Make Duluth Streets Safer and Cleaner!

Help Us Make Duluth Streets Safer and Cleaner

Two Tools, One Mission: Streets That Work for Everyone

Duluth has a speeding problem. Proven traffic calming measures exist, but they aren't implemented. Our bike lanes and bikeable shoulders are often filled with gravel and other debris that create safety hazards. We want to address both these challenges.

Vibrant Streets Duluth is raising funds for two practical tools that will help create safer, more accessible streets across our city.

Goal 1: Speed Sensor & Data Platform - $500

The Telraam S2 is cutting-edge technology that measures vehicle speeds and counts and classifies all street users—pedestrians, cyclists, cars, and trucks. The device is simple to use: just stick it to the inside of any second-story window with a clear view of the street. It wirelessly reports data via cellular connection, which can be easily displayed on dashboards or integrated into other applications. We'll pilot this device with interested early adopters to learn its capabilities and plan for larger deployments across Duluth.

What we're funding:

• Telraam S2 sensor and one year Premium data subscription ($500)

Why this matters: Individual complaints, without data, are easy to dismiss. Organized communities with objective data are harder to ignore. This sensor helps us document real conditions on our streets and perform our own bike and pedestrian count surveys. With this foundation, we'll build tools that transform scattered concerns into coordinated advocacy for proven traffic calming solutions.

Goal 2 (Stretch Goal): Bike Lane Sweeper - $4,500

Created by a group of volunteers in Portland, Oregon, the Bike Lane Sweeper is a battery-powered, bike-towed cleaning machine that sweeps and collects debris from bike lanes and paths. The device uses rotating brushes to sweep debris into a collection hopper, effectively cleaning any hard surface you pull it over. If you've ridden Duluth's on-street bike lanes or sections of the Cross City Trail, you know how dirt, gravel, and debris create safety hazards and increase flat tires.

What we're funding:

• Hybrid model Bike Lane Sweeper with shipping ($4,500)

Why this matters: The sweeper shows what's possible when community members take action. It becomes a moving billboard for better infrastructure maintenance, builds connections with other cyclists, and demonstrates real, visible impact on our streets. We're planning spring cleaning campaigns where we'll engage with community members about which routes need attention and give interested riders a chance to try the sweeper themselves.

Your Impact

Every dollar helps us build the tools and community we need to create streets that work for everyone. Whether we're measuring speeds to advocate for safer school zones or clearing debris from bike lanes, we're making tangible improvements while building momentum for systemic change.

Our fundraising goal: $5,000

The speed sensor will launch first, with community members already expressing strong interest in piloting the technology. The Bike Lane Sweeper is our stretch goal, with a target timeline for spring cleaning campaigns when bike lanes and paths need it most. We're exploring sponsorship opportunities with local businesses to help bridge the gap.

Why Support This Work?

These tools represent tactical urbanism at its finest. They let us:

• Document real problems with objective data
• Take direct action to improve infrastructure
• Build community around safer streets
• Apply organized pressure for lasting change

Together, we can create a Duluth where safe streets are the norm, not the exception.
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Vibrant Streets Duluth is a BikeMN chapter working to create prosperous neighborhoods and safe streets that make walking, biking, and transit practical choices in every season.