West Broadway is the Northside's main Commercial Corridor. It is also the
major Commuter Corridor, County Hi-way 81, for those traveling to and from far
Northwestern suburbs, and Downtown. Why is it so moribund, and appears less
vital each succeeding year? Why have political leaders shied away from leading
this avenue forward toward it's proper place as the Northside's "Mainstreet"?
Keith, you're absolutely correct, and you're logic here is infallable.
Answers: Starting with the simplest first: Because it is the borderline of
three City Council Wards, and a dismal, and complicated 'no-mans land'. It has
been easier for beleaguered Council members to turn their backs as they focused
on inner Ward issues. Because of this same 'tri-cotomy', comprehensive
planning never seemed to 'cross the street' to create necessary retail and
pedestrian amenities: egress, access, parking, lighting, greenways, art, and
identifiers, etc. Because "mainstreet" is slashed, filet style, by a busy County Hi-way,
traffic is dangerous; and discourages critical, cross street, pedestrian
vitality. And because of an intended, or default concentration of poverty and
crime.
West Broadway is also in the heart of the Northside Criminal Containment Zone. I thusly suspect for that primary reason the county has decided to write off West Broadway and gentrify Lowry instead.
More contentious: I call this phenomena the "Shlepping" (carrying) away of
West Broadway' Juice (our potential vitality) from our Avenue. To our north,
Lowry Avenue; a more minor Neighborhood Corridor and County Hi-way, was selected
over far more appropriate West Broadway, to be the County Works Project.
Hence, much County, Federal, Met Council, and City money will flow toward that
simpler Avenue; "Shlep, Shlep". Lowry also garnered a big piece of BRT, Bus Rapid
Transit, money. BRT does not belong on Lowry, but it will be routed there
because the buses are loaded with development cash. Cash taken away from more
appropriate West Broadway; "Shlep, Shlep".
Agreed, again your logic is infallable. But I suspect that the county has their own strange form of "logic". Take a look at the bridges on Lowry. The big one over the Mississippi seems to require the regular services of a public works crew with the biggest arc welder in creation to keep open. IIRC this is an older bridge that was jacked up as a part of the upper harbor project to clear the towboats. They did a sloppy job of it, and the fill at the west end is collapsing, the "futuristic" steel grate is a maintainence nighmare, and it's too narrow with low clearances at the curb. Replacing this bridge is going to be very expensive, and I suspect the plan is to get some Corp of Engineers money to replace this "hazard to river navigation". Of course, as long as their hitting up the Corp for a few dozen million, might as well add on some work on the approaches in Christmas tree fashion? If this scheme works, the Corp will foot the bill for taking out a block or two wide swath as far west as Aldrich with a flyover bridge over from 3rd Street N. all the way across the river. That means they'll have to build a little interchange at 2nd Street N. This will of course require aquiring the old Japs-Olson plant as well as the shingle plant, Burger King, the alignment shop, and the Hell's Angel's clubhouse, etc.. Of course the bridge won't require all that much right of way, so the excess can be neatly packaged for sale to the developer who will build the half million dollar condo towers along the river there. Of course, they're not going to build a bridge like this and give it only two lanes, and more than 4 lanes is probably the plan. To assure "continuity of traffic flow" the rest of Lowry will have to be 6 or so lanes wide, plus a bike path and "green space". Figure on at least a block wide swath clear across the Northside for the new Lowry Avenue.
The planned North Star Commuter Rail line had a, proposed, station at
Broadway Street and Central Avenue in Northeast; perfect for Northside residents who
seek suburban job opportunities. The possibility of a quick West Broadway bus
ride over the river and transfer to a train ride to suburban jobs would
attract retail investment on our Avenue. New business would serve those commuters
when they brought their new paychecks home to our neighborhoods; and bought
their consumer goods on our Avenue. When the rail system is created, no station
will be at Broadway/Central, it will be closer to Downtown; "Shlep, Shlep". We
are currently denied a bus route that traverses the full length of "The
Broadways", that is both North and NorthEast. Such a route would allow bottled up
Northside workers to expeditiously access existing warehouse, and other jobs,
over NorthEast. And thus bring home the bacon to West Broadway. Proposed, and
current;
"Shlep and Shlep".
Keith, funny you should bring up the Northstar commuter rail. The underpass under the railroad is way obsolete, but the railroad is 4 tracks wide and this bridge will cost a fortune to replace. So would not a clever county planner attach the replacement of this bridge to the Northstar Corridor appropriation?
There is substantial funding above and below West Broadway. Funding for the
exact type of projects that OUR Avenue needs. And, by any objective measure,
West Broadway should be the beneficiary of those funds. Those developments, and
that funding, should be on West Broadway; for the benefit of the whole
Northside. Is the actual shortage a lack of will, and focus by our political leaders?
And a lack of adequate political currency, power, by our West Broadway?
Keith, you're simply making too much sense. Why would the county rehab the West Broadway corridor when there's much more money to be made (by the developers) gentrifying Lowry?
Right now, West Broadway should be recognized as "The Avenue with the Most
Potential" because it is situated in the midst of so many incredible recent
developments. And because of it's inherent, and unique, importance, it's renewal
is assured. We must get busy now; enough time has been wasted. The "Shlepping"
away of West Broadway's Juice, and funding, must stop. Sincere planning,
partnerships, and funding, must begin.
Keith, by all logic we're right. Problem is, the county has their own twisted "logic".
Hanging on in Hawthorne,
Dyna Sluyter
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