University Avenue and its neighborhoods need this,
University Ave doesn't need to have a train running down the center of the street effectively making it harder for people to cross the street to get to the other side.
and the downtowns need it
I agree that we do need it... The route it takes is what the real question.
There have been some quams about running it down the already inplace Interstate. One was lack of room for it. If you have really looked at the I from DT to 280 you notice that they have plenty of room to add entrance ramps. There is plenty of room if some of the slopes were taken back.
The thought that this will help the businesses along University if it only runs down University says alot for the riders, or the type of riders that will use the thing. Will they be shoppers headed to the Midway or one of the many new places that have popped up, or will they be commuters and people that need to go from one DT to the other?
If they are shoppers, University Ave is only a couple of short blocks from the Interstate. Or are you saying that if it doesn't run right down University people are too lazy and will continue to use their cars to go shopping rather than walk a couple blocks? What about the increased number of Businesses on Marshall? A transit system that runs down the Interstate benefits both sides equally, or are we gonna leave the mostly African American and Poorer area south of the I out of the benefit?
If they are commuters, as we are told they will be people from the burbs leaving their cars at home, then they are not interested in shopping, so why do they need to run down an already overcrowded University Ave?
We have lots of places where mass transit could be placed, with PRT put in places where it makes sense, tying into the current buss system.
I do find it interesting that we are not getting much out of those that actually live or work along University Ave in this discussion, it would be nice to know their thoughts.
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Sincerely,
John Birrenbach
W 7th Neighborhood, St Paul MN
=== Political & Business Consulting ===
http://www.birrenbach.com/
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"Six years on the council has trained me to feign interest for long periods of time"
Chris Coleman Jan 21, 2004
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Unless it is something you think I will find funny don't reply personally, if it's relevant to a post I made then post it to the list for everyone to see. I have no problem being challenged in public. Challenge me in private and you take your chances.
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