> > While the Star Tribune's support for light rail is encouraging, it is > > difficult to square the paper's enthusiasm for the Hiawatha line with its > > advocacy for more highway construction in south Minneapolis. > > I would argue that they are eminently reconcilable.
So would I. The truth of the matter is that I-35W through south Minneapolis is one of the most-traveled segments of freeway in the state, with over 200,000 vehicles a day. The current freeway layout in this area is inadequate from a safety point of view, as well as an access point of view. Adding access to Lake Street to and from the north, as well as moving the ramps from 35th/36th to 38th to add space between those ramps and the Lake Street ramps. Why it was designed the way it is now I don't understand. Like the Crosstown Commons, it's a remnant of highway design without the experience we have now, and since it is a real problem, I have no issue with fixing it. Like it or not, a lot of people use highways. Letting highways deteriorate in an attempt to force people to use transit isn't going to work. It will only harm the economy and make it harder for people at the fringes of society. We have desperate transit needs, and we need to do more to address them. We can't just ignore our road infrastructure, though. I would much rather see highway funding go to address real needs, instead of being used to construct highways to nowhere that will encourage sprawl (like TH 610). I also find it interesting that in another thread, some people are complaining about having too many lofts. Transit needs density to work, so increasing transit usage while complaining about higher densities doesn't seem to make much sense. We need more density in Minneapolis, I think. I'm sure others will disagree. === Nathan Hunstad CARAG Minneapolis, MN PGP DH/DSS public key -- http://www.angelfire.com/mn/freakpower/nhpubkey.txt ________________________________________________ Do you Gonzo?! http://www.angelfire.com/mn/freakpower 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
