The 35W Access Project, Lake Street reconstruction, and the opening of Nicollet Avenue and related redevelopment have been hot topics of discussion on Minneapolis Issues of late. They should be. These projects are closely linked and impact many Minneapolis neighborhoods.
As an elected official who represents some of the impacted neighborhoods and who will have to vote on these issues over the next year, I appreciate the input, critical analysis, and dialogue both through the Issues Forum and in various community meetings. I have come to rely on the advice of neighborhood representatives like Jeanne Massey, John Kremer, Dave Harstad, Myrtle Vikla, and others who have devoted considerable time and developed considerable expertise on these issues. I also speak frequently with the consultants on the projects, with city and county elected folks and staff, with the developer of the Nicollet Avenue project, and I look forward to receiving the independent analysis of Fred Dock over the next couple of weeks. The outcome of these projects and the degree with which they're linked and phased has serious implications for our neighborhoods, some good and some bad. Achieving the necessary balance of efficiently moving traffic, supporting transit opportunities, and protecting the character of our neighborhoods is not an easy task. We all need to be talking about how best to achieve this delicate balance, so critical to the healthy future of our neighborhoods and to the economic vitality of our region. But the talking needs to be at a level that is constructive - a level focused on policy alternatives based on facts. I regret that some of the recent debate has sunk to a level focused instead on personal attacks that have little to do with fact. I hope that as this discussion continues, and it should, that we can get back to more meaningful dialogue. I know that would be helpful to me as I weigh the relative merits of these redevelopment proposals. Gail Dorfman Hennepin County Commissioner Third District _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
