Minneapolis Infrastructure and Public Utilities

Transportation

Half of the resident population of Minneapolis work in the city, so they either live within or in the suburbs around. Most residents drive cars, but 60% of the 160,000 people working downtown commute by means other than a single person per auto. The Metropolitan Council‘s Metro Transit, which operates the light rail system and most of the city’s buses, provides free travel vouchers through the Guaranteed Ride Home program to allay fears that commuters might otherwise be occasionally stranded if, for example, they work late hours. Many passengers also prefer light traveling by bicycle through the intricate design of alleyways and parks. The Minneapolis Skyway System, seven miles of enclosed pedestrian bridges called skyways, link eighty city blocks downtown. Second- floor restaurants and retailers connected to these passageways are open on weekdays. Further facts about Minneapolis, MN can be found here.

Health and Utilities

Minneapolis is home to seven major hospitals in the United States. These hospitals include the Abbott Northwestern Hospital,  Children’s Hospitals, and Clinics, Hennepin County Medical Center, the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis VA Medical Center, Shriners Hospitals for Children and Allina’s Phillips Eye Institute. Utility providers are regulated monopolies: Xcel Energy supplies electricity, CenterPoint Energy supplies gas, CenturyLink provides landline telephone service, and Comcast provides cable service. The city treats and distributes the water and requires payment of a monthly substantial waste fee for trash removal, recycling, and drop off for large items. Residents who recycle receive a credit. Hazardous waste is handled by Hennepin County drop off sites. Information about The Parks of Minneapolis, Minnesota can be found here.