Progress with Carbon-Free, Safer Transportation: Bikes!

Putting in the effort to work with the city has paid off for Sustainable Stillwater MN’s Bicycle Friendly Community workgroup. The Stillwater City Council has passed a Complete Streets Resolution that shows their intention to take bicyclists and pedestrians into design consideration for all future road and street improvements and additions. Details are to be worked out in a July city planning meeting, but this is a good start.

A “Complete Streets” policy meets GreenStep Best Practices Step 11.1--Transportation category, moving us up another rung in the state GreenStep Cities ladder. The City has also received a SHIP grant for new bike rack systems downtown — the Stillwater Public Works Department plans to install these by summer. And the City is finalizing the Chestnut Street Plaza design, which will create a very pleasing “mall” for pedestrians and bicyclists from the Lift Bridge and trails to Main Street. Kudos to the city for the progress on Chestnut Plaza to date, and for considering our suggestions for new bike racks and trail connections.

Bike-Friendly Community Designation Sought

Our BFC workgroup is also working on an application by July to get Stillwater certified and listed nationally as a “Bicycle Friendly Community” from the League of American Bicyclists. Such a designation comes with more tourism and economic benefits!