I have been arguing for years, to totally tone deaf politicians and other light
rial supporters, that routing light-rail down University Avenue, at least in
Saint Paul, will be a disaster.
I have said go to New York, Chicago, San Francisco, D.C. Saint Louis and
finally go to Portland, examine their light rail systems and see what does and
what doesn't work.Look at systems that were built 20, 30 and 100 years ago and
learn from their experience.
At no place in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco or Saint Louis, does
light rail run on city streets with cars. Only in Portland and Minneapolis does
light rail run with cars. Look how slow light rail is from the Dome to First
Avenue. Look in Portland, downtown where light rail runs with cars. It's slower
than
Older cities knew how to build light rail systems and they deliberately
separated cars and light rail. In downtown Minneapolis light rail stops for
traffic lights for goodness sake!
Look at the traffic problems that have developed along the Hiawatha Corridor
where cars and light rail are having to compete. It will only be worse on
University Avenue.
I haven't seen the designs for University Avenue yet, but do they plan to put
crossing gates at every block or have the trains stop for traffic lights?
When light rail was build in Minneapolis there is a crossing about every
3/4ths of a mile. What is planned in Saint Paul?
Let me be very clear, I support light rail in the Central Corridor, I am not
an opponent. However it should be along Concordia or St. Anthony Avenues,
parallel to I-94, just as the El is in Chicago along the Dan Ryan and
Eisenhower or as it is in Portland along I-84.
Dann Dobson
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
The University Avenue S.E. routing of LRT is a
bad idea because it would increase neighborhood
traffic and parking problems and would cause
a physical division of the Prospect Park
neighborhood. Also, the University Avenue
routing might cause the loss of our drugstore,
automobile repair facility, and barbershop.
An alternative route that would be two blocks
to the north from 27th Avenue S.E. to two
blocks inside St. Paul would the only
appropriate route other than along I-94.
Neal E. Simons
Prospect Park
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