EMILY -There was considerable debate about the first route (Northern corridor, Downtown Mpls-Downtown St. Paul corridor, 35W south corridor, among others) once the decision was made to begin developing a light rail system.
While I was part of the Ventura Administration and my agency did participate on some of the ancillary decisions regarding siting of the line, I cannot give you detailed reasons why Hiawatha won out over other proposals because we were not the decision makers. I can say it offered the least disruption during construction, the ability to connect three major employment destinations (airport-Megamall-downtown Mpls) together in a fairly straightforward route, an there seemed to be broader agreement that this route represented a less controversial starting point. To my knowledge, a "Rochester route" was never seriously considered simply because the Hiawatha route is intended as the first corridor in a metro-wide chain of corridors linked together. The Hiawatha Route is not supposed to be the only light rail route, just the first! Light rail is intended to assist in relieving congestion in the Metro area. The highway 55/52 route to Rochester is not now congested and a light rail route there - while not out of the question - does not seem to be a priority on any transportation planning list. Jim Bernstein Fulton -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Emilie Quast Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 9:45 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Mpls] Light rail route Does anyone have the URL for a political history of how they chose the Light Rail route from Minneapolis Downtown to the VA Hospital? I'd really like to know who lobbied for what and who compromised whatelse in return for whichever. I have never been clear why the new rail system starts where it starts or why it runs along Hiawatha. This has to be a compromise route, but what were the issues that ended up limiting the discombubleration to ONLY downtown Minneapolis? If there isn't a URL, how's your memory? Who wanted what and how many of them got it? Emilie Quast SE Como (who STILL thinks the route should have run from the airport to Rochester and stayed out of Minneapolis entirely!) 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. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ 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 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. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ 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
