Memory lapse: The tunnel under the bridge

Longtime Minneapolis bike commuters and roadies will be disturbed by this article. It seems that in planning and building the new I-35W automobile bridge, the whole idea of accomodating bicycles along River Road is a novel one -- an enlightened after thought.

The decision was made to guarantee the tunnel will be included in the bridge's design, although it will likely take years to actually install a bike path. The $1.2 million would not cover the cost of a bike path; rather it's how much the city is willing to pay for the design and creation of the tunnel...


That path would connect with Bridge 9, a bicycle and pedestrian bridge on the
University's campus, then go underneath the I-35W bridge into downtown...

"This is something that we wanted to benefit our residents," said [Ward 8 Councilwoman Elizabeth Glidden].

It's like no one remembers that this connection existed pre-collapse and was used by thousands for nearly a decade. In fact, your humble correspondent rode that particular bike path connection one hour before the bridge fell.

To put it mildly, I find it troubling that this looks like it'll be one of those after-the-fact, tear-up-brand-new-asphalt operations that takes place a few years down the road, so that cyclists will once again get the shaft.