[Winona Online Democracy] More on Huff Street:
I'm glad bifurcated went over big :-) It's an accurate description...we are a long narrow community with tracks down the middle the entire way from Minnesota City to Louisa Street. We used to have 36 (?) crossings on the CP line in the city of Winona alone. We now have 11 (?). We are funneling all North-South traffic onto 7 (?...5th, 6th, 7th, and 10th are East-West) of these few streets. I bet a long train can block half of those crossings. It turns into a nightmare for drivers...it's at least a quality of life issue, at most a matter of life issue if emergency personnel are delayed (although I understand Winona Health now keeps an ambulance on both sides of the tracks...not sure how much of the time they are fully staffed at both locations). There are certainly productivity costs for Winonans given the status quo...I just want to be able to cross the tracks when I need to and not wait for a train. Ruth raised a great point about what cost progress in terms of land requirements. If her horror story in LaCrosse of an overpass is the huge viaduct on the north side I certainly agree with her. I'm hoping a Huff Street underpass would look more like the viaduct by HyVee in downtown Clinton (anyone else ever see that one?) than the Loring tunnel in Mpls. I presume that elevating tracks is part of the solution...Keith Nelson? I would appreciate a fact check from the Asst City Manager if I could get one. I think we got 2 million from the feds...which is being spent on design work...and yes, if we don't take it it will go to Alaska. Minnesota gets the shaft on federal spending...doesn't bother me a bit. Spending the half cent money on parks is not an option. We couldn't even get legislative approval for library spending with sales tax dollars...it had to be transportation infrastucture, at least that's my recollection. One more thing before I go...I think it would be awesome if a GRSF theater could be built to the east of the new art museum on Riverview Drive. I don't want to see anything eat up any part of Levee Park. Between Johnson and Winona Streets might also be a possibility...but I suspect land acquisition (Tri-Mac and an office building, I think) would be very pricey. Godfather's and the adjacent Peerless building on Walnut would be the other possibility, I suppose, if we want to keep the park as is...which I do. I wonder if that Peerless building could be gutted and house a theater? Godfathers (formerly Standard Lumber headquarters...and an historic building itself given its flood-proof design) would make a fine lobby with a skyway connecting the two...it's fun to think about what could be done. Bob Sebo Winona _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org
