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The Minneapolis City Council is finding ways to make your neighborhood streets safer and reduce risky driving. Wev’e heard loud and clear that this is a priority for residents. Council more than tripled the funding for traffic calming, so that 70-150 projects can be implemented in 2025.
The Traffic Calming team completed a standardized analysis of all the requests for traffic calming from across the city. Projects are being completed based on severity of need. The areas in Ward 2 getting traffic calming this year are:
- Delaware St SE & St Mary’s Ave SE
- 27th Ave SE between Hennepin Ave E and Weeks Ave SE
Learn about the 2025 projects and please give us your feedback through our upcoming open houses, online interactive feedback map and survey.
Neighborhood Traffic Calming
Ward 1 and Ward 2 Open House
Wednesday April 23rd 5-6:30pm
Northeast Recreation Center (1530 Johnson St NE)
Learn more about the traffic calming project and ways you can get involved on the City website.
Flyer for Traffic Calming projects in Wards 1 and 2. This will be mailed to every home near a project area.
Lighting work is beginning in Ward 2 to replace the street lighting system with failing direct bury wiring. This installation will replace foundations, poles, fixtures, and conduit with wires on certain street lights in the Como area. These will be replacements to or improvements of existing lights, not new lights.
No road closures or detours will be needed. Only short term no parking in the areas of active work. More information can be found on the project webpage.
Map of the area receiving street lighting replacements and improvements in 2025.
Dinkytown’s rich and vibrant history is a huge part of our community. How does Dinkytown’s history connect to our present and future? Come to Dinkytown Then and Now to explore the history of the area and student movement. Co-hosted by Preserve Historic Dinkytown, UMN Liberal Arts Engagement Hub, UMN Office for Public Engagement, and the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment.
Dinkytown Then and Now
April 16th from 5-7pm
Liberal Arts Engagement Hub (Pillsbury Hall, Rm 120)
Flyer for Dinkytown Then and Now Event
At a public listening session coming up April 17, a City advisory group will discuss the projects currently under review for the Minneapolis 2026-2031 Capital Improvement Plan. The committee invites public participation for a deeper understanding of community perspectives, to incorporate public input into their discussions with City departments, and to share information about the committee’s role in shaping the City’s long-range capital planning.
Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee
Regular Meeting, Public listening session
6 p.m. Thursday, April 17
Farview Recreation Center Multipurpose Room (110 621 29th Ave. N.)
The Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee is an advisory group for the City that provides recommendations for the its six-year Capital Improvement Plan through an annual report and project ratings system.
See the projects under review on the City website.
The 2025 Earth Day cleanup is April 19. Join friends, family and neighbors in the largest community service event in Minneapolis, with more than 40 sites across the city’s park system. Since the event began in 2008, more than 23,000 residents have removed more than 165,000 pounds of garbage.
Just drop in to volunteer. Choose a site and arrive at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 19. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will bring bags and gloves, and the City of Minneapolis will dispose of the trash you collect.
Read more on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board website.
Come to the Minneapolis Music Summit for a day of community-building, celebrating and imagining the future of Minneapolis music. Whether you’re a musician or a promoter, working in management, recording, venues, studios or policy, and whatever your genre, you’re invited. This event is free.
Connect to resources, give feedback on policy ideas, and be a part of the conversation.
Minneapolis Music Summit
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, May 10
Green Room, 2923 Girard Ave. S.
The Minneapolis Music Summit is a partnership of the City of Minneapolis and Minnesota Independent Venue Alliance.
Please RSVP, and watch the City website for updates.
The 2025 season for Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling collection of leaves, brush and other yard trimmings starts the week of April 7. Customers can set properly prepared yard waste at their alleys or curbs next to their garbage carts by 6 a.m. on their pickup day.
You can set yard waste out in a reusable container, compostable bags (paper or certified compostable plastic), or bundled with string or twine.
See how to prepare it on the City website.
Lime and Spin e-bikes and scooters are now available for rent for the 2025 season. To start your ride, download the operators’ app, (under the Lime and Spin websites) sign up and begin your rental.
This program makes it easier to leave your car at home and try walking, biking, rolling or taking transit more often.
Learn more about renting, riding and parking scooters.
Learn more about e-bike sharing for short trips around the city.
Read more about the bike and scooter sharing.
News of layoffs – federal workers, tech workers and others – have topped headlines recently. Unexpected job loss is tough for anyone, but there are resources to help. The Dislocated Worker program helps workers laid off through no fault of their own. This free program offers services including:
- Career planning and counseling
- Education and training support
- Help with your expenses around employment or training goals
Visit the City of Minneapolis' dislocated worker webpage or contact staff at CareerForce for help finding a new job.
I had the opportunity to speak at the University of Minnesota Journal of Law and Inequality Symposium. I presented to law school students and faculty members about the $15 minimum wage policy efforts I led alongside Uber and Lyft drivers last year, the broader landscape of worker protections, and how policymakers as well as current and future attorneys can better collaborate with one another to support worker-led struggles.
 Council Member Wonsley alongside University of Minnesota Law Symposium organizers.
Summary: Contracts for the 2025 Our Streets events were approved by the Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee and will go to Council for approval.
The City of Minneapolis has selected four organizations to host the street fairs for the 2025 Open Streets season, which is slated to kick off Aug. 2. Selected vendors will be considered for approval by the Minneapolis City Council in its next cycle.
The following routes, dates, and organizers have been selected through a request for proposals (RFP) process conducted earlier this year:
In 2024, the City co-hosted three successful Open Streets events, partnering with the Uptown Association on Lyndale Ave., the West Broadway Business Coalition on W. Broadway, and the Lyndale Neighborhood Association on Nicollet Ave, with an estimated 75,000 attendees across all three events.
For the 2025 season, the City will once again provide up to $50,000 for expenses along with in-kind City services valued at $65,000 for each event. This is far below the actual cost of an event, and the 2024 events ended up receiving increased funding from the City despite the Frey administration’s claims that $50,000 was the maximum they would consider allocating. I remain committed to using Council’s budgetary authority to preserve and expand Open Streets programming in ways that are equitable for residents, small business owners, and community organizations.
Key votes: The Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee voted to forward the contracts to the full Committee with recommendation. The full Council will vote on the contract on April 17.
Summary: The administration has proposed a contract with LSE Architects for the design services for a new “Democracy Center” at 3000 Minnehaha, the former Third Precinct.
Background: The Frey administration has proposed creating a “Democracy Center” at 3000 Minnehaha, the site of the former 3rd Precinct building that was destroyed during the civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department. There has been extensive discussion about the future of this site. Residents conducted community conversations about neighbors’ vision for the property, and called on the Frey administration to engage with them. I led the Council to allocate funding for this urgently needed community engagement. The report that was published in mid-2023 concluded that the top priority for neighbors was an authentic Truth and Reconciliation process by the City and meaningful police reform.
Despite having completed neither an authentic Truth and Reconciliation process nor meaningful police reform, Mayor Frey decided in 2024 that the city would convert the former 3rd Precinct into a voter services center and ballot warehouse. Residents and Council discussed this proposal and its implications. In October 2024, Council Member Chavez and I brought forward a resolution expressing Council support for the property to be used exclusively for community-centered development with the City retaining ownership of the building for the purpose of racial healing, but unfortunately this failed in a 6-7 vote. Council Member Chavez, Chowdhury and I proposed a Council position opposing the construction of a warehouse, encouraging increased community space, use of the space for racial reckoning with the history of the Third Precinct, and immediate remediation of the building which the Frey administration has neglected for years. This resolution passed 8-5.
This week, the administration proposed a contract for architectural services for the upcoming design process. The contract does not entail any particular layout or design, it just identifies which architectural firm will work with the city on creating the layout and design. The RFP process resulted in LSE Architects being recommended for the contract. LSE is the largest Black-owned architecture service in Minnesota.
Regardless of the architectural firm that is selected, I look forward to working with community and my colleagues to ensure that any future design and use of 3000 Minnehaha prioritizes racial reckoning and the needs of Black and working class residents, and is not used to erase nor sanitize the traumatic history of the former Third Precinct.
Summary: The Public Health and Safety Committee received a report and presentation about the impacts of delivery robots on workers, and heard comments from Minneapolis workers who are impacted by the pilot program for autonomous food delivery at the University of Minnesota.
In August of 2024, the City Council authorized the creation of a one-year pilot program for issuing permits to operators of Personal Delivery Devices. The University of Minnesota has implemented an autonomous food delivery technology pilot and there are currently food delivery robots rolling around campus.
Automation is a serious concern in many industries, particularly unregulated introduction of new technology. Given that these new food delivery robots are being piloted in Ward 2 and directly impact my constituents, I brought forward a staff direction requesting a report on the labor impacts of similar technologies that have been implemented across the country, and any available information on the impacts at the University so far. This week, the Public Health and Safety received a presentation in response to the direction. It provided a very helpful high-level overview of the national context as we consider our regulator options.
I also wanted to be sure to create an opportunity for members of the public to share their experiences with the pilot so far. I was glad that several currently impacted University of Minnesota Teamsters came forward to share their testimony about working with food delivery robots in Ward 2. Lived experience is a particularly valuable complement to the staff research and will help shape potential next steps taken by the committee.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to come testify. I look forward to further conversation on how we can ensure that any future food delivery technology is implemented for the benefit of residents and workers.
Key votes: No votes taken.
Council Member Wonsley with University of Minnesota workers impacted by the autonomous food delivery pilot program.
Summary: The Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) received the staff recommendation regarding historic designation of Glendale and held a public comment. The item will be continued to the next HPC meeting.
Background: Glendales Townhomes is home to 184 families and is a treasured part of the Prospect Park community. The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) operates Glendale, and has initiated a conversation about possible redevelopment over the coming years.
At the request of residents, I nominated Glendale for local historic designation last year, resulting in a unanimous vote by the Heritage Preservation Commission to place Glendale under interim protection until June 2025.
This week, City staff returned to the HPC and presented their recommendation that Glendale not receive local historic designation. The HPC then heard public testimony. The testimony included many Glendale residents who expressed a range of viewpoints on historic designation. You can watch the recording of the public testimony here and read the written testimony that was submitted here. The HPC did not have the opportunity to hear all the testimony and discuss the item before the end of the meeting, so they will continue the conversation at their next meeting on April 22nd at 4:30pm. At this meeting, they are anticipated to finish receiving testimony and take a vote on their recommendation to Council.
I have written a statement that is available in English, Somali and Oromo with my position regarding demolition of Glendale and historic designation of Glendale. I will be at the HPC meeting on April 22nd to reiterate these positions.
Key votes: No votes taken. The Heritage Preservation Commission will vote on their recommendation to Council on April 22nd.
Summary: Council Member Chavez and I are authoring an ordinance to expand the City’s Civil Rights protections and improve administration and enforcement. There will be a public hearing on April 23rd at 1:30pm.
Background: Council Member Chavez and I are authoring a comprehensive refresh of the City’s Civil Rights Ordinances. The amendments will add new protected classes, bolster enforcement, and streamline the administrative processes related to the Civil Rights Commission review panels and the appeals process.
This ordinance has been a joint initiative between Council Member Chavez, myself, and the leadership of the Civil Rights Department who work every day to ensure that residents’ rights are protected. My office has been working with the local Justice Equity Coalition on creating a new protected class for justice-impacted individuals (residents with histories in the criminal justice system or criminal records). There are also new proposed protected classes based on housing status and height and weight.
This week, the Public Health and Safety Committee scheduled a public hearing on the ordinance for the next committee meeting. Any resident may share their thoughts on the proposed amendments by speaking at the public hearing or emailing in written testimony.
Civil Rights Ordinance public hearing
In person: April 23rd at 1:30pm at the Public Service Center (250 S 4th St)
Submit written testimony: CouncilComment@minneapolismn.gov
Key votes: The Public Health and Safety Committee voted to schedule a public hearing on the Civil Rights ordinance for April 23rd at 1:30pm.
Summary: The Climate and Infrastructure Committee heard a report on the legislative directive I authored with many of my colleagues related to traffic calming.
Background: Residents have made it clear that traffic calming is a high priority. For the past several years, Mayor Frey has proposed very low levels of funding for traffic calming that leave too many residents living on unsafe streets. Council has consistently championed traffic calming, allocating millions of dollars to increase the number of neighborhoods that receive speed bumps, roundabouts, and medians. Council added $1.5 million to the 2025 Budget for traffic calming, which translates to 120 streets that will become safer this year.
During the discussions around this allocation, the Public Works Department noted that they would like to expand the systems and processes for implementing neighborhood traffic calming.
Council enthusiastically support the executive branch in improving their processes to deliver better outcomes for residents. Many of these changes are operational and do not require Council to approve them, meaning the Mayor or Public Works leadership could implement them unilaterally at any time. I led Council to approve a legislative directive creating a venue for Public Works to update Council and the public on how they are improving their programs. That report took place this week.
Public Works shared that they will be expanding their traffic safety treatment options for neighborhood streets, including focusing on projects along corridors. They are proposing piloting new strategies to improve Municipal State Aid (MSA) Streets, which are currently ineligible for city intervention. They also propose shifting neighborhood traffic calming funding from general operating dollars into capital funding, which allows for longer-term planning. All future programming will be designed and administered according to the Racial Equity Framework for Transportation.
Key votes: No votes taken.
Contact Ward 2
Visit: minneapolismn.gov/ward2
Email: ward2@minneapolismn.gov
Phone: 612-673-2202
We've moved while work is being done in City Hall. Our office is in:
Room 100, Public Service Center
250 South 4th St.
Get directions
For reasonable accommodations or alternative format please contact 311. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. TTY users call 612-263-6850. Para ayuda, llame al 311. Rau kev pab, hu 311. Hadii aad caawimaad u baahantahay, wac 311. |
