Final Bicycle Plan documents for adoption

Staff presented the final version of the Bicycle Plan to City Council on April 17, 2024. A public hearing was held as part of this meeting. 

Council will be accepting additional written feedback and comment before noon on April 23, 2024. They will hold a vote to adopt the Bicycle Plan on April 24 at the City Council meeting. This is the final step in the Bicycle Plan update process. The final version of the plan can be found here:  

February 23, 2024 Saint Paul Bicycle Plan full document
February 23, 2024 Bicycle Plan Appendix

Comments submitted in writing before noon on April 23 should be sent via email to Contact-Council@ci.stpaul.mn.us or via mail addressed to:

Office of the City Council
310 City Hall
15 West Kellogg Boulevard
Saint Paul, MN 55102

Please contact Jimmy Shoemaker at 651-266-6204 or jimmy.shoemaker@ci.stpaul.mn.us with any questions. 

Recently completed steps

  1. DONE - A first public hearing took place on February 2, 2024 at the Saint Paul Planning Commission. Feedback collected:
    1. Staff summarized feedback from the public hearing here: Summary of Public Comments
    2. A full record of written comments from the public hearing is here: Email and U.S. Mail Public Comment Received
    3. Meeting minutes from the public hearing, including verbal testimony, is here: Saint Paul Planning Commission Minutes February 2, 2024 
  2. DONE - Based on the feedback from the February 2 public hearing, changes were made to the plan. Those changes are described here:
    1.  For simplicity, staff have noted the changes made to the Plan based on feedback collected during the public hearing. This document describes the changes
  3. DONE - Staff presented the final version of the plan to the Transportation Committee on February 26, 2024. 
  4. DONE - Staff presented the final version of the plan to Planning Commission on March 15, 2024. Planning Commission recommended the plan for adoption to City Council.

Next steps

  1. Staff will present the final version of the Plan to City Council for adoption on April 17, 2024. This meeting will include a public hearing (see red box above). 
  2. Once the final updated plan is adopted, city planners and engineers will use the updated Bicycle Plan to make decisions about the design of streets in Saint Paul.

What are separated bikeways and paths? Why is Saint Paul considering them?

Separated bikeways and paths are spaces for people biking that are separated from car traffic by some sort of physical barrier. They can be designed just for people biking, or they can be designed to be shared by people walking and biking. Separated bikeways and paths can be for one way bike traffic or two way bike traffic.

There are many examples of separated bikeways and paths in Saint Paul shown in these photos – and residents and community members have asked for more of them. 

separated bike lane, Wheelock Parkway showing biker separated from traffic and sidewalk space
Sidepath along Como Avenue near Fairgrounds, removed from street
separated bike lane, 10th St downtown

Separated bikeways and paths:

  • Provide a comfortable space to bike for people of all ages and abilities
  • Allow for a narrower roadway, which encourages slower driving speeds and is easier to cross for people walking. By constructing the bikeway outside of the road, the street can be narrower.

Timeline

  • Summer 2021: Outreach to City departments, Council offices, District Councils
  • Fall 2021: Public outreach, events, virtual presentations
  • 2022: City staff review of 2021 feedback, draft updates to plan document and planned bike network
  • Spring and Summer 2023: Public outreach, events, presentation
  • Fall 2023: Staff reference spring and summer feedback, create final version of Bicycle Plan
  • We are here. Late 2023-early 2024: City Council plan adoption process - chance for public input and comment on final version of Bicycle Plan
  • 2024 and future: engineers and planners reference the Bicycle Plan when making decisions about design of streets in Saint Paul

*Timeline is subject to change

Project Materials

2015 (Current) Bicycle Plan

Following Spring 2023 engagement with the community, the updated Bicycle Plan will be brought to City Council for adoption as an addendum to the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan. The documents below will be replaced and retired.

Last Edited: April 18, 2024