Move Minneapolis offers consulting service for those going multimodal

Move Minneapolis knows the car is still king for many, but the nonprofit transportation management organization is piloting one-on-one conversations to make it easier and less threatening for people considering going multi-modal who don’t know where to start.

Called Customized Consultations, the 15-minute virtual or phone sessions are designed to help the uninitiated become comfortable with making sustainable trips by taking the bus, carpool, bike, scooter — or hoofing it.

“We don’t imply that nobody should ever use a car to get anywhere,” said outreach specialist Catherine Windyk. “Sometimes they need to drive, and alone. We want people to know their options and what would work best for them.”

The free service is available to anyone who lives or works in downtown Minneapolis. It also can be used by people in the suburbs who need to come downtown for appointments, want to take in a show, see the Timberwolves or for any other reason. There has to be a connection to downtown, Windyk said.

In the webinar “How to Plan a Multimodal Trip in the Twin Cities” Move Minneapolis held last week, Windyk, with help from four panelists who get around mostly without a car, highlighted several tools for multimodal trip planning.

Among them is Google Maps. Many use the app for driving directions, but it’s loaded with features for transit users to plan trips by bus or train. Cyclists can compare suggested routes and avoid things like hills or click on the “layer” tab to find bike lanes, trails or bicycle-friendly streets.

Windyk drew attention to the Metro Transit website, the popular Transit app and the lesser-known Pointz app for bicyclists.

“We live in a top-10 biking city, but people don’t know where to go,” Windyk said.

The phone and virtual consultations can go further into the specific needs of potential transit users, Windyk said, and help address questions about costs and schedules, she said.

“There are choices, and it does not have to be one or the other,” Windyk said. “Be excited to try things, and find joy in the commute. It does not have to be a boring thing to ruin the day.”

In the coming months, Move Minneapolis plans additional webinars and will share its message during events such as Bike Week in May, Carfree MSP in September and during this fall’s Minneapolis Transportation Summit.

Blue Line extension meetings

Wonder what’s happening with the planned Blue Line extension from downtown Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park?

Project staff will host an online question-and-answer on route and station design, schedule and anti-displacement efforts at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 28. An in-person meeting will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 7 at the Crystal Community Center, 4800 N. Douglas Drive.