What do you do with a small piece of inherited property where an abandoned gas station once stood?
Of course, you turn the land into a parklet and a multimodal transit hub.
Last week, officials in Fridley held a ribbon-cutting for the yet-to-be-named space on the northeast quadrant of the intersection of 61st and University avenues NE., just across the parking lot from the city’s Northstar commuter rail stop.
Over the summer, the city used a $700,000 federal Community Development Block Grant administered through Anoka County to transform the former Citgo station into a gathering place serving anybody traveling by car, train, bus, bike or on foot, said Scott Hickok, Fridley’s Community Development director.
The site features a grassy play area and benches with solar panels allowing those with cellphones and electronics to charge up as they sit. There are bike racks and bike lockers, and a do-it-yourself bike maintenance station. The amenity allows riders to mount their wheels on a pole, which has all the tools needed to pop off a tire and put in a new inner tube or make other minor repairs, Hickok said.
Many multimodal sites like those at busy transit stops and stations in Minneapolis offer options to rent bikes and scooters. That’s not yet offered in Fridley. Lime did ask about bringing its e-bikes and scooters to the north suburb this year. The parklet has space reserved should the company come back in 2025, Hickok said.
Metro Transit buses already stop at 61st and University, and in the future will likely be served by the F-Line, a bus rapid transit (BRT) line currently in planning stages. The parklet is ready to incorporate a BRT station, Hickok said.
“Fridley is working to improve the image as you travel along University Avenue,” Hickok said.
