I have no idea what "side of the river" you're referring to Ken. Living in
Roseville, I suppose my "side of the river" is the St. Paul side.
As far as city governments having some say regarding county and state road
construction projects, I think they do. Unfortunately, rarely do the cities
exercise the authority they have to restrict the Highway Department from
continually bulldozing increasing amounts of the landscape. In Roseville, for
example, a city ordinance requires a 50 ft. natural habitat buffer between any
sort of residential or business development and a wetland, yet the city
council, unanimously, without discussion, rubber stamped a MnDOT expansion of
35W that landfills acres of wetland. Much the same has gone on in St. Louis
Park and the surrounding area with the expansions of the above mentioned Hwys.
394, 100, 169 and 7, destroying wetlands, groundwater, and natural habitat .
St. Louis Park is the worst of all worlds - high density and
automobile-centered. And places like Roseville, already automobile-centered,
are racing to create the same level carmageddon that St. Louis has already
achieved.
I think the attached pics, taken in the Knollwood area of St. Louis Park,
provide a pretty good take on the mindset that governs.
Welcome to St. Louis Park (Roseville, Richfield, Bloomington, pick your
motorway hellhole, pedestrian wasteland city or suburb) where the motto is:
Don't walk. Worship.