Minneapolis wants to build 30 new miles of protected bikeways. The idea is that better bike infrastructure is good for equity, local businesses, public health, families, and the environment. But where should the bikeways go? Looking at these five maps is a good place to start. Each of these maps answers a question, and raises more questions.

Where does Minneapolis have protected bikeways right now?

Minneapolis plans to add protected bike lanes to 26th and 28th streets in the Phillips neighborhood. The project could calm dangerous streets and make short trips between Hiawatha Avenue and Portland Avenue much easier for local residents.

But here's a question you might hear over the next year:

"Why should we put a protected lane on 28th Street? The Midtown Greenway is just a block away."

This question actually has an answer. 

Seattle has been working on a bike master plan, and it looks really, really good. The plan, which city council will vote on early this year, calls for drastic improvements to Seattle's bike network by 2030. Here are the details, courtesy of Seattle Bike Blog:

• 50 new miles of protected bike lanes

• 52 upgraded miles of protected bike lanes

• 32 new miles of off-street trails (many along highways over bodies of water)

• 239 new miles of bike boulevards (called "neighborhood greenways" in the plan)

There's also a map showing where the proposed bike routes would go. 

As the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County rework their bike plans, it's useful to draw lessons from Seattle's achievements.