By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
In a busy meeting on Monday night, the Northfield City Council rejected a proposed concrete protected bike lane project for Prairie Street. The project was part of the larger feasibility report for road construction projects in 2026. The feasibility report is the last major point for design changes to be implemented.
After negative feedback from both the City Council at the May work session meeting and from the public in several neighborhood meetings. City staff presented a compromise Monday night to address some of the criticism. Sean Simonson is the Engineering Manager for the City:
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“Engineering would prefer to have the protected bikeway to follow the policy and provide the most protection that is possible. You know, the AAA, all ages and abilities. However, looking at this corridor with that curved area and the hill. With the sight lines and visibility being reduced at that area. It just feels like we should have something there, you know, for protection in that area.” – Sean Simonson, Engineering Manager for the City of Northfield at the 8/4/2025 City Council Meeting
The proposal would have only a protected bike lane along the curve of Prairie Street and the painted bike lanes for the rest of the street. The cost of this alternative would have been about $200,000 less overall.
Previous Stories:
August 4th, 2025: Construction Projects in 2026 Focus on Jefferson Parkway & Prairie Street; Debate About Bike Lanes Becomes The Main Focus
July 23rd, 2025: Council Weighs Bike Lane Options; Townhall Meeting Scheduled for July 29th
May 20th, 2025: Northfield City Council Meets Tonight, Discussion Includes: Approving the Comprehensive Plan & Road Projects in 2026
March 21, 2025: A Look At Northfield Road Construction Projects For 2026
Paint Vs. Concrete:
Several councilors raised the issue of inconsistency across the city with the different types of bike lanes, noting that there could be additional confusion at Prairie Street if the design changed throughout the road.
To address that problem, Councilor Kathleen Holmes proposed an amendment that would adopt the original plan with a concrete protected bike lane for the whole street:
“We won’t get to a consistent connected and complete network if we don’t maintain the practices that we have now and I would say beyond just it’s not just putting in the curb and creating things, connect connected and consistent, but there is a lot of education that we need to do still for drivers or bicyclists, regardless of of the outcome here.” – Kathleen Holmes, Northfield City Councilor, at the 8/4/2025 City Council Meeting
Picture credit: Logan Wells/KYMN News
Picture credit: Logan Wells/KYMN News
However, only Holmes and Councilor Jessica Peterson-White supported the original plan for bike lanes, with the council instead turning to an amendment proposed by Councilor Brad Ness that would remove all of the concrete protected bike lanes on Prairie Street and instead put down just paint:
“I think we are adding to the inconsistency because the collector streets are getting concrete. The other streets do not have concrete so if I’m biking down 8th Street It’s not ever going to have concrete. There is no room on that street. Paint is consistent.” – Brad Ness, Northfield City Councilor, at the 8/4/2025 City Council Meeting
Mayor Erica Zweifel also expressed concerns with the concrete bike lanes and shared her support instead for paint:
“The majority of bike and car crashes occur at those junctions, the driveways, the intersections, and we don’t, we can’t, protect bikers or walkers in those areas with concrete barriers, but the way that we can help protect them is with I believe simplicity and consistency, and that’s where I think the painted bike lanes come in.” – Erica Zweifel, Northfield Mayor, at the 8/4/2025 City Council Meeting
Ultimately, the vote was 5 to 2 to remove the concrete bike lanes from the plan entirely, with Mayor Zweifel and Councilors Beumer, Dahlen, Ness, and Sokup voting in favor of the amendment, and Councilors Holmes and Peterson-White voting against.
Afterwards, the council voted unanimously to approve the overall feasibility report and plan for the 2026 road projects. Will have linked the previous stories about road construction projects in 2026 on our website in today’s news.
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