The Bright Side of High Gas Prices in America

Gas prices are (once again) climbing upward. And with it, President Obama’s approval ratings are sinking. Sure, forking out more than you’re used to isn’t fun, and for some families it adds serious strain to their financial stability.

But let’s zoom out and think about the big picture.

Just about everything is connected to the cost of energy—including public health and national security. Higher fuel prices can push us forward to innovate and live in healthier ways.

When people can’t afford to drive as much, we use our ingenuity to save. And saving gasoline helps with the climate crisis. It helps reduce our dependence on foreign oil from unstable countries. Biking and walking to where we need to go helps with our obesity epidemic. Ultimately, we get smarter about how we plan and build our cities.

Of course, these things don’t happen overnight. One burst of higher fuel prices won’t change our habits long term. But if $5 a gallon of gas becomes the new normal (and we can count on it), we need to change our ways.

Next time higher fuel prices frustrate you, remember we can deal with this in a smart and productive way that is ultimately better for future generations.

Week in Review

Mpls. Model Seniors Complex Offers Housing with Peace of Mind
By Randy Furst, Star Tribune
Excerpt from article: “The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority used to have to kick out senior residents when memory problems made them too difficult to manage. Now the agency has a home for them, in what executive director Cora McCorvey calls a unique complex that she hopes can become a model for the nation.” Read more. 

Closer Look at Plans for Pillsbury A Mill Site
By Star Tribune
Excerpt from article: “A Twin Cities-based developer is in the final stages of planning the $100 million conversion of the historic Pillsbury A Mill complex, which is expected to offer affordable housing for artists.” Read more.

New St. Croix Bridge Faces One More Hurdle: Oak Park Heights
By Kevin Giles, Star Tribune
Excerpt from article: “The push for a new St. Croix River bridge has arrived at the doorstep of little Oak Park Heights, a city of 4,700 residents now facing millions of dollars in construction costs and the decision whether to approve the project.” Read more. 

Filling in the Culture Cracks on Hennepin
By Kristin Tillotson, Star Tribune
Excerpt from article: “Hennepin Avenue is not only downtown's marquee artery, it's one of the oldest streets in Minneapolis. Layers of stories are piled up on every corner, under every sidewalk, from the down-and-dirty bar fights at the notorious 1970s dive Moby Dick's to the triumph of the world premiere of ‘The Lion King’ at the State Theatre, from the original vaudeville-era Gay Nineties to the current Gay 90's dance club.” Read more. 

Streetcars and the Funding Picture
By Transit for Livable Communities
From Dave Van Hattum, Senior Policy Advocate
Excerpt from article: “Streetcars could be returning to Minneapolis or Saint Paul in the not too distant future.  Both cities have studies underway to determine the feasibility of streetcars in several different corridors.  In Minneapolis, focus is on Nicollet Ave and Central Ave, with discussion as well about lines along the Midtown Greenway and in North Minneapolis, along Broadway. Specific corridors have not been identified in Saint Paul, but it is likely they would intersect with the Central Corridor LRT and/or be on corridors with very high bus ridership.” Read more. 
 
Tools to Help Cities and Towns Guide Green Development
By Kaid Benfield
Excerpt from article: “It’s one thing for advocates and pundits like yours truly to advocate the greening of cities, towns and suburbs through environmentally responsible revitalization and land development.  But it’s quite another for local governments to develop and implement policy instruments that can make that goal easier, rather than harder, to achieve.” Read more.

Book Recommendation: Pocket Neighborhoods

In Pocket Neighborhoods: Creating Small-Scale Community in Large-Scale World, Ross Chapin explores how to combat sprawl by smartly reorganizing neighborhoods. Through these pocket neighborhoods, a sense of community is fostered. The book uses the stories of people who live in pocket neighborhoods to describe why they work.

Learn more.

Week in Review

Next Stops for Vikings Stadium Deal: Capitol, Minneapolis City Hall

By Kevin Duchschere and Rachel E. Stassen-Berger, Star Tribune

Excerpt: “After weeks of intensive closed-door negotiations, Gov. Mark Dayton announced a Minnesota Vikings stadium deal Thursday that must still face its biggest hurdles -- a skeptical Legislature and a reluctant Minneapolis City Council.” Read more.

McCollum Says St. Croix Bridge Could Raise Taxes

By Kevin Diaz, Star Tribune

Excerpt: “With the U.S. House opening debate Wednesday evening on the St. Croix River crossing, Minnesota Democrat Betty McCollum made a stab at the sweet spot of the Republican backers of the proposed bridge: It could raise taxes.” Read more.

UNFORTUNATELY…

House OKs $690 Million St. Croix River Bridge

By Kevin Diaz and Kevin Giles, Star Tribune

Excerpt: “Decades of debate over the proposed St. Croix River crossing ended Thursday with a five-minute vote in the U.S. House, which approved the plan overwhelmingly and sent it to President Obama for his signature.” Read more.