Sunday's Star Tribune featured an article about the freeway planning and construction that has occurred in the Richfield area.
http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4161517.html After reading the article, there are a few things that come to mind. First, there is the fact that over $2 million of the cost of the bridge was assessed to local businesses that would "benefit". Access Project opponents have asked the same question for about the last two years; will the funding for the project involve assessments against adjacent businesses or homes? Evasive answers are the only response. Second, MNDoT admits that these projects are segments of the proposed widening project, yet they deny that the Access Project, which lengthens bridges and widens roadbed is an increment in a larger project; it really doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Third, there was an aerial picture of the dreadful bridge a Penn Avenue in the paper; it looked suspiciously like the 38th Street bridge proposed by the Access Project, minus the fountains and greenery (does anyone believe those features will really be included?) Finally, it would be interesting to find out if Richfield employed a PR lawfirm such as Smith Parker, or if they just used engineers. Here are some pieces of the article: Plans call for an eventual extra lane in each direction between Hwy. 100 in Edina and 34th Avenue S. near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport at a cost that was estimated at $551 million in 2001 dollars. In 1999, Richfield hired a consulting engineering company to provide MnDOT with a design for the new I-494 and I-35W interchange that will be part of the I-494 widening. Then, using that interchange design, Richfield initiated construction of part of the plan -- a new Penn Avenue bridge to handle traffic to the new Best Buy Co. headquarters on Penn. Richfield is also counting on the early completion of the Penn bridge to reduce the cost and complexity of the I-494/I-35W interchange project. "We've been trying to cut it into manageable pieces," city transportation engineer Tom Foley said. It's with the same motive that the city now has its sights set on rebuilding the Lyndale Avenue bridge. Like Penn, the Lyndale bridge -- estimated to cost nearly $30 million -- is part of the larger project. Building it in advance of the I-494/I-35W interchange will lower the price tag of the interchange itself to about $228 million. The city plans to put $600,000 of its share of state gas tax revenues toward the project. MnDOT has agreed to provide $5.5 million. And about $2 million would come from special assessments on property that would benefit from the project. Tom O'Keefe, west area manager for MnDOT, said the agency appreciates Richfield's work. "They are moving the 494/35W interchange along -- getting significant pieces of it built," O'Keefe said. So far, however, whittling away at the state's costs has not moved the I-494 widening project ahead on MnDOT's timetable, O'Keefe said. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search http://shopping.yahoo.com REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
