Edina City Council — Transcript
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Wooddale Avenue Bike Lane Upgrades (CIP 2026)
Prospect Knowles Roadway Reconstruction Project (2026)
Antrim and 70th Street Intersection Bike Lane Connectivity
Commission Advocacy Strategy for Reconstruction Projects
Votes (3)
Community Comment: Wooddale Avenue Bike Lane Upgrades
Taylor Brushline presented a detailed case for commission review of the Wooddale Avenue bike lane upgrade project (CIP 2026, between 50th and Valley View). She documented the corridor's strategic importance: four schools within four blocks, four major parks within two blocks, commercial destinations, and connection to transit. She conducted traffic counts showing average of four vehicles per 11-block stretch and emphasized that current infrastructure does not feel safe for all ages and abilities despite high demand. She requested the commission formally review the project and be bold in design recommendations. Staff confirmed property owner engagement is underway and a public feedback page will open shortly.
Prospect Knowles Roadway Reconstruction Project (2026)
Dissent: Significant community opposition documented from Fleetwood Drive residents; no commissioner dissent recorded, but discussion focused on how to manage opposition at council hearing.
Senior Project Engineer Ben Jory presented the Prospect Knowles AC and D neighborhood reconstruction project. The project includes pavement reconstruction and strategic sidewalk additions on Shannon Drive, Cambridge, Fleetwood, and Lanham to implement the Pedestrian and Bicyclist Master Plan. A proposed sidewalk connection to Lewis Park was added beyond the master plan. Traffic data showed 332–754 vehicles per day on main entry points and 85th percentile speeds of 25.2–29 mph. Three crashes were documented, with one related to roadway conditions (icy road spin-off) and two to illegal driving behavior. Community feedback from an open house and survey (25% response rate) revealed significant opposition, primarily from Fleetwood Drive residents citing concerns about street narrowing, winter safety, cost, lack of safety analysis, and steep grades. Some support was documented via postcards and electronic questionnaires. Commissioners discussed strategies to support the project at the December 8th public hearing, including formal votes, advisory communications, and individual testimony emphasizing broader policy goals (Living Streets, Pedestrian and Bicyclist Master Plan, Climate Action Plan) and community quality-of-life survey data.
Antrim and 70th Street Intersection Bike Lane Connectivity Issue
A commissioner raised a long-standing concern about the abrupt termination of a bike lane at the northeast corner of Antrim and 70th Street near Valley View High School. The commissioner noted this represents a failure to implement connected infrastructure and creates a dangerous situation for students. Staff clarified that this intersection issue was previously reviewed by the Traffic Safety Committee, which recommended no action (approved by council). However, staff indicated the site is being considered as a potential demonstration area for a temporary bike lane extension using delineators, pending coordination with the major reconstruction project planned for the neighborhood to the south. A commissioner suggested exploring a mini-roundabout as a potential solution.
Notable Quotes (10)
It's incredibly well connected. So it has a real chance of replacing car trips for people, families, adults, kids all around... There's destinations here, and it can be a source for people to get places without a car. But that said, I was just on it 10 minutes ago, and it doesn't feel safe for me.
I've made a point to travel up and down this 20 times in the last month, and I've counted part cars. The most I've seen is 11 in that... 12 block stretch, and the least I've seen is zero, and the average is right around four cars in 11 blocks.
We're in the process right now of soliciting feedback from property owners along that corridor in addition to the general public. So I hope there will be a better, better together e-dina page open shortly to seek in feedback on that project.
We're proposing the sidewalks based off the master plan, the pedestrian and bicyclist master plan... We start with the living streets plan, the pet and bike master plan. The living streets provides the general guidance for street widths based on their classification.
The opposition consisted of the sidewalk is just too steep and they're pretty steep. And therefore, it's unsafe for winter. If it's only 24 feet wide, it's unsafe for vehicles because less of a margin of safety. It's unsafe for bicycles. There was no risk analysis or safety study done for adding the street or the sidewalk to the street.
I would like it if we think about ways that we can try to further the cause rather than getting ambushed at a city council meeting by 16... no more standing with signs... What can we do to sort of say let's go back to why it's in the pedestrian by master plan and why it's in [the broader policy framework]?
For the last probably at least the last couple of years of these public hearings for these projects we'd like to start the presentation with kind of some general overview of the rotary reconstruction program in general... We have the climate action plan now which also talks about encouraging multimodal and active transportation. So I'm planning to speak on those again at that public hearing which is December 8th.
I distinctly remember [from a previous project]... you had a big picture and the quality of life was part of that... 50,000 sampling of the 50,000 residents versus six property owners.
We're blocks away from the high school of bike lane coming up 70th. A abruptly end. Cars get to turn right 70th. It's full of students going to school and we cut off the bike rider just like we do in Valley View. Where there's bike lane disappears... it's an example of us not walking the talk.
This was an item that was brought to traffic safety. Kim was earlier this year or late last year. And it was reviewed by traffic safety committee, which recommended no action and council prove that recommendation. So right now we don't have any plans to make changes here. It is a site that I'm considering as a demonstration area, potentially for next year to do a kind of temporarily mark that bike lane extended with the linators out to the intersection.
Ordinances & Resolutions (6)
City plan approved by council in 2018 that identifies recommended pedestrian and bicycle facilities, including corridors through Prospect Knowles neighborhood and Wooddale Avenue.
Plan providing general guidance for street widths based on street classification.
City plan that encourages multimodal and active transportation.
Multi-year capital plan including Wooddale Avenue bike lane upgrades and Prospect Knowles roadway reconstruction projects.
Online engagement platform to be opened for public feedback on Wooddale Avenue bike lane project this fall through winter.
City program that initiates roadway reconstruction projects based on pavement condition assessment.