I am not sure of the cost of the proposed North Star Line, I just tried to Google it, to no avail, but if memory serves me correctly the full 80 mile length was suppost to cost around $250 million dollars.
Now Mayor Kelly wants to spend $44 MILLION on a three mile section of highway, excuse me, Parkway. I will bet $100 right now, that when the EIS is released later this month, there is virtually NO discussion about other ways to spend this kind of money. But Erik is right, $44 million would go a long way to building the Red Rock Line to Hastings and a link to the airport. Also a source inside City Hall has told me that City Attorney Manual Cervantes has or will issue an opinion that the City Council has NO ROLE in the final Ayd Mill Road determination. Dan Dobson Summit Hill [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- Erik Hare <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > This is generating a lot of very good commentary! > > There is one more angle we need to consdier here, > which is the simple > reality that while Midway has as many jobs as > Downtown, the freeway access > is comparatively terrible. As someone who until > recently commuted around > Snelling and University, it was unbearable at 3:00. > Things all around > there are totally messed up. > > Now, Dakota County Commishes might be looking at > their little problem and > thinking that Ayd Mill will solve it. They're > hopelessly wrong, in that > there will ALWAYS be a problem getting to where the > jobs are. Getting to > Snelling of the 8-lane monster of I-94 is one thing, > but getting through > that region after 7:30 in the morning is next to > impossible. > > I think we have to push another solution. Ready? > (drum roll ...) > > There is a rail line right there at Montreal that > would, strangely, be the > best connection from downtown to the airport. It > would have to cross the > Mississippi around the Ford Plant, but other than > that it connects > Highland and a lot of other things. > > Somewhere in there is a perfect park and ride lot. > I don't know how the > times correspond with airport peaks, but I'm sure > that can be worked out > in part. By building the line from Hiwatha to > Highland to West Seventh to > Union Depot, all we need is the Red Rock Line to > take people the rest of > the way to an entirely new commuting corridor in > Midway. > > This would be far, far cheaper than any Lite Rail > plan along either > corridor, and likely cheaper than a direct (highway) > connection of Ayd > Mill. In addition, it would actually *solve* the > commuter crunch that is > generated by so many jobs and so little capacity. > > Erik Hare [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://home.comcast.net/~wabbitoid/ > Irvine Park, West End, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA, > North America, Earth > > Fine Amish furniture, cedar chests, and crafts > http://www.harmonycedar.com > > > > _____________________________________________ > To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ____________________________________________ > 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/ > _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________ 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/
