Supporters excited for Mpls. public works chief appointee

Advocates for walking, bicycling and transit placed high hopes Tuesday in Minneapolis' incoming public works director, Robin Hutcheson, who cleared her first hurdle toward confirmation.

Mayor Betsy Hodges last month tapped Hutcheson, now director of transportation in Salt Lake City, to oversee the city's largest department and its vast array of services — from trash collection to transportation and water purification. With a background in transportation planning, she would be the first non-engineer to serve in the role.

Hutcheson received unanimous support from the city's transportation and public works committee Tuesday, teeing up a likely final vote by the full City Council next week.

The selection of a transportation planner signals the city's keen interest in reshaping its streets around walking, biking and transit — steering away from prioritizing single-occupancy cars. The city recently committed to spending an additional $22 million per year for 20 years in street repair and reconstruction, posing myriad questions about how they will be designed.

"I have realized the power that cities have to make people's lives better," Hutcheson told the committee. "It's no secret and I know that you are all aware that around the country cities are being rejuvenated into places of culture and commerce and prosperity. And Minneapolis is certainly no different.

"There's evidence all around of the growth and the evolution of the city. And underlying all of that, all of that evolution, at its core, is the work of the public works department."

Minneapolis' public works department is also somewhat unusual among major cities for overseeing such a wide spectrum of activities, said the mayor's policy chief, Peter Wagenius. That range previously attracted many state-level department of transportation officials to apply for the director position, he said, despite the city's interest in choosing someone well-versed in cities.

Nick Mason, a representative of the city's bicycle advisory committee, highlighted Hutcheson's work in Salt Lake City launching a low-cost transit pass, growing the area's transit system and creating an intersection specifically designed to protect bicyclists — a common sight in the Netherlands.

"These examples and her extensive portfolio portray a savvy administrator," he said. "Most importantly, though, she has a vision for building a community that recognizes that all people have a right to accessible transportation, regardless of their age, ability or affluence."

Other supporters who testified Tuesday hailed from the city's pedestrian advisory committee, the Sierra Club, the Prospect Park Neighborhood Association and the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability.

Council Member Lisa Bender said she was buoyed by Hutcheson's response during interviews to a question about alleviating racial inequities.

"Her answer to that question was that we have to redefine success in transportation spending," Bender said. "That if we only put money where there's congestion, that we will continue to invest in parts of the city that have already been invested in for decades."

Hutcheson said the city could tackle inequities by focusing more on ensuring that everyone has access, no matter where they live or how they travel, Bender said.

If confirmed, it's not yet clear when Hutcheson will begin the job — though Wagenius said it would not be in July. The previous public works director, Steve Kotke, retired in June.

Eric Roper • 612-673-1732

Twitter: @StribRoper