Duane, I think you're missing the argument on the other side of this issue. Highway 55 was never designed to be a 35MPH road. Wide lanes, a great deal of distance between lights, the Lake Street Bridge, and the fact that it's called a "highway" all give the driver the impression that the natural speed of the road is 45-55MPH.
Indeed, kids may be playing nearby (although I've never once seen a kid on a bike as I've driven down the road, even if it's true they play in the Minnehaha park or around the off-streets), but that's not the main issue. When LRT comes, I'd think that if I were a parent I wouldn't want my kid fooling around down there anyway, so the people that are down there now are likely to go someplace else anyway. I'm curious as to how many people have been injured/killed as a result of speeding on 55 in the last 10 years. I think that statistic would inform one as to how immediate the need is to make a mockery of speed limits and increase the propensity of drivers to break them. I also think we've had this conversation before. It's in the archives. Patrick Dinkytown --__--__-- Message: 7 Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 20:48:34 -0600 Subject: Re: [Mpls] What Do People think of a proposed increase in speedlimit for Hwy 55? From: DeWayne Townsend <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> It is not only the park. The strip of land on the West side of Hwy 55 is a major bike route in the summer, maybe winter too I don't know, and there are lots of kids on bikes, boards and skates. I do not know if this will continue once the LRT is up and running. The stations area could be a problem, but we should wait and see. I for one do not want cars going 55mph if there are kids playing 15ft away. Besides it is too busy for 55mph. MNDOT should set the lights to 35mph and post the required speed to make the next light. > I have questioned MDdot and elected officials on this subject several times > during the push to build the highway through Minnehaha Park. I felt great > apprehension about cars possible driving 45-65 miles an hour through a park > area that families and children heavily use. MNdot promised at numerous > meetings I attended that the speed limit would stay at 35miles an hour. I > believe they should be held to that promise. -- DeWayne Townsend Cooper [EMAIL PROTECTED] ===== -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Patrick Peterson [EMAIL PROTECTED] TEL:612.379.4722 AIM:a11235patrick MSN:patrickepeterson -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@;mnforum.org Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
