Neal E. Simons writes: "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." Ed Felien asks: "Why doesn't the proposed Mpls to St Paul route use existing railroad right of way? with a single stop at the U? "Do we have that much money to burn? Do we need to take more homes? Do we need to have fast trains moving through neighborhoods? "I just don't get it." Bill Kahn sees errors and oversimplifications: Neal Simons is mistaken in his view of Central Corridor LRT. As the Pioneer Press article that precipitated this discussion explains, there will be reduced parking and as yet unknown traffic problems associated with CC LRT on University Avenue; so Simons is correct here, but predicting the loss of any University Avenue businesses in Southeast Minneapolis is unfounded—there are no condemnations contemplated along the University Ave. route. The existing separation of the Prospect Park neighborhood by University Avenue will not be significantly changed by CC LRT, so he's painting another misleading picture here. Simons' assumption that any buildings along University Avenue will be lost is pure conjecture and unsupported by any of the planning done so far, planning that has been parallel with efforts of the neighborhood to establish an historical district to provide for an extra degree of protection (and Becca Vargo Daggett, it is "Schneider Drug" not "Snyder" as in the big chain). An I-94 allignment does not make much sense either, at least for LRT. Contrary to what Ed Felien might believe, there are no unused RR corridors on which to route CC LRT; the three railroads using them are not declining and, though compatible with commuter rail, sharing them will not work for LRT. We may not have money to burn, but we have federal funds to spend on LRT and we'd better spend them or risk losing them. Felien is mistaken about the existence of any homes to "take" anywhere on any of the proposed alignments for CC LRT and that we don't need something moving fast through the neighborhood, but I'm content to let it move on University Ave. or I-94. It is hard to "get it" when you base your opinions on whims. Having said all that, perhaps LRT is not the ideal answer for connecting St. Paul and Minneapolis downtowns (cough, cough); regionally, much more can be accomplished using the same concepts of BRT combined with HOV lanes put forth for I-35W to replace and improve upon I-94 Metro Transit express routes. I drive I-94 quite a bit and with commuter traffic to and from Wisconsin during the rush hours the congestion may equal that of I-35W. BRT may lack some of the revitalization magic LRT boosters have come to expect but tweaking an existing system is a whole lot easier and less expensive than starting from scratch as many have pointed out in the Southwest Corridor subject threads; a hub connecting BRT to Hiawatha LRT at the Metrodome site can't hurt redevelopment once sports teams no longer use it. Once CC LRT reaches Washington Ave., SE in the U of MN area, it begins to look like trying cramming ten pounds of 'stuff' into a five pound bag if it does not go way under that nice layer of limestone beneath the street level of which the U makes such good use and wants unspoiled for all time. Still, if we don't go underground with CC LRT, as much as I like LRT, I'd rather see BRT piggy backed on I-94 since it is parallel to all the planned alignments. FYI, the latest Met. Council transportation plan is at: http://www.metrocouncil.org/planning/transportation/TPP/2004/summary.htm Bill Kahn Prospect Park REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
