabo Bridge, one major question needs to be answered. “We need to know if the shoring in place is adequate to support a live load of bicyclists and pedestrians,” said Hamilton. The original design engineering firm, URS, will answer that question in early May.
Meanwhile, the search for answers as to why the anchor plates fractured continues. Several instruments were installed by city workers and WJE staff the week of April 16 that will provide experts with important data about how the bridge handles weather and wind conditions.
According to Minneapolis Bridge Engineer Jack Yunza, anemometers were installed to track wind speed, duration of wind and temperature during wind events. Strain gauges, displacement transducers and accelerometers will provide actual stress range movement, amplitude and frequency of cable vibrations experienced by the bridge during wind events. These instruments will be monitored 24 hours a day.
Together, these two pieces of data will be correlated to provide a complete picture of what’s happening to the bridge in all kinds of weather, explained Yunza.
The data from these instruments will then be reviewed alongside the report of why the plates broke. The metalurgical analysis of the broken plates is being done by Lehigh University in Pennsylvania.
Yunza stated, “The the information gathered will become the basis for the repair plan.”

This story printed in the May edition of the Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.