This is the Rethinking I-94 Phase 1 Report completed by MnDOT.

Hello, Rondo Neighborhood!

I’m sure many of you in the Rondo area already know of me. You may know me best as “that one guy who rides his bike everywhere.” I’ve been a Rondo resident for just about 15 years, most of my life at this point. In years before, I’ve done classes at Augsburg University and completed a Right Track summer internship at the Union Park District Council. I’ve played, explored, and lived in this neighborhood for well over a decade, and now I work in service of it as the new Community Organizer at Summit-University Planning Council! I’ve gotten settled into my role, and you’ll be seeing much more of me than you all did before.

There’s so much to love about Rondo. We’ve got the library on University and Dale, the lovely gardens managed by the members of our community, and of course, no shortage of amazing restaurants. But for this beautiful neighborhood to prosper, we need our residents to stay well-informed, and that’s where I come in. I’ll do my best to serve this community, not just as an employee of this District Council, but as a fellow resident.
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The City of Saint Paul is partnering with Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy and Second Chance Recycling to offer mattress and box spring recycling collection to residents. Saint Paul residents and property managers can now request a curbside pick-up of mattresses, box springs, or metal bed frames at no additional cost.  There are two ways to schedule a mattress recycling pick-up, depending on what type of property you live in.

Residents and owners of single-family homes or properties with 4 or fewer residential units, can schedule mattress pick-ups directly with Second Chance Recycling at https://www.secondchancerecyclingmn.com/curbside-collection-program/.

Multi-unit property owners or managers can connect with Minnesota Waste Wise to schedule free mattress recycling collections for the property. For more information, visit Apartment Mattress Recycling - Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy (recyclingandenergy.org) or contact Waste Wise at [email protected] or 651-292-3931. 
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For more information about the mattress recycling collection program, please visit stpaul.gov/mattressrecycling.

A sobering reality our community faces is the impact of firearm-related incidents, particularly those arising from unsafe storage practices. When guns are not securely stored many dangers arise: accidental harm from a child “playing” with a loaded weapon; the ease of access for a person struggling with mental illness; and the risk of the weapon being stolen and used for criminal purposes. These are not just threats, but reality in Minnesota. In October, a four-year-old in Martin County wounded his younger sibling after finding an unsecured gun in the seat of a car. Each year approximately 351 people in Minnesota die by firearm suicide, with the availability and effectiveness of firearms increasing the risk of a fatal outcome. Equally concerning is the alarming rate at which guns are stolen from vehicles. The FBI reports that approximately one gun is stolen from a car every 15 minutes on average in cities across the country. In the first two quarters of 2022, the St. Paul Police Department identified that 52% of stolen guns recovered from crimes were stolen from motor vehicles. 

Since May 2023, it is also the law in St. Paul that guns must be securely stored following the amendment of Chapter 225 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code. Secure storage measures, such as gun safes and gun locks, can play a crucial role in preventing unauthorized access to firearms and ensuring compliance with the city ordinance. By practicing and encouraging responsible storage and fostering a culture of awareness within our community, we can collectively contribute to reducing the incidence of firearm-related tragedies and make our homes and streets safer for everyone. To receive a free gun lock or more information on this issue, please email [email protected]. Secure firearm storage saves lives. 

Did you know that the framework for Minnesota’s Capitol Mall is being updated? The Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board (CAAPB), with the help of Minnesotans, Saint Paul communities, and local agencies, is creating a plan to better connect, preserve, activate, and grow the Minnesota Capitol Mall.

Plans are underway, and the team would like your input. You can participate in two ways:
● Take an online survey. The survey will be open from March 8-31.
● Attend a statewide virtual public presentation on Thursday, March 14 starting at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.

This meeting is for everyone in the state. The whole family can attend!

Please visit the project website at https://mncapitolmall.engage.sasaki.com/ to:
● Take the survey
● Access the public meeting on Thursday, March 14
● Learn more about the Capitol Mall Design Framework
● Sign up for email updates about the development of the plan

​The Capitol Mall belongs to all Minnesotans. Everyone should feel welcome here. Please share your input on the future of Minnesota’s Capitol Mall so that is a reflection of the many people it serves.

By Dewell Robinson

​As a member of the Summit-University Planning Council who also lives in the
community, I often talk with my fellow Rondo residents about local issues. It should be to no
surprise, then, that when conversations about improvements begin, the first issue mentioned is almost always about the state of our Light Rail, and how unsafe people feel using it.

To speak candidly for a moment; I had never known the smell of meth until I started
using the Light Rail to commute in autumn of 2022. The experience is one I am not soon to
forget. This, along with numerous other, even more hazardous and unpleasant experiences, are unfortunately, universal for our carless and emission-conscious residents. Of course, this would be unacceptable for any neighborhood, but especially for one as dependent on public
transportation as ours; up to 20.8% of residents don’t own a car at all.

Obviously, the associated parties are aware of this issue. Metro “TRIP” (Transit Rider
Investment Program) agents have recently been deployed on our Light Rail within the last week. These new agents are there to de-escalate violence, ensure passengers are paying fares and refraining from drug use in the trains, and providing first aid and Narcan to those who need it. I am very grateful that these improvements are being implemented, and I hope they make our Light Rail a safer, more comfortable place to be. Even still, I suspect we can look deeper. There are systemic issues that created these unsafe circumstances in the first place, and I have hope that, if our residents will use their voices to continue to speak out on issues affecting our neighborhood, then those systems can be dismantled.

And maybe someday, Rondo riders will feel safe on the public transport they use
everyday.

Bibliography

https://www.minnpost.com/metro/2024/02/will-trip-agents-and-eliminating-the-party-car-make-m
etro-transits-light-rail-safer/
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/mn/st-paul/summit-university
https://streets.mn/2022/07/01/its-not-equitable-to-protect-cars-on-summit-avenue/

By Dewell Robinson

​In the Rondo neighborhood there is no shortage of wonderful small Asian restaurants
and businesses. Thai Basil, iPho, China One, and innumerable other local eateries line
University Avenue. Fans of Thai food are eating especially well. Of course, the stunning variety and consistent quality of these restaurants provides as much freedom of choice as it instills intense indecisiveness.

I, however, have a favorite. My weekend treat, my lunch date go-to, my old reliable.
Ishita Ramen.

I haven’t had as many chances to sit down and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere of the establishment on 712 University since the pandemic hit, but that hasn’t stopped Ishita from being a (food delivery company) delivery staple in my household. A particular favorite of mine is the Crispy Chicken Ramen, with the slightly spicy broth, the springy bed of noodles topped with various veggies and black mushrooms, and the piece de resistance; the (appropriately cristoned) katsu-style fried chicken.

I can’t promise that you, too, will mirror my devotion to this particular restaurant in such a
quality-dense commercial district. I can, however, assure you that you will at least come to find a delicious and affordable bowl of hot, fresh noodle soup that will never fail to impress. And with the bizarre weather we’re having lately, I think we can all get behind that.