2021-2022 Bicycle Plan Update

The City is updating the Bicycle Plan! The current plan (linked here and below) was adopted by the City Council in March 2015 after several years of public engagement. While the current plan is still used by the City and its partners to expand the bike network, it could use a refresh.

This update will focus on two major objectives:

1) Update the planned network to include more separated bike lanes and paths

  • National and state guidance recommends spaces to bike that are more separated from car traffic.

  • The City has heard from the community that to get more people biking, there needs to be a connected network of separated bike lanes and paths.

2) Identify where and how the City should prioritize resources to expand the bike network and get more people riding bikes

  • The current plan prioritizes 1) creating a network of comfortable bike facilities in downtown and 2) completing the Grand Round, a network of bike facilities connecting our beautiful parks. The City has made major progress since 2015, and as we continue to work towards completing these goals, we want to think about what’s next.

What are separated bike lanes and paths? Why is Saint Paul considering 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 bike lanes 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 bike lanes and paths can be for one way bike traffic or two way bike traffic.

There are many examples of separated bike lanes and paths in Saint Paul shown in the photos above – and residents and community members have asked for more of them! Separated bike lanes 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

image showing the planning process timeline with engagement opportunities Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, with plan adoption scheduled summer 2022

 

Project Updates 

December 2021

The first round of engagement for the Bicycle Plan Update has concluded. City staff met with and presented to nearly 30 city and community groups. Almost 1,700 individuals completed the survey, which closed on November 5, 2021. Thanks for taking the survey and encouraging others to as well.

Staff are working to review all the survey responses. During the winter, staff will be incorporating the feedback into potential updates to the Bicycle Plan. Staff will also be analyzing street characteristics to determine the potential for future separated bicycle facilities.

In Spring 2022, staff will begin the second round of engagement. This engagement will include sharing what we heard and how it will be incorporated into the Bicycle Plan Update. We hope to bring the updated plan to the City Council for adoption in Summer 2022. Continue to visit stpaul.gov/bikeplan for updates.

Ways to Engage 

This section will be updated as more engagement activities become scheduled. Please check back! See below for some ideas:

  • Keep an eye on this webpage - it will be updated 
  • Sign up for project update emails (see bottom of page)
  • Contact project staff (information at bottom of page)

In person opportunities 

  • Thanks for coming! - Saturday September 25, 2021, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Marydale Festival
  • Thanks for coming! - September 12, 2021, 7:30 am Saint Paul Classic Bike Tour.
  • Thanks for coming! - August 12, 2021, 5 pm - 7 pm, Conway Recreation Center, 2090 Conway St

Virtual opportunities

  • If you are interested in a virtual presentation to your organization or group, please email jimmy.shoemaker@ci.stpaul.mn.us
  • Thanks for joining! - September 15, 2021, 6:00 pm - Virtual Presentation

 

Project Documents

2015 (Current) Bicycle Plan

The current Saint Paul Bicycle Plan (SPBP) is an addendum to the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan. It was adopted by City Council on March 18, 2015, and has subsequently been updated twice, most recently on 7/19/2017.

The SPBP guides the development of a safe, effective, and well-connected network of bicycle facilities (bike lanes, shared use paths, bike boulevards) to encourage and bicycle transportation. The primary objective of the SPBP is to identify streets in Saint Paul for the future construction of bikeways. The vision established in the SPBP will more than double the mileage of bicycle facilities throughout Saint Paul over the next several decades. 

Last Edited: December 16, 2021