Progress for People Biking, Walking, and Rolling on Johnson Parkway

Saint Paul is on its way to making bicycling, walking, and rolling safer and easier for residents of all ages and abilities. The city took another exciting step toward realizing that vision this fall, when the city council approved significant improvements to Johnson Parkway. The project on the city’s East Side includes a new off-street biking and walking trail along Johnson Parkway from Burns Avenue to Phalen Boulevard. It also involves closing seven intersections to vehicle traffic at Reaney Avenue, 5th Street E, Fremont Avenue, English Street, Conway Street, Euclid Street and Wakefield Avenue.

The closures will reduce the number of places where adults and kids walking, rolling, or biking along the trail could get hurt or killed by crossing cars. We are thrilled to see people-focused infrastructure prioritized in this way.

The Johnson Parkway trail is a main section of the Saint Paul Grand Round and its East Side connector. Test closures in late 2018 gave the city an opportunity to study how the proposed project would impact people driving, walking, and biking before making any long-lasting changes. The recent decision to make these Johnson Parkway closures permanent will lead to a more complete, more inclusive Saint Paul Grand Round for all to use and enjoy!

The city council vote on October 16 was unanimous. The Johnson Parkway project also had the support of Move Minnesota and the Saint Paul Bicycle Coalition, among other local residents and advocates. Thanks to all Saint Paul City Council Members for voting YES and to every community member who got involved to move this project forward in the past year!