The increase in traffic if the I35W ramps are moved to 38th Street would have
a significant impact on our neighborhoods. 35th and 36th Streets have natural
"traffic-calming" features - they are narrow and don't shoot straight through
South Minneapolis in either direction. 38th street would quickly become a
40-mile-per hour thoroughfare from the freeway to Hiawatha.
Pedestrian areas such as Sabathani Community Center and Bancroft School would
suffer, I'm afraid, not to mention our nice Bancroft Meridian Garden.
What if there was NO freeway entrance at all between 46th Street and Lake
Street? What if the Lake Street ramps were upgraded and re-designed, and
appropriate access was built in and around the ramps, in order to safely and
effectively accommodate the increased traffic and route it to the
commercial/industrial area that people envision for Lake Street and Nicollet?
Then we could protect our residential/light commercial areas from auto
invasion, rather than dividing the neighborhoods against each other on this
issue.
If we are ever going to make a commitment to reduce our dependency on the
automobile, we have to start somewhere. What if we move forward with the Lake
Street access and at the same time take aggressive steps to improve public
transportation along the 35W corridor. Then, when the new Lake Street ramps
are completed, just close off the 35th/36th street ramps, and see if we can
get by without them.
Wouldn't that make more sense than committing ourselves to a lose/lose
situation?
-- Holle Brian
Bancroft
(612) 822-6593
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