I agree with Vicky Heller that it would be good to have (at least some) government functions - those that interface with the general public - start and end their days later, to be more accessible to the public, and by the way, alleviate some traffic headaches.
In the minutes of a sub-task-force meeting, I read that according to an MCDA employee, downtown ramps have a 40% vacancy rate. Another participant lamented that there are no longer "worker bee" rates in the ramps. Between that and "take the bus" strategies, something's worked to decrease demand. I know the price of parking makes me doubly mad if the meeting I attend doesn't produce results! (I come from the 'burb within the city (Northeast) where we don't even have parking meters except in Old St. Anthony, and I really should learn to take the bus.)
Various construction projects - light rail, utility work, and building construction have snarled downtown traffic probably more so than the volume of traffic itself. I worked part-time downtown in 2001-02 and it was nuts. I'll look forward to MCDA/CPED or who-ever, addressing these traffic management and transit/parking issues, big-picture.
Margo Ashmore
Northeast Minneapolis
