Nearly 25 people contributed their ideas in response to the question, “What kinds of improvements do you think would create a more vibrant community and increase your quality of life?”

Transportation/Transit

• Can’t cross Hiawatha; need to be able to; Roosevelt students have a hard time getting to school
• Hiawatha crossing problems force us to take different routes; wait time is inconsistent; 46^th Street can be awful!
• If you invest on one side of Hiawatha and people can’t get there, the investment is wasted
• Pedestrian bridges across Hiawatha
• Overpass/underpass for trains
• Eliminate left turns into Walgreens and service station from 46^th Street to change traffic flow
• Minnehaha traffic has tripled with delays on Hiawatha
• Need parking for LRT users; where parking exists, make sure LRT riders use the lots rather than continuing to park in neighborhoods
• Better maintain area along LRT to be more attractive; cut weeds (including in tunnel south), repair signage; make area much more attractive and appealing
• Eliminate heavy rail south of 38^th Street
• Extend bike trail along heavy rail corridor; put in good lighting, green space, landscaping – this will reduce vandalism, vagrancy, ugliness
• Shift bikers to trails vs. streets for their safety
• Historical plaques to explain history of area, especially at LRT stops
• Why no station at Minnehaha Parkway? Perfect nexus and access to park; perhaps a shuttle into the park and other ways to draw attention to park such as a walking path, ramp, etc.

Community, Parks, Green Space

• 50^th Street station should be embellished as gateway to park and Veteran’s Home; encourage and facilitate access to both; make more special and highlight historic visiting opportunities
• Create walking/audio tours of entire LRT line; there were specifics around each station at the beginning, but don’t know that anymore
• Create more green spaces in corridor; passive, restful spaces; not all huge parks; quiet oases, also
• Create youth center to attract teens – rather than only to the Mall of America and downtown
• Foster system to take possession of abandoned properties; new development spruces up area
• Move the mills, including Cheerios
• More trees along corridor; trip on LRT is bleak; not enough green; not a good first impression!
• Improve lighting along entire corridor to make it less industrial-looking and safer; create sense of it being an upscale corridor as a gateway to downtown
• Improve views; for example, going north on LRT the view NW north of Lake is so depressing; is or was a scrap yard; could be a green space but need to ensure peoples’ security in area
• The sprucing up and decorative fending at Lake Street is really nice; attractive
• More green space vs. unused buildings
• Community murals on industrial buildings; spruce them up a bit
• Landscaping by filling stations
• Do more murals like decorations on wall by 25^th/26^th Streets; these decorations are attractive
• Clean up neighborhoods; too much dumping and trash; make more attractive and appealing
• Do something with space at 31^st and Lake; area by exit to Lake Street is basically a dump and should be used for something constructive like a park and ride; green it up vs. creating an invitation to a tent city; it’s also a large, unattended area for people to walk through to or from work or LRT
• Require setbacks with landscaping for all new construction

Retail, Commercial, Institutional

• Promote businesses along LRT for airport travelers and others
• Install fixed maps of LRT lines/routs and what’s accessible from various stops; this will attract travelers to visit shops in neighborhoods
• Promote people taking LRT out of downtown over lunch to come to restaurants in these neighborhoods; promote community highlights at different stations
• Encourage more small, local businesses to create energy and excitement – specialty shops
• Put government center mini-station along LRT
• Community building in corridor to host community/neighborhood gatherings
• Senior center
• Include health services for all ages with service or community center
• Create “curb appeal” vs. current blight, poorly maintained properties, or vacant homes
• Restaurants
• Focus development on area south of Midtown Greenway to 38^th on west side to attract LRT riders with shops, wifi, etc.
• Another library; bring back Bookmobile!

Safety/Security

• Security issues on and off LRT; robberies near 38^th and 54^th Street stations and on train
• Inadequate security at LRT stations: poor lighting, infrequent patrols; need more cameras
• Clean up graffiti along corridor
• Noise wall creates physical and psychological barrier; cuts you off; feels like a ghetto; need to be able to access and get across

Housing

• Build assisted living residences in area

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