Welcome to the bigs, Robert Lilligren; you've been challenged by the
Strib editorial board:
"Mayor-elect R.T. Rybak and Eighth Ward Council Member Robert Lilligren
have an opportunity to clear up the frustrating double talk that has
surrounded this project -- neighbors wanting an interchange but not more
traffic, activists wanting more transit but not on I-35W, people
continuing to demand apologies for a freeway that has been in place
since the 1960s. These two new leaders can provide the clarity needed to
bring the Lake Street neighborhoods into the metro mainstream."
RL
Thanks for the words of welcome, David. I think this is an attempt by the Strib editorial board to recreate me as a MnDOT mouth-piece - a role I'm not interested in playing. I remind the editorial board that I took an oath to protect the interests of my constituents to the best of my ability. I am not convinced that fast-tracking a capacity project (HOV lanes) on I-35W is in the best interest of the 8th Ward.
I have been involved in the access project since the spring of 1998. CM Dore Mead is educating me about the earlier work on this project and the Neighborhood Transportation Network (NTN). I will be meeting with freeway activists (past and present; pro and con) to determine a strategy. My guess is this will mean a community-wide meeting(s) early in 2002. Hopefully, this will move us toward the clarity the Strib board seeks.
I am disturbed by the oblique threat in the quote from Commissioner Tinklenberg.
<State Transportation Commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg is right when he says: "The more inflexible Minneapolis becomes, the more it alienates itself from the support it needs.">
RL
I hope that we can move forward in a cooperative spirit and consider the needs of all the people of the city, state and region.
Yours,
Robert Lilligren
8th Ward
