Traffic/Racism (Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park, Eden Prairie: schools, living, professionals)

[rw2006]

I'm considering moving to the Twin Cities and I heard that Eden Prairie is a very nice place to live. My own research agrees with that assessment. But I'm concerned about two things: traffic and racism. Being a minority, I'm very concerned about racism. Anybody who can help me on both fronts?

[Lindenin]

Define racism. I've lived in EP and never thought racism was an issue there. However, I'm not a minority and have never been in your shoes. Can you provide some examples of what would be an issue to you?

[Ben Around]

Re: traffic, it can be bad to/from EP, depending on where you want to go. If you commute by car to another southern or western suburb, probably not too bad. Otherwise, may be worse than you are used to.

[Lindenin]

On the traffic topic, there are really three parts of EP. South of Hwy 5, North of 5, and the 494 "triangle" where all of the businesses are. I'd say that traffic if you live north of 5 is average, south of 5 is worse, and that triangle area can be nasty.

[rw2006]

Originally Posted by Lindenin

Define racism. I've lived in EP and never thought racism was an issue there. However, I'm not a minority and have never been in your shoes. Can you provide some examples of what would be an issue to you?

Some issues that may bother me include a history of complaints of racial profiling by police, a history of racial hostility in town and/or town's schools, and a history of the community generally not accepting or welcoming minorities.

[whatever]

Originally Posted by rw2006

Some issues that may bother me include a history of complaints of racial profiling by police, a history of racial hostility in town and/or town's schools, and a history of the community generally not accepting or welcoming minorities.

Sounds like someone's trolling.

[golfgal]

Eden Prairie is a highly educated community with many professional level people living there. You won't experience any issues there nor will you in most of Minnesota.

[catluvr]

Grow up...it's 2007!

[dana_1982]

Dear rw2006 , If you are a non-white person I think you will suffer from racism from European-Americans. My brother is there for about a week now and already he has reported many ghastly incidents, teens even women making gestures and using abusive slangs. So I wonder whether the people who live there are really well-educated and professionals like in west-coast.

[tindo80]

Theres no 'serious' racism in EP or in most parts of the metro Minneapolis west of the river in my opinion. EP isnt very diverse, but has a noticeable minority population made of mexicans, african americans, asians, somalis and even a few native americans.

You may get a few stares, but really it seems to be the standard that most folks in the west metro do that anyway. Thats about all. Ive heard EP even had an african american mayor at one point, which is interesting considering the areas demographics and political trends.

I am not sure about Racial Profiling police, and to be honest it would not surprise me much. To be honest, thats something that happens everywhere. Ive heard very good and very bad about various Twin Cities PD's...the bad mostly with St Pauls PD, and most of Dakota County, and Minneapolis (city of) and a few smaller towns closer to the Lake. Ive also heard good about Hopkins, Minnetonka, Brooklyn Park, St Louis Park and Richfield. It pretty much varies.

Traffic can be brutal, but is MUCH better than most cities this size.