[Mpls] Where is the mayor on the 35W expansion?

[Mark Knapp]

Mayor Rybak,

I was disappointed that you chose not to publicly oppose the 35W
Access Project on Tuesday.  I have enclosed a transcript of your
response to a direct question during a radio interview with Gary
Eichten.

On Wednesday, you wrote, "We were not elected to run the country's
foreign policy.  We were elected to run the city of Minneapolis,
where we have huge issues on our plate.  We need to keep focused on
them."

I suggest that the proposed construction on 35W is one of the largest
issues on your plate.  But your answer on Tuesday was not very
focused.  You seemed to admit that you have not been very involved in
the issue.

Considering the huge impact that the proposed project would have on
Minneapolis, I'm amazed by how quiet City Hall has been on this
issue.  You and many of the council members who serve with you were
elected because of your positions on the environment, corporate
subsidies, affordable homes, safe and livable neighborhoods, and your
support of transit, bicycling and walking -- all of which this
project would adversely affect.

Did you just say that stuff to get elected?  Why is it so difficult
for you to say "no" to a highway expansion project that destroys
affordable homes and small businesses to create a "viable
destination" for suburbanites?  Why is it so difficult for you to say
"no" to more infrastructure for air pollution, noise, and danger to
pedestrians and bicyclists?

Do you really accept the premise that more automobile traffic is
necessary to maintain the economic vitality of Lake Street?  Say it
ain't so, R.T!

This issue cries out for some leadership.  I respect your skills at
bringing people together, but we need elected officials who do more
than mediate community meetings.  We need elected officials who are
willing to stand up to Allina and Wells Fargo on behalf of a local
economy that does not need to be squeezed into a corporate, suburban
model.

I urge you to openly support the "no build" option.

Sincerely,

Mark Knapp
Kingfield

--------------------

Minnesota Public Radio -- Midday
http://news.mpr.org/play/audio.php?media=/midday/2002/12/03_midday1

46:04

Gary Eichten:  Ken, your question please ...

Ken:  Good morning, Mayor Rybak.  My question is ... Do you support
the 35W Access Project?

R.T. Rybak:  The 35W Access Project is one that has to do with how
the area around Lake Street, the former Honeywell ... now Wells Fargo
Mortgage area will come into play.  For people who are listening to
this, there are a number of different issues about how we get all of
this traffic into Lake Street and then into the new Wells Fargo area.

I think there are a couple of issues.  Number one is ... the most
important issue is to be able to keep the economic vitality of Lake
Street continuing.  Number two is we're going to be bringing a lot of
traffic into a residential area.  How do we get it into that without
damaging the neighborhood?

There's been a group that's come together, a citizen group, that we
have charged with trying to come up with something that will get them
and the businesses together.

At this point, that group has not come to closure on that.  I support
the work of that group.  And I think right now, as that group's had a
little bit of trouble coming together on it, one of the issues we, as
elected officials, probably have to do is to figure out a way to get
more support to get a better answer on that.

I've wanted the solution on that to be one that the neighbors and the
businesses in this committee can come together with a solution on. 
But at this point, it hasn't happened, and I think I'm going to have
to get more directly involved.



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