This is a general timeline of bike progress in Richfield, not solely accomplishments by the Richfield Bike Advocates.

Events that are determined and scheduled may be included, but are italicized. Last updated October 2023.

YearAccomplishment
2026-27Nicollet Avenue reconstruction (south of 66th) expected to improve biking and walking conditions.
2023-27494 changes will construct a new bike-walk bridge at Chicago Avenue, as well as fill bike gaps on Nicollet and Portland Aves
2023Taft Bike Park opens!
2023Two Safe Routes to School demonstration projects were built on the east side of Richfield: along 70th Street near Elliot Avenue, and on 73rd east of Bloomington Avenue.
2022Richfield named a silver bike friendly community
2022Richfield passes new bike parking requirements for new development, leading the region in providing quality, secure bike parking, especially for residential projects.
2021New Transit/Bike/Walk underpass underneath 494 at Knox Avenue opens, providing a connection from the Best Buy campus area to Southtown in Bloomington. A future project is expected to connect this to the Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail
2021Portland Avenue bike gap (between 60th St and 66th St) was filled with new, buffered bike lanes and enhancements to the Portland-66th roundabout. A future project will address the similar gap around 494.
2021-23W 65th Street reconstructed in downtown Richfield, from Nicollet to 66th/Lakeshore Drive. This is likely to be a two-way sidepath on the north side of the street. Lyndale Ave bike gap (64th to 66th) also to be resolved.
2020Nicollet Avenue bike gap (between 61st St and 67th St) was be filled with new buffered bike lanes. Unfortunately, a short gap around 66th Street remains and is expected to be resolved by the 2026 Nicollet Avenue project.
2019Lyndale Avenue was reconstructed from 66th to 76th Streets. It included a buffered bike lane and off-street trail to connect to the 70th St Buffered Bikeway, as well as conventional bike lanes down to 77th Street.
2017-1966th Street was rebuilt with a continuous bikeway from the Lake Nokomis-Minnesota River Regional Trail (Richfield Parkway) to Park Avenue, and from 5th Avenue to Oliver Avenue. Other improvements included new roundabouts, better pedestrian crossings, lighting, and medians.
2017The eastern half of 70th St (Lyndale to Cedar) was restriped with the City’s first buffered bike lane. This route is particularly important for kids bicycling to school, and will provide safe, signalized crossings at Lyndale, Nicollet, and Portland. It connects to the Nokomis-Minnesota River Regional Trail
2017The Nine Mile Creek was extended through the Southdale District and most of Edina. Although the Richfield construction was completed several years earlier, this means a pleasant trail ride from all of Richfield all the way to the Hopkins Depot.
Summer 2016Nicollet Ave restriped by Minneapolis to provide bike lanes from 40th to 61st — a block from Richfield’s border.
Fall 2015The Lake Nokomis-Minnesota River Regional Trail opened, connecting Lake Nokomis, Taft Park and the Cedar Point area. South of 66th, the trail runs along the Old Cedar Avenue corridor, across a new bike-ped bridge over 494 and down to the Long Meadow Bridge that takes Old Cedar Avenue across the Minnesota River.
2015-2016Portland Avenue reconstructed from 67th St to 77th St, completing the rework started in 2010. The new Portland Avenue features higher-quality bike lanes, more separated from traffic, as well as improved sidewalks, lighting, and a wide shared-use path on the east side. For pedestrians, there are now refuge islands every block to safely cross the street.
Fall 2014Nicollet and Penn Aves restriped (south of 67th) to create a wide shoulder. 6 days a week, parking is prohibited on the shoulder and suitable for bicycling.
Spring 2014Minneapolis’s Southern Bike Connector opens, connecting from 24th St & 17th Ave to 62nd St & Bloomington Ave in Richfield. This connected with Richfield’s Bloomington Avenue bikeway for a full north-south connection from 24th St to 76th St.
Fall 2013Minneapolis restripes S Lyndale Avenue between 58th and Crosstown, creating a continuous bike connection from downtown Richfield to Loring Park.
Fall 2013Richfield named a Bicycle Friendly Community (bronze)
Fall 2013Bloomington Avenue, 12th Avenue, and E 73rd St through Richfield restriped with bike lanes and sharrows.
Summer 201376th Street completed to Old Cedar Avenue
Fall 2012Minneapolis and Hennepin County extend Portland Avenue bikeway to 60th Street, greatly improving bike access to downtown
Fall 2012Richfield Bike Advocates forms
Summer 2012Richfield adopts a limited Complete Streets Policy
Summer 2012First segment on 75th/76th Street opens with new bike lanes, and the new Nine Mile Creek Trail
June 2012Richfield adopts a Bicycle Master Plan
Fall 2010Portland Avenue is converted to three lanes between 68th and 76th, providing suitable shoulders for bicycling
2008In conjunction with the Crosstown Commons project, bike lanes installed under the Crosstown at Lyndale, marking the first on-street bike connection between Minneapolis and the first ring.