A small group of determined folks who live on or near Stinson Blvd. want motorists to slow down, especially on the stretch from 18th Avenue NE to Lowry Avenue. On April 22, they met in the rain with Second Precinct Inspector Todd Loining, Crime Prevention Specialist Rashid Ali, Lt. R.J. Skoro, Council Member Kevin Reich, and Park Board Commissioner Chris Meyer to place warning signs and talk about traffic safety.
Dan Miller, who organized the group, said he became aware of speeders while he was home recovering from hip surgery. “During rush hour, it can get really bad. I don’t know if people don’t realize the speed limit is 25 on the parkway, or if they just ignore it,” he said. “Pedestrians are invisible. When I was in the intersection with my walker, people would speed up to get through the light on Lowry.”
“MTC bus drivers are really bad,” chimed in Mark Laulainen. “They just fly through here. They rattle my house.”
Ali asked if families with children live along the street, and neighbors told him many young families had moved in. “There are always people walking by with kids or dogs,” one said.
Miller said there are several choke points on the boulevard, especially at intersections, where sidewalk bump-outs were installed. Loining said he often rides his bike down the street, and he sometimes feels crowded by motorists.
Miller said when a speed wagon was set up last summer, he noted a number of motorists cruising by at 28 to 35 mph. Loining said speed wagons are a temporary fix. “But it’s not just on Stinson,” he said. “We can put a speed wagon on Stinson and speeds will pick up on Johnson or Central.”
On May 10, 2017, the City of Minneapolis counted 9,068 vehicles on Stinson Parkway between 23rd Avenue and Lowry over a 24-hour period:
• 7,612 vehicles were counted between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• The number of vehicles hit peak volume between 4-5 p.m. (880)
Vehicle speeds ranged from 24 mph to more than 50 mph:
• 3,846 vehicles – 24 to 28 mph
• 3,670 vehicles – 29 to 33 mph
• 679 vehicles – 34 to 38 mph
• 61 vehicles – 39 to 54+ mph
Since 1997, there has been a great deal of development in the area. The Quarry shopping center was built that year, followed by Rose Court Carriage Homes and Stinson Marketplace in Minneapolis. In St. Anthony, Silver Lake Village and the Legacy came on board in 2012. Had the redevelopment of the Lowry Grove mobile park succeeded, use of the roadway would have increased.
Stinson is part of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, a federally-designated national byway. Its upkeep belongs to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. It’s also become a major commuter route for persons accessing I-35W, and Minnesota highways 36 and 280; the Mid-City Industrial area; the University of Minnesota and the Quarry Shopping Center. Metro Transit Routes 25 and 118 travel on Stinson Parkway between Lowry and 18th Avenue NE. It has a 25 mph speed limit, and large trucks are restricted from driving on it.
Skoro urged residents to contact MPD when they see violators. He said, “Communication helps us so much. 311 does work. When you call, we get the message.”
Miller said, “We just want to educate people and get them to slow down.”
Below: Chris Meyer, Mark Laulainen, and Carol Weiler want drivers to remember the speed limit on Stinson Blvd. (Photo provided by Dan Miller)