As many are aware, the City of Minneapolis Public Works department recently installed four speed bumps on Russell Avenue and one speed bump on 34th Avenue. We’ve become aware of some questions and concerns regarding the project and wanted to take a moment to provide a timeline of Cleveland Neighborhood Association’s (CNA) involvement to help clarify our role. If you have any additional questions please feel free to contact us via email at cna@clevelandneighborhood.org or call the office at 612-588-1155.

Timeline

• May 1, 2013 – CNA staff received communication from Public Works regarding a Safe Routes to School project to install speed bumps on 34th Avenue between Russell and Penn adjacent to the school as a traffic calming measure based on interest from school staff and support from Barb Johnson.
• May 1, 2013– CNA Staff coordinated with Public Works to flyer and doorknock the nearby homes, host a Q & A session on 34th Avenue with residents on 34th Avenue and another during the regularly scheduled Crime and Safety meeting at CNA.
• May 2, 2013– CNA sent out its Crime and Safety Meeting notice via email which included information about the speed bump project as a topic and that this would be a chance to give feedback. The e-list is open to anyone and currently has about 100 subscribers.
• May 2, 2013– CNA staff doorknocked all homes within one block of 34th Avenue on Russell, Queen and Penn. and delivered fliers as well as provided information regarding the speed bumps, how to give feedback to Public Works and about its Q & A sessions.
• May 3, 2013– CNA uploaded a blog post about the speed bump feedback on the CNA website and the Cleveland Neighborhood Facebook group.
• May 6, 2013– Public Works staff stood out on 34th Avenue during the afternoon to answer resident questions and observe traffic. CNA staff doorknocked and fliered again all of the homes on Russell and Queen within one block of 34th Avenue.
• May 6, 2013– The Crime and Safety Committee is made up of Cleveland residents and all who attend are allowed to vote. The Committee discussed the speed bumps with Public Works staff, listened to feedback CNA staff collected from residents and voted in favor of the traffic calming measures around Lucy Laney with specific requests to consider fewer speed bumps on 34th and move some to 35th and Russell.
• May 20, 2013– The Cleveland Neighborhood Association board discussed the Crime and Safety Committee’s recommendation to draft a letter of support for the speed bumps and submit to the City. The recommendation was approved by the board.
• The letter of support was sent to Barb Johnson’s office regarding the traffic calming measures on 34th and recommendations to consider 35th and Russell as well.

CNA received no further information or communication regarding this project from Public Works until August 27th when residents notified CNA that they’d received a letter on August 25th regarding the pending installation of the speed bumps on Russell and 34th Avenue N. Sept 4 & 5, 2014 – Speed bumps were installed on Russell Ave (4 bumps) and 34th Avenue (1 bump). We are currently drafting a letter of concern to the City expressing our concern at the process, the lack of notification to residents and CNA and issues arising from the size and placement of the humps.  We will communicate once we receive a response from the City regarding this issue.

If you have any additional questions please contact us via email at cna@clevelandneighborhood.org or call the office at 612-588-1155.