[Mpls] auto anxiety

[David Greene]

Jason C Stone wrote:
> About a week ago I was trapped in congestion on 46th (if memory serves) and Hiawatha.  This
> morning, MPR confirmed my suspicion that there is no synchronization between the LRT and the
> street lights. 

More correctly, there is improper synchronization.  When a train
approaches an intersection, the lights change to allow traffic on
Hiawatha to proceed (seems reasonable).  The problem that I've
observed is that left turners off of Hiawatha can get into a
starvation situation where train comes, Hiawatha goes, cross
traffic from 46th/26th/etc. goes, train comes, ad nauseum.
Eventually the left turn light changes but it is longer than it
should be.

My observation is that this has improved in the last couple of
weeks.  At least my bus no longer sits at the 46th street turn
lane for 3-4 minutes.

I can't speak to traffic trying to cross Hiawatha.  I do see
rather long lines backed up at the Walgreens on 46th but I've
always seen long lines there.  Has this worsened?

BTW, anyone know why Minnesota Valley Transit continues to run
471 to 46th street and into downtown when we have a perfectly
good rail system heading the same way?  Why not just stop at
Ft. Snelling and avoid the traffic (rather than contributing
to it)?

                             -Dave