Feb 5, 2008 7:56 pm US/Central
The Future Of The Light Rail Line Debated
(WCCO)
-
-
The University of Minnesota is the third biggest traffic generator in the state behind downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, with 80,000 people coming and going daily. (File)
Metro Transit
The future of the light rail line between Minneapolis and St. Paul faces some crucial decisions in the next few weeks. One of the biggest considerations is where it'll run at the University of Minnesota.
As of now the route would run above ground down Washington Avenue to Snelling Avenue, and continue to downtown St. Paul. University of Minnesota administrators say it's the wrong way to go.
The University of Minnesota is the third biggest traffic generator in the state behind downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, with 80,000 people coming and going daily.
"The traffic can get especially bad if you're trying to drive through here. It can be pretty slow," said U of M Junior Annalee Hanson.
More than 60 percent of those who come to campus don't even drive to the university. That's why the placement of light rail is so important to the University.
"We believe that either the train needs to go below ground or the traffic needs to go somewhere else, or the train needs to go somewhere else," said
U of M Vice President Kathleen O'Brien.
The Metropolitan Council's plan has it running down the center of Washington with a land of one way traffic on each side.
"It'll be better if they build it above ground on Washington Avenue for one. There's lots of people in this area," said
St. Paul resident Renee Jones.
Some pedestrians disagree that above ground is better.
"I would definitely say underneath right now. Although I would assume that would be a little more expensive," said U of M Freshman Kurt Dornfeld.
Going underground would cost an estimated $200 million more.
"And that'll probably come from our taxes," said Hanson
A third option is to take it off the Washington Avenue bridge and reroute is over an old railroad bridge through Dinkytown.
A spokesperson for the Met Council Chair Peter Bell said he isn't interested in debating today which route is the best to take on campus. He did talk about it on Monday in his state of the region address.
"If they demand all of the bells and whistles, sadly there may be no train," said Bell.
Both sides say they're working on a compromise. A light rail listening session will be held Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. at the U of M Weismann Museum.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Royce White Pleads Guilty To Trespassing 15 mins ago
Mpls. FBI Search For Robbery Suspect 17 mins ago
Stumble It!
Reporting
