Aug. 24, 2018 (MINNEAPOLIS) Open Streets Franklin returns for the fifth year Sunday, Aug 26.

The event will be held on Franklin Avenue East from Portland Avenue to 27th Avenue South from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last year’s Open Streets Franklin attracted 5,500 people. The streets will be closed to motorized traffic. Signalized intersections will remain open.

Open Streets Minneapolis events give people an opportunity to enjoy city streets in a car-free environment and participate in fun family-friendly activities. Staff from Public Works will have a booth to share information and collect input on the City’s commitment to Vision Zero and the development of the 10-year Transportation Action Plan, which will update the city’s current Access Minneapolis plan. Visitors to the booth can take the Vision Zero pledge, share ideas on how to make our streets safer, and provide input on how they use transportation options in the city.

Other upcoming Open Streets Minneapolis events include West Broadway (Saturday, Sept. 15), Nicollet (Sunday, Sept. 23) and the University of Minnesota + Motley (Sunday, Sept. 30.)

The City of Minneapolis and Our Streets Minneapolis are also collaborating on a social media campaign called #WeWalkMpls to highlight the stories of residents of all ages and backgrounds who choose to walk for commuting and a primary way to get around the city. Our Streets Minneapolis will be collecting stories from walkers during Open Streets Franklin. Share your walking stories by using the hashtag #WeWalkMpls on social media.

Open Streets Franklin is a City of Minneapolis event, hosted by Our Streets Minneapolis and presented by the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. More than 101,000 people participated in Open Streets events in 2017. They are seeking route ideas for the 2019 Open Streets season. Organizations can also share their interest in being a local route host. Applications are due Sept. 21, 2018.

For more information on this year’s events, visit the Open Streets Minneapolis website at www.openstreetsmpls.org.