Forwarded on behalf of Earth Protector -- David Brauer, List manager, Minneapolis-issues Earth Protector, Inc. Contact: Leslie Davis 612/522-9433 Very important Public Hearing and Testimony. Cedar Riverside light rail line (LRT) realignment. Wednesday, October. 18, 7 PM Brian Coyle Community Center, 420 15th Avenue South, Mpls. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) is holding this hearing for comments to "re-align" the Hiawatha light rail line (LRT) in the Cedar Riverside area. However, MNDOT has already decided to "re-align" the Cedar Riverside tracks and station and by calling it a "proposed re-alignment" they are misleading us. It is not "proposed" it has been decided. The LRT was supposed to follow along Hiawatha Avenue and have a station in the Cedar Riverside area serviced by walkways and buses. However, certain business interests wanted the line moved onto the streets of the Cedar Riverside community so MNDOT "re-aligned" the LRT to serve them. MNDOT cannot simply "realign" when they feel like it...certain Minnesota environmental laws and rules must be followed and they are not doing so. Along with MNDOT"S partners to deceive the public is the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). They are working with MNDOT to concoct this Environmental Assessment (EA) document and ask you to comment on it so they can create a record of decision and say they sought public comment. In fact they have already made the decision and are simply using us to help fool the rest of the public. So why is MNDOT not following Minnesota law? Minnesota law says that if a project that has completed environmental review (LRT did in 1985) and there are "substantial changes" made, a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) must be completed. The original environmental review did not include this new alignment and because it is a "substantial change" from the original alignment they are required by Minnesota Law to do a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) in order to determine what consequences the change might have. MNDOT is trying to substitute a concocted EA for an SEIS in order to avoid Minnesota environmental laws and rules for public notice and comment. Moving the station into the community will be disruptive in many ways: AIR QUALITY - the realignment will change Cedar Avenue from four lanes to two lanes with a third middle turn lane. Traffic will slow down and cause vehicle emissions to increase in an already excessively polluted area. NOISE - screeching wheels will create constant irritating noise. While the noise levels will not exceed state standards (measured in decibels) the noise will be irritating and constant (all day and most of the night)...virtually forever. ENVIRONMENT - green space will be paved over, approximately one hundred trees will be destroyed and other present amenities such as the Korean gardens will be destroyed. SCENIC AND AESTHETIC VALUES - Minnesota law protects scenic and aesthetic values and they be damaged by the realignment. PRESENT BUS TRANSPORTATION - the great majority of people living in the Cedar Riverside area are very satisfied with the existing bus service. end
