All posts in the topic LRT & Anderson-Keliher: What Could Be... (Short link)
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- There are 3 posts — by 3 authors — in this topic.
- Latest post made by Darlene Levenson at May 18 20:52 UTC
The end is near, legislators predict http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_9289009?nclick_check=1 Sometimes I'm bothered by small signs. Like, for example, in today's Pioneer Press, after listing what a budget deal is to include, the reporter writes, "Anderson Kelliher and other leaders also said that if there's a deal, state funding for the Central Corridor light-rail line linking Minneapolis and St. Paul could pass this session." I have to ask. COULD pass? Less than convincing. What, exactly, were you negotiating all those hours, Madam Speaker? After years of slashing state aid, and decimating our city budget, St. Paul gets a tax cap, all eleven of our bonding requests scuttled, and a massive 'ole Mall subsidy sure to drain our city of market share, and contribute greatly to climate change. And the tone our good Speaker left the reporter with is that as part of a budget deal, Central Corridor COULD get funded? I guess that you mean that in the same sense that, St. Paul COULD decide you are an effective champion for our interests. In both cases, given the context, we WILL hold you personally responsible for the outcome, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker,
Please be aware that Bob Spaulding is a self-appointed spokesperson for the
interests of the City of St. Paul, and more specifically, the residents, small
business owners, and public transit riders surrounding University Avenue. Also
please be aware, that significant numbers, if not most, of the residents, small
business owners, and public transit riders do not support the $billion concrete
project to reduce and limit public transit in the corridor connecting 5 major
access points, including the 2 downtowns and the University of Minnesota.
University Avenue is not the place to put rapid transit connecting the 5 major
access areas. Limiting Central Corridor ridership to 40,000 is obscene. More
than 40,000 riders should be getting on and off the train at the University
alone.
Sheldon Gitis
Central Corridor resident
I couldn't agree more with Sheldon that University Ave. is NOT the place to put
a Central Corridor; particularly if it intersects across Snelling Avenue.
Snelling is a major north-south artery. I have no statistics at hand on how
much traffic Snelling holds daily, but the numbers are astronomical.
For one thing, has anyone considered how running a rapid transit connection
across University at Snelling would impact traffic to the State Fair, or any
event being held there? There's also the Dales, colleges, businesses...
Meanwhile, those of us who have time frames and have to get to work with
expediency need Snelling, not to mention the businesses that have to do
deliveries or need large amounts of supplies delivered to them quickly.
As is, businesses are failing, workers are losing jobs and pensions, the cost
of living is rising horrendously, taxes are rising--and now we want to spend
millions, in the worst place possible, so we can tear down more businesses
(many of which cannot afford to move unless the gov't pays them to do so, which
of course would add to the cost of this proposed LRT) and force more workers
onto the dole. Just take a look at how many businesses there are on both
University and Snelling, and understand how many of them would be either set
back or forced to close.