I think Snelling is rated as a county highway
W7th is A highway as well #5 :-)
At 9:21 AM -0500 10/20/04, Tim Erickson wrote:
From what I've heard, only a section of W7th has been restriped, the busiest portions remain two lanes in each direction (is this correct).
I don't know that you can call the area that was re-striped as one of the least used section of W7th. Certainly not as busy as the area around Chestnut, but we do have plenty of Traffic on W7th (Much of it diverted purposely from 35E). Sure near DT it's like Snelling and 94, and to a lesser degree in the area that was re-striped. But there are several things to really consider about the area re-striped.
1. The area is a MAJOR truck route. With no trucks allowed on 35E, and the semi-industrial nature of the area of W7th we have lots and lots of trucks. Now put on some limits on trucks on W7th and divert them off onto Sheppard would be smart, but THAT didn't happen.
2. The area is an area that is for the majority has speed limits ABOVE 30 mph. YES much of W7th St actually has speed limits of 40mph. Only a very small portion (the area around the brewery) of that which was re-striped was in a 30 mph zone, the rest is 35-40 mph zones.
My own sense, as an amateur observer (without traffic statistics) is that W7th can handle the traffic, even reduced to one lane. I very much doubt that the same is true of Snelling.
Well there are many sections of Snelling I can think of that could be reduced to one lane. Particularly the area from Highland Highschool all the way down to Grand Ave, maybe even as far as Selby. From my casual observance of Snelling and comparing it to this section of W7th they have much the same sorts of traffic patterns (ie heavy in the morning and afternoon rushs, but slower the rest of the day).
I'm not convinced that the intention was really to divert traffic off of West 7th.
Well that is what those that wanted it have stated was the purpose, now your throwing conspiracy's around :-) ... But if we really wanted to reduce the traffic and in particular the Heavy Trucks would have been to put up inexpensive signs saying No Trucks, Local Delivery only, and signs on 35 diverting Trucks to Sheppard rather than up W7th (but then they can't get back to the freeway from Sheppard can they without going through DT). Reduce the speedlimits along all of W7th to 30 mph would have slowed alot of people from using the road (that is why they like it, get off 35 at 7th st head DT and you beat those on 35 during rush hour).
See this is why people are nervous about all of this, we have already been screwed over by "Traffic Experts" enough times already (35 E, Redesign of Sheppard Road) not to mention the number of times the City has told us "Don't Worry Be Happy, we are helping you" only to have it backfire leaves anyone who has lived down here long enough to be gun shy of any sorts of changes. Especially those that just suddenly appear as if by magic. We like our neighborhood the way it was when we moved in, that is why we moved here :-)
Any other ideas for streets that ought to be restriped?
In my prior post I explained a number that could. Under the same theory tossed out by the proponents of W 7th re-striping.
1. W7th could easily be re-striped all the way to Smith Ave, probably even to Grand Ave and a few blocks further.
2. Maryland both directions off of 35E
3. E7th St from just North of DT up to Arcade
4. Arcade from E7th St North I am not sure how far
5. Many sections of University Ave.. Rice St to Dale or even Hamline, from the otherside of Snelling all the way to the boarder with Mpls
6 Rice St from University Ave N to the RR tracks
7. Much of Snelling Ave S
8 All of Lexington Ave (especially north of University)
Heck we could probably even do Randolph Ave from W7th all the way to Snelling, Jefferson Ave (certainly the area from W7th all the way to Lexington).
I have had a chance to go all the way up and down the new stripped area, and frankly it's pretty silly. There are HUGH sections where there is no place to turn left and there is the Left Turn Lane.
On the other hand of course if I want to hang a U-Turn in the middle of the block so I can get to Dave's Gallery it's a whole lot easier cause I got that middle lane. I have yet to take the time to try it during the Rush Hour, when I suspect it's a nightmare.
--
Sincerely,
John Birrenbach
W 7th Neighborhood, St Paul MN
=== Political & Business Consulting ===
http://www.birrenbach.com/
======================================
"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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