TC sidewalks – On why making Washington Ave into a transit mall and running the Central Corridor LRT line at grade instead of through a tunnel is teh awesome. Key points: Like all the car traffic isn’t already dangerous; makes the strangely segregated, non-lively streets of campus a little less so (a problem I suspect most urban campuses have to some extent).

Reconnecting America – Twin Cities Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Toolkit “The TOD Toolkit is a collection of materials that can be used together to provide an overview of the central issues, definitions, and policy recommendations that encompass successful TOD from the regional to the neighborhood level. The TOD Toolkit includes such general resources as a map of proposed key transit corridors including light rail, commuter rail and express bus service; to a links to regional and national resources on TOD and detailed presentations focused on efforts to date in the Twin Cities to develop TOD projects.”

Star Tribune – Protesting at the RNC? Forms due March 3: St. Paul outlines its process for getting permits for demonstrations or large-group park space during the Republican National Convention. [City of St Paul's Rules Regarding Demonstration Permits] [Applications for RNC Permits]

Remember the MN GreenStar program? Here’s are examples of a house in Seward that went through the process and a house in CARAG that went through the process.

Those Crazy Minnesotans! – Minnesota pretty nice and pretty insular. It’s always interesting to watch a newbie grapple with the culture here (such as it is). See also: ‘Minnesota Nice’ catharsis.

Minnesota Monitor – RNC to conduct diversity training, improve intolerant image. “The Republican National Committee has commissioned polling and focus groups to determine the boundaries of attacking a minority or female candidate, according to people involved.”