Index of SPPS Budget Discussion http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/spps-posts.html _________________________________________ Representative Tim Wilkin of Eagan is proposing to increase the speed limit on I-35E between Shepard Road and I-94 in Saint Paul to 55 miles an hour.
His bill HF0927, is the House companion bill to that of that Senator Dick Day's, SF0989, that failed to get out of committee last year. In 1984 after several years of prolonged litigation by the residents of Summit Hill a settlement was reached in Federal District Court between the neighborhood group, R.I.P.35E and MNDOT and signed off by Federal Judge Paul Magnuson. Rep. Wilkin's now wants to throw that settlement out the window, because it inconveniences some of his constituents. Rep. Wilkin's seems to think that Federal Court decisions can be thrown out on a whim. By my calculations, IF THE RESIDENTS FROM THE SUBURBS OBEYED THE SPEED LIMIT ON I-35E, which very few do, (try getting in the left lane and sticking to 45, you risk being run over by some huge SUV trying to go at least 55, but more like 60 or 65) it takes all of 51 seconds longer to drive from I-94 to Shepard Road. (At 45 mph it takes 80.0 secs to go one mile [3600sec/hr /45mph]. At 55 MPH it takes 65.45 secs to go one mile [3600sec/hr /55mph] or a difference of 14.55 seconds per mile [80.00 - 65.45]). If we multiply the 3.5 miles of I-35E which is 45 MPH by 14.55 sec/mile, it takes our suburban neighbors exactly 50.9 seconds longer to drive through Saint Paul IF THEY ADHERE TO THE SPEED LIMIT. I would suggest that Rep. Wilkin's and his constituents are really upset because they can't tear through St. Paul at 70, 75 or 80 miles an hour, the way they can in Eagan and Apple Valley where the posted speed limit for I-35E from 494 to 35W is 70 miles an hour. I would suggest that if Rep. Wilkin is upset by the lack of uniformity of speed limits, he should first explore LOWERING the speed limit for I-35 through his district to a saner 55 or 60. The press release where he proposes this is at: http://ww3.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/pressrelease.asp?district=38A&pressid=860&party=2 I have posted it below. You can contact Rep. Tim Wilkin at (651) 296-3533 or e-mail him at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dan Dobson Summit Hill - Saint Paul [EMAIL PROTECTED] ====================================================== NEWS RELEASE LAWMAKERS SEEKING TO STANDARDIZE I-35E SPEEDS ST. PAUL � Eagan lawmakers Tim Wilkin and Lynn Wardlow are carrying a bill that would require MnDOT to increase the speed limit on I-35E in St. Paul to 55 mph. Currently the speed limit is set at 45 for a stretch of the highway south of I-94 in St. Paul, based on an agreement that followed a suit by area residents. �It�s great that the residents of the area were politically and legally active in protecting their neighborhoods at that time,� said Wilkin, the bill�s chief author. �But the reality is that their special treatment is adversely affecting thousands of south metro commuters. One of the most common complaints that I hear from Eagan-area residents is about the speed trap and the other inconveniences of that stretch of highway.� Wilkin said that the reduced speed on I-35E from W. 7th Street to I-94 in St. Paul for sound reasons is unusual, especially since the stretch of road has sound walls and special surfacing materials that residents of Eagan and Burnsville do not benefit from. He adds that many Eagan and Burnsville neighborhoods are located physically closer to the highway than Crocus Hill residents. The Legislature is not bound by the agreement between those residents and MnDOT, but will consider an engineering and traffic investigation into whether the higher speed limit is reasonable and safe. ====================================================== You can track the bills status in the Senate at: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us:8181/SEARCH/BASIS/sstat/public/www/DDW?W=FILE_SEARCH+INC+'SF989'+AND+LS_YEAR+=+83+AND+SESSION_NUMBER+=+0 The House bills status can be tracked at: http://pigseye.revisor.leg.state.mn.us:8181/SEARCH/BASIS/hstat/public/www/DDW?W%3DSESSION_NUMBER+%3D+0+AND+SHORT_DESCRIPTION+PH+WORDS+%27I-35E%27+ORDER+BY+FILE_NUMBER/Ascend%26M%3D2%26K%3DHF092702003%26R%3DY%26U%3D1 Dan Dobson Summit Hill - Saint Paul 651-227-4376 [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Get better spam protection with Yahoo! Mail. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools _____________________________________________ SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
