I don't know I get conflicting ideas from the City... on one hand they have this idea of Street cars which well might look cutsie are really a pain and don't adjust to the needs, wants, or changing needs of the community (rail tracks and all). On the other you have what is on the Cities website (which you should really take a look at http://www.ci.stpaul.mn.us/maps/DowntownMaps/index.html ). It happens to show LRT going down Univerisity going in and out of Downtown through what looks like Robert St to the Union Depot.
St Paul, Minneapolis the entire metro area was designed to be a place to drive your car (for goodness sakes we have one of the remaining DRIVE IN THEATERS in the East Metro). People in MN are attached to their cars and that is not likely to change. We might, if the transit system metro wide, is convenient enough, get a few people from WI, Northern, Western, and Southern suburbs to use LRT to get to and from work, but traveling to the airport and between DT's is not really gonna happen to as great a degree as I think (my Opinion) others believe.
LRT is very nice idea to bring people in and get them off the Interstates. But you have to do it smartly kinda like Chicago does. Pick a point (Union Station) and have all your communter trains from the burbs converge there, then it's just a matter of picking up either another train or a bus to reach your local destination. No where do Trolly's fit into a picture of a ever changing transit system needs.
The idea of connecting each of the DT's is nice, but not many are gonna wait for a train they will want to use their cars especially if it's a regular thing, but it is not really gonna solve the problem of 94, 280, 35W, 35E intersections being congested.
What strikes me odd is that in one single swipe, the Native American's could shut the yam holes of everyone now wanting a piece of their pie, by building a LRT to the Hinkley Casino. Not only would it be usable as a commuter rail but also to bring people to their Casino. It would be a move that would make so many people happy it would be a coup in public relations state wide for all the tribes.
--
Sincerely,
John Birrenbach
W 7th Neighborhood, St Paul MN
=== Political & Business Consulting ===
http://www.birrenbach.com/
======================================
The Counter to Republican Radio
http://www.airamericaradio.com/
======================================
"Six years on the council has trained me to feign interest for long periods of time"
Chris Coleman Jan 21, 2004
+++++++++++++++
_____________________________________________
To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________
St. Paul Topics - This Week: Light Rail http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul-topics _____________________________________________ 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/
