I had the opportunity for the first time to experience a drive on the rebuilt
University Avenue with the LRT squeezed down the middle. While I saw not one
train, what I did see on the short stretch of road between Hamline and Griggs
was absolutely nuts.
First, I had the experience of maneuvering a left turn from southbound Hamline
onto eastbound University. As these Google maps images show, with all
north-south lanes on Hamline green-lit, including the 2 left turn lanes that
meet head-on at the railroad tracks, it’s not a matter of if a crash will
occur, only a matter of when. (The crazy long links should work. Collapse the
side panel to view full image. I tried attaching screen captures, but
unfortunately, for some odd reason, the message with the attached image files
did not get posted.)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hamline+Station+East/@44.9559616,-93.156873,3a,75y,172.11h,86.95t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svTCCA2BCCpHJP0FHhor96w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m9!1m2!2m1!1ssouthbound+hamline+at+university+avenue+st,+paul!3m5!1s0x87f62be6228b3b8f:0x220b19a3bf90503!8m2!3d44.9557991!4d-93.1556015!15sCjBzb3V0aGJvdW5kIGhhbWxpbmUgYXQgdW5pdmVyc2l0eSBhdmVudWUgc3QsIHBhdWySARdub25fcHJvZml0X29yZ2FuaXphdGlvbg
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hamline+Station+East/@44.955847,-93.1568941,3a,75y,126.99h,90.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sr9ebw3tn4th9X2vmrgO9hQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m9!1m2!2m1!1ssouthbound+hamline+at+university+avenue+st,+paul!3m5!1s0x87f62be6228b3b8f:0x220b19a3bf90503!8m2!3d44.9557991!4d-93.1556015!15sCjBzb3V0aGJvdW5kIGhhbWxpbmUgYXQgdW5pdmVyc2l0eSBhdmVudWUgc3QsIHBhdWySARdub25fcHJvZml0X29yZ2FuaXphdGlvbg
Fortunately for me, I made the maneuver shortly before 2pm, when traffic was
relatively light, so I was able to let the northbound Hamline traffic clear
before I attempted to cross the tracks and turn left onto eastbound University.
Returning home was even more crazy. After hanging a right onto eastbound
University off of Syndicate, where semis apparently have found a welcoming home
to park their shipping container trailers at St. Paul taxpayer expense, I
immediately headed for the first left turn lane at Griggs, to head back from
whence I came. As I waited for the left turn arrow at Griggs, a steady stream
of vehicles, occupying both eastbound lanes, raced by on my right as if they
were drag racing, at speeds that had to be close to 50 mph, if not faster.
Then, one final road racer, who was nowhere near the intersection when the
signal changed, blew through the red light at at least 50 mph. At the time, 2
pedestrians stood waiting to cross the street outside the Gordon Parks School.
The pedestrians, presumably students at the school, apparently were familiar
with the un-patrolled road racing situation and knew to wait and let the
vehicle blow through the red light before attempting to use the crosswalk.
Maybe if the City of St. Paul wasn’t providing free parking for semi trailers
on Syndicate next to the University Avenue Super Target, it could afford to
enforce the speed limit in the Gordon Parks School zone.