Walking

Hennepin County recognizes that walking and pedestrian infrastructure provide numerous benefits to residents and communities. Walkable communities have a high quality of life, improve personal and environmental health, and promote strong and connected communities and economies.

Every person is a pedestrian at some point in their day, although the role of walking in the daily lives of county residents varies widely.

For some residents, their walk is a short stroll from their parking space to their office building. Others walk one mile or more from their home to school or work. Some use a wheelchair to travel from their home to their bus stop. Others walk to exercise, socialize, and experience their neighborhood or park.

Despite the diversity of pedestrians and the purpose of their trips, people share a common desire for a safe, comfortable, and convenient pedestrian experience.

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Pedestrian plan

The county created its first official pedestrian plan in 2013. The goal is to increase walking and pedestrian safety throughout the county’s roadway system by creating a plan that will include strategies to support walking through infrastructure, facilities, enforcement, education and evaluation.

The pedestrian plan will ultimately become part of the overall 2030 transportation systems plan, as well as complement the county’s Complete Streets policy. Creation of the plan was funded by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Community Transformation grant and the Statewide Health Improvement Program.

ADA transition plan

The county has developed a plan to make highways and roads more accessible, as outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The plan specifically addresses county policies and programs that relate to ADA. The goal of this project is to eliminate all barriers (including utility poles, fire hydrants and signs) within the sidewalk and make it easier for everyone to cross at intersections and crosswalks.

During the process of creating the plan, the county reviewed inventory, took input from the public and evaluated problematic areas. Next, the county will prioritize and schedule maintenance to be completed as soon as possible.

For more information, visit the ADA sidewalk accessibility plan webpage.

Pedestrian reports and statistics

Pedestrian count report

These short term counts rely on volunteers collecting data over a two hour window, from 4–6 p.m. during the second week of September.

2016 Pedestrian count report (PDF)

2017 Pedestrian count report (PDF)

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