Culture
A Minneapolis Suburb Bans Car Businesses to Spark Walkability
The “emergency” moratorium will give planners a chance to design a more pedestrian-friendly place.
If you cruise the six-lane Central Avenue in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, via Google Street View, you’ll soon find the Minneapolis suburb has been invaded by auto businesses.
Start at the intersection of 42nd Avenue NE. There you’ll find Central Auto Repair. If that doesn’t do it for you, head north a block until you reach O’Reilly Auto Parts (it’s the one right next to the Holiday gas station). Things get real at 44th, where Precision Tune Auto Care gives way to Midas, which gives way to the creatively named Car Wash, which leads to CarX Auto Service, then Auto Max, then the Atlas Body Shop, then Advance Auto Parts, then mercifully a McDonald’s.