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Duluth Chosen for Copenhagen Study Tour of Best Practices for Mobility and Livability

[Duluth, MN] – The City of Duluth has been chosen to participate in this October’s 8-80 Cities and Knight Foundation one-week intensive study tour of Copenhagen to learn how innovative approaches to city building can enrich a safe, healthy, inclusive, and livable community for its residents.

Copenhagen is world renowned for its transformation and implementation of the ultimate mobility trifecta—walking, biking, and transit. Copenhagen has radically transformed its transportation system by focusing on the modest bicycle, and has complemented that system with an efficient and accessible network of pedestrian-friendly streets, public spaces, and effective public transportation.

The Duluth team will visit, learn, exchange ideas, and return with physical infrastructure ideas for Duluth’s transportation system and ways to achieve a higher level of mobility and livability for all residents. Participants in the intensive one-week study tour range from mayors, to commissioners, to foundation presidents, to community leaders, all who have the will and capacity to catalyze major changes in their cities. Duluth’s team includes Duluth City Councilor Elissa Hansen and David Montgomery, the City’s Chief Administrative Officer.

“This is an sensational opportunity for us as we look toward the future of our transportation systems and the elements that promote health, fairness, equity, and better mobility for people of all ages. I look forward to sharing what I learn with our Councilors and the community,” said City Councilor Elissa Hansen.

Duluth was chosen due to its team’s ambition and what they sought to accomplish in their community and the community’s capacity and commitment to execute plans and to build on current projects and past success. A few of Duluth’s noted innovative ideas and transit amenities in development include the:

• St. Louis River Corridor,
• Cross City Trail,
• Superior Street Reconstruction,
• Development of Transportation Policies, with street typology and pedestrian focus,
• Parklets and other accessible outdoors spaces, and the
• Comprehensive Land Use Plan, with transportation/public infrastructure focus including complete streets, multi-modal systems, and phasing of future public infrastructure.

“Over the past several years, Duluth has taken a positive turn in encompassing all user needs when planning and designing our transit system. When we can learn from others who have faced the same challenges, we can inspire positive change for Duluth’s future. Our Comprehensive Planning process comes at an opportune time with this study tour and forces us to think more broadly than just bikes versus cars and more about the synergy of it all,” said Chief Administrative Officer David Montgomery.

The team’s charge following the visit is to brainstorm policy formation and transportation infrastructure that leads to actionable, constructible developments for a more mobile and liveable community.

Media with questions can contact Councilor Elissa Hansen at (218) 590 – 5133 or CAO, David Montgomery at (218) 730-5370.

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