[Mpls] True impact of Crosstown "victory"

[A.J.Colianni]

Sean,

Extremely well said.

While I am glad that the city did get concessions by pursuing the 
course of action that they did, I agree that there is a complete lack 
of vision on this whole problem of 35W south from downtown.

Why not extend an exclusive BRT lane all the way downtown? As soon as 
those BRT buses hit 46th street, they are going to be in the same 
congestion as everyone else. Besides.. are the people between 62 and 
downtown not trying to drive in as well? Or is it only people in Apple 
Valley that need rapid transit?

But if they had the vision to extend BRT the whole way, perhaps they 
would have seen an even better solution staring them in the face: An 
LRT expansion.

Vision. We need it. I don't care if LRT is more expensive now. I don't 
care if it's not "next in line" for LRT expansion. It's the right 
solution! A stopgap solution is just that: a $240 million dollar waste 
of money. In the long run, LRT will be cheaper for everyone involved... 
and it is actually an alternative to driving more and more cars 
through, as you said, the busiest interchange in the state.

This pretty much says it all:
> Finally, this project is not evaluated for its cumulative effect on 
> 35W.  The reconstruction is slated to run from Richfield north to 46th 
> Street.  Don’t forget, however, that another reconstruction project 
> (known as the 35W Access Project) picks up just north of 46th Street 
> and runs for almost 20 more city blocks.  The city said last August 
> that the full reconstructed stretch must be evaluated for its impact 
> on air, water, and noise.  To claim that these projects are distinct 
> and have no bearing on each other is misleading and a violation of 
> federal law.  Even the state now combines the $462 million projects, 
> using the oxymoronic name of “35W Corridor Improvement Project.”

When are we going to stand back and look at the big picture? When are 
we going to stand and realize that every road, rail, bus and car is 
part of the larger system?

Unfortunately, it's probably too late to force a change to an insanely 
great solution at this point. I guess we're all going to settle for 
"good enough for now" which by the time it is finished will be: "Not 
good enough."

Why can't we go for insanely great?

A.J. Colianni
HPDL

On Mar 18, 2005, at 10:01 PM, Sean Wherley wrote:

> City officials should be congratulated for securing the state’s 
> commitment to bus-rapid transit (BRT) on 35W.  By refusing to approve 
> the Crosstown Reconstruction last year, the city succeeded in getting 
> state funding for a BRT station at 46th Street, fewer property 
> takings, new bridges that allow for wider sidewalks, and more noise 
> walls lining the freeway.  All of that is good news.
>
> Before getting too excited about the state’s decision, however, it is 
> critical to assess the full impact of this “victory” and understand 
> what is about to hit south Minneapolis.
>
> In stepping back, we realize that the $240 million Crosstown project 
> fails to rectify traffic congestion on 35W - the state’s busiest 
> corridor, fails to address flooding in Minneapolis neighborhoods 
> lining the freeway, fails to reduce air and water pollution, fails to 
> protect some of the most vulnerable nearby residents – the poor and 
> people of color, and fails to assess the full impact of a highway 
> construction project running from Richfield almost to downtown.
>
> First, this project will not alleviate traffic congestion.  When I 
> attended a public meeting about the Crosstown Reconstruction Project 
> last year, I asked Tom O’Keefe of MnDOT when the proposed project 
> would reach traffic capacity.  He said: “day one.”  It only makes 
> sense; cars are like water, they fill all open spaces.  As new lanes 
> are built, cars will swarm them – making it nearly impossible to 
> discern improved traffic flow.
>
> Second, this project will exacerbate flooding problems.  The major 
> storm water tunnel that runs under 35W at 39th Street is already at 
> capacity during heavy rains and will worsen after the Crosstown 
> Reconstruction.  Flooding problems for several south Minneapolis 
> neighborhoods like Kingfield, Lyndale, and Whittier will be compounded 
> because the project will result in more than a 58-acre increase in 
> impervious surface.
>
> Third, this project will harm water quality.  According to the city, 
> the Crosstown Reconstruction “would appear to further impair water 
> quality of receiving waters, including the Mississippi River and 
> Diamond Lake which are already designated by the state as ‘impaired 
> waters,’ requiring further mitigation to remove pollutants.”  Is this 
> project a “victory” for the city if our main water source suffers as a 
> result?
>
> Fourth, this project heightens risks to the poor and people of color.  
> As 35W widens to ten lanes under this project and Crosstown widens to 
> as many as 13 lanes in some locations, it is the poor and people of 
> color who are hit hardest.  Look no further for an example than the 
> apartment complex located west of 35W and immediately north of Cub 
> Foods.  This structure will be most heavily impacted as the widened 
> freeway reaches closer to windows and doors, spreading fumes and the 
> ever deafening drone of traffic.
>
> Finally, this project is not evaluated for its cumulative effect on 
> 35W.  The reconstruction is slated to run from Richfield north to 46th 
> Street.  Don’t forget, however, that another reconstruction project 
> (known as the 35W Access Project) picks up just north of 46th Street 
> and runs for almost 20 more city blocks.  The city said last August 
> that the full reconstructed stretch must be evaluated for its impact 
> on air, water, and noise.  To claim that these projects are distinct 
> and have no bearing on each other is misleading and a violation of 
> federal law.  Even the state now combines the $462 million projects, 
> using the oxymoronic name of “35W Corridor Improvement Project.”
>
> I hope that state, county, and city officials will reevaluate the true 
> benefits of this project and decide if they should hold out for 
> something more meaningful, effective, and environmentally-conscious.  
> The creation of a BRT lane notwithstanding, the Crosstown project 
> almost seems “retro” in its dependence on road building and hopes for 
> getting us around faster.  I think we can do better.
>
> Sean Wherley
> Kingfield
>
>
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