Stop the Lynnhurst Plan! No New Traffic at 51st & James Ave.

Keep the parkway open end to end.

The proposed closing of the lower parkway road at Nicollet will cause many of the same issues as noted with the Lynnhurst road closure concerns. It will create many safety concerns with rerouting the traffic up and over Nicollet a very busy congested road down the narrow east Minnehaha parkway road not designed to handle the projected 1500 cars per day up from 500 per day currently. There are children, families, bikers and pedestrians that cross our streets all will be at risk with cars unable to see them due to the design of the current road. There is absolutely not a need nor has anyone provided us with statistics demonstrating a request or a real need to add a playground under the Nicollet bridge with a parking lot, toilet facilities congested with swings, a boat launch cluttered further with a bike rack and climbing wall with interactive art and lighting. This is a very small area and detracts from the small natural nature resource that currently exists in the heart of our city. Why is the park board creating more problems and more playgrounds not wanted by any of us! We want nature, trees pollinators, birds and wildlife not concrete and toilets! The park board doesn’t seem to be able to keep up with the maintenance now with our parks and facilities why do we need to add more playgrounds when there are so many within a mile of each other in this area?

I am against this proposed change to the parkway!

This plan makes it more dangerous for bikers and pedestrians crossing 50th at the parkway as more cars traveling south from the lake will be making a right turn directly into the bike lane/cross walk.

Leave it as it is!!!!!

We love our Parkway! It's what makes this part of our city beautiful and unique. PLEASE, PLEASE do not change it!

This seems like a MPRB attempt to bypass HC on road maintenance. All that's needed are left turn lanes on the parkway to alleviate the traffic backup

Stop ruining Minneapolis!

This is a colossal waste of time and energy on a question no one ever asked.

For all the reasons articulated by others this change should not be done. I have crossed 50th St and the Parkway since I was 7 year old on foot and bike and that encompasses many, many decades. I am still here and never had a problem. 51st Street is not meant for that level of traffic.

This plan 1) creates a dangerous pedestrian traffic pattern on James around Burroughs Elementary School. 2) Decimates the value of the Ground Rounds bikeway and parkway by chopping it up 3) Discriminates against those who want to enjoy the parkway by car and those who are unable to enjoy it on foot or bike 4) Since the plan calls for removing the current Lynnhurst Community Center, the intersection of the Parkway at 50th can easily be reconfigured to flow more smoothly for both 4- and 2-wheeled vehicles without closure. 5) The Parkway at this intersection is a main traffic artery for local traffic. 6) Closing it would send traffic into the neighborhoods on both sides of 50th and create danger to pedestrians as drivers unfamiliar with the area distractedly attempt to find their way from the Parkway to Lake Harriet 7) Will create even more traffic by attempting to become a "destination". 8) Benefits the School Board's Burroughs School at the expense of the Park Board Community Center by moving the Community Center across a busy throughfare (50th) and away from the consolidated parkland. e.g. Park Board taxes should not go to benefit a different taxing entity. 9) Who is representing the neighborhood on this plan and have they been vetted for conflict of interest? 10) Has the Park Board looked at the water quality in the Chain of Lake recently? I'd rather tax dollars go there 10) involvement of the Minnehaha Watershed District should first consider the extensive erosion along the creek between the Parkway at 50th and Lynndale. I strongly urge the Park Board to vote NO on this plan. While it can create a starting point, more discussion and expertise in traffic pattrns, safety, spending, taxes, use, and disabilities is necessary.

Leave the parkway alone! This plan is insane. As someone who lives just blocks away, this plan creates a nightmare traffic scenario.

I am a Lynnhurst resident. I have and continue to support the Minneapolis park system. Our children have played park board sports and we have coached soccer, baseball, softball and basketball teams. I also live on James Ave and it is already a busy pass through as surrounding streets don’t cross the creek. I am very concerned about a plan that will close another through street and create a additional traffic on a residential street with many children. There are very busy public spaces - a large school and extremely busy congregation at James and 50th that bring a lot of traffic flow to the area. There are safety concerns with children crossing streets to get to the school, the church and the recreation areas. Of particular concern is the intersection of 51 st and James Where there is limited visibility for crossing pedestrians exacerbated by vehicles which drive too fast through the area. I have had some close calls in that area and am very concerned that additional traffic along with significant pedestrian traffic, majority of which are children, is a dangerous scenario. I am curious to know if the traffic study was done while school was in session. Did the traffic study consider the safety of school traffic and increased pedestrian crossings at a very busy intersection during the school year? I also am not convinced that the proposed changes to the recreational space are considering the needs of the residents that use it. I am not opposed to change. I just want to make sure the changes are carefully planned to align with the needs of the neighborhood as well as the park boards vision. Please listen to the voices of residents who live in the neighborhood, patronize the park and have a vested interest this very important public space.

This is crazy!! Who wants to close the intersection anyway?

Stop the Lynnhurst plan!

Leave the existing northbound W. Minnehaha Parkway south of Minnehaha creek “as-is” from W.51st St to W. 50th St.

This makes no sense and would endanger the lives of hundreds of school kids and church goers. Burroughs buses park on one side of this street 5 days a week. Please let the Parkway be - it's worked fine for years.

Hands off Minnehaha Parkway - it is a gem and the people who live around here love it.

I and my family have run, walked and biked miles of the parkway for over 30 years. Don't fix something that isn't broken. What does need attention is keeping the grass cut, the gardens maintained, the pavement repaired and the trees trimmed.

I love our Park Board, but w/r/t the Parkway: this is a(nother bad) solution in search of a problem! Just leave the Parkway alone - it's a treasure as is!