Remember: our rules allow pointed disagreement, but require respectful discussion.
--
Tim Bonham Wrote: It seems to me that there is not enough room where the
road goes
between the Vet's Hospital and the Old Soldiers Home area to fit the road
there. And we could not have acquired any of more land, since this is
Federal land, and as such is not subject to state eminent domain
proceedings.
My Response: Eminent domain issues or issues of room do not justify
overlooking issues of environmental, cultural and social impact. If these
issues were actually addressed in the Environmental Impact Statement, as
required by Federal law but circumvented by the State and FTA, the citizens
and our political leaders could have made an informed decision on the design
and orientation of the highway. My opinion is that the state thought it
would be easier to get the city to allow the elimination of large areas of
Minnehaha Park with half truths than it was to fight the feds. With strong
city government DFL labor influences (who wanted the short-term jobs
associated with the construction for workers who primarily don't even live
in the city) it is clear that the chose the right path of least resistance.
Without an unbiased study, it is simply not possible to say if a current
route was realistically possible.
Craig Larson
Longfellow
_______________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
http://e-democracy.org/mpls
