Minneapolis cyclists have a new tool for planning their routes. The city has released an updated interactive map of its bicycling network as part of a mid-year evaluation of its Transportation Action Plan, the city announced this week.
The map shows the full scope of the city’s bikeway system, including protected bikeways, bike boulevards and painted bike lanes throughout Minneapolis, and will be refreshed annually at the close of each construction season to reflect new projects. Residents can view the map by visiting the city’s bicycling homepage and selecting “View bicycling network map,” or by accessing it directly through the city’s interactive mapping platform.
The update lands at a moment when Minneapolis’s cycling infrastructure is drawing national attention. The city maintains 89 miles of trails, 36 miles of curb-protected bikeways and paths, and more than 140 miles of painted bike lanes, with those totals continuing to grow as new projects wrap up.
That investment has translated into recognition well beyond city limits. People for Bikes has ranked Minneapolis second on its annual list of the nation’s best large bicycling cities, while the League of American Bicyclists has designated Minneapolis a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community. The Copenhagenize Index has also rated Minneapolis among the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world, putting it in company with cycling capitals on other continents.
City officials point to that combination of trail mileage, protected infrastructure and outside validation as evidence that Minneapolis has built a genuine alternative to car-dependent commuting, not just a patchwork of painted lines. For a city that spends a third of the year under snow, the rankings are a reminder that winter biking culture here isn’t a novelty so much as an expectation.
The Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee continues to weigh in on biking improvements and safety issues citywide. Residents looking to stay current on bikeway expansions and related city news can sign up for the city’s bicycling email updates.
Anyone with questions about the map or the city’s bikeway planning can reach Alex Schieferdecker, the city’s pedestrian and bicycle coordinator, through Minneapolis Public Works.
