BEST WASHINGTON AVE. LRT PLACEMENT AND ALTERNATIVES DISCUSSED
Route decisions, cost reductions, and a timetable for the proposed 11-mile, $990 million, Central Corridor light-rail transit line between downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis were outlined in a nearly one and a half hour overview presentation and discussion at the PPERRIA meeting. In Prospect Park, the line would operate on University Avenue, turn at 29th Street, and then go west on 4th Street.

A meeting will be held in about two weeks in Prospect Park to present plans and designs for the 29th Street station and respond to questions. Central Corridor Outreach staff member Jessica Hill said she would arrange the meeting. Hill can be contacted at 651-602-1840 or by email at jessica.hill@metc.state.mn.us.

A resident complained that the presentation focused on the route in Ramsey County, but “zero about University Avenue” in Minneapolis. Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin said he had heard the questions raised at the meeting. “It’s not going to be run by Ramsey County,” he added. He acknowledged, however, that, “tonight’s presentation is off a bit.”

Chair of the PPERRIA livability committee Joe Ring offered questions for discussion at the next meeting. Ring recalled that PPERRIA had voted 16 to 19 to support the University Avenue light-rail alignment through Prospect Park. However, strong concerns were raised about traffic flow on University Avenue, he said. Questions were also raised about transit commuters parking in the neighborhood, he said.

The Metropolitan Council’s timeline for the light-rail project calls for construction to start in 2010 and transit operation to start in 2014, Gary Erickson, corridor assistant project director for design and engineering, said at the Jan. 28 meeting.

Erickson said the transit line is intended to ease traffic congestion, improve mobility, provide faster travel times, improve service dependability, and complement bus service. The line would connect major destinations, such as the two downtowns, the university, Midway, four major sports venues, as well as connect to the Hiawatha light-rail in Minneapolis, which goes to the airport and the Mall of America. Erickson said the Central Corridor light-rail line is intended to build on the success of the Hiawatha Line in Minneapolis.

Erickson said the cost of the project needs to be reduced to $840 million in order to meet federal funding guidelines. The line’s key decisions for cutting costs involve the possible routes in downtown St. Paul, the alignment across or around the U of M campus, and station locations and layouts in St. Paul, he said.

Erickson presented an overview of the project’s goals “The Central Corridor is often considered the backbone of a regional transit system,” he said. It would provide a connection involving the Northstar commuter rail line, the proposed southwest and northwest light-rail corridors, and the Red Rock commuter rail line from Hastings.

The bus network would not be reduced overall, except some reduction in the Central Corridor, he said. Erickson said the limited stop #50 bus on University Avenue would be eliminated, but light-rail would parallel that service. The #16 bus would be reduced in frequency from the current rush hour 7 to 10 minutes, to 15 to 20 minutes, he said. The 94 Express bus on I-94 would continue and be a competitor to the light-rail service.

The Met Council has said it wants to make cost saving decisions on Feb. 27. Council Chair Peter Bill has said the council favors a surface rail line on Washington Avenue across the East Bank campus. A surface route is expected to be less expensive than a tunnel under Washington.

Erickson said the deadline for submitting plans to the federal government is September. Approval could be expected in February 2009. Erickson described it as “a very significant date.”

Erickson said the project’s source of construction funds would be 50 percent federal, 33 percent state, 12 percent from Ramsey County, and 5 percent from Hennepin County. The county ratio reflects the fact that most of the line would be in Ramsey County.

Speaking on behalf of the mayor, Peter Wagenius, a senior policy aide to the mayor and a resident of Prospect Park, told the 50 people at the meeting that the city wants to determine the best way to get the transit line through Washington Avenue.

At the same time, alternative solutions, including a northerly route near Dinkytown, should be studied, Wagenius said. The study could be completed in advance of the September deadline for the Metropolitan Council to submit plans for the project to the federal government. But, the costs must meet the federal cost effectiveness index and meet an $840 million total cost.

The university has strongly favored a tunnel to avoid increasing vehicle congestion on the street and to reduce safety risks to pedestrians. A tunnel is considered more expensive to build than a street-level route.

Wagenius said the mayor is very aware of the need to reduce the project’s estimated costs. Still, “no one should assume that if the tunnel goes away, it will save $200 million,” he said, in a reference to costs associated an alternative proposal to route traffic around the campus if the line is built on Washington Avenue.

Wagenius said the future Granary Road, north of the Gopher stadium site, could reroute a significant amount of traffic around campus if, as the university is considering proposing, most traffic is removed from Washington Avenue to allow light-rail on the street. The university is also considering an expanded East River Road to reroute traffic around campus.

“We’ll work with Congressman James Oberstar and 5th District Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison in seeking acceptable plans, even if it can’t be paid for all at once,” Wagenius said. “We’re going to look at all the affects on neighborhood streets,” he said, adding that traffic analysis and traffic mitigation plans were needed, “so it’s not guaranteed to be a traffic disaster.”

A resident said he commutes across the Washington Avenue bridge and that, if the light-rail train is at-grade on Washington Avenue, “take cars off Washington Avenue. Don’t mix trains and cars, people will die.” PPERRIA board member Paul Zerby said if the transit line operates on the street, “You’ve got a disaster waiting to happen with students crossing.” Zerby added that a delay in the project to study alternatives “may be worth it.”

Zerby suggested that all the concerns point to proposing the northerly route, through Dinkytown. Wagenius said, however, students wouldn’t want to walk to it.

Board member Phil Anderson asked if the transit line could be built to go above Washington Avenue across campus. He said aesthetics problems could be handled. Met Council’s Erickson said the grade would be too steep for the light-rail vehicles. They cannot negotiate more than a 6 percent grade, he said.

Erickson said a study of alternatives could delay the project by a year. He said inflation would increase costs. He noted that the tunnel design had to be lengthened after the TCF Bank Stadium site was placed on the light-rail alignment. However, he said a new location proposed for the Stadium Village light-rail station would improve access and serve university buses better.

Erickson said Met Council engineers are looking into proposing a “much less expensive” shorter tunnel under Washington Ave., with an above ground station at Coffman Union.

Laughter and conversation started when Erickson noted the option of eliminating traffic on Washington Avenue if light-rail is on the street. He asked rhetorically, “What happens to the traffic?”

Erickson also noted that the university asked the Met Council to study the northern alignment near Dinkytown and that the university would pay for the study. Erickson commented that the northern route is far from the riders at the center of campus.

The Met Council has scheduled a series of public meetings to outline the Central Corridor project and to listen to comments about the project, Erickson said. See www.centralcorridor.org for information. Comments may be sent to centralcorridor@metc.state.mn.us.

I-94 NOISE SOUND WALL NOW SEEMS LIKELY
Livability committee chair Joe Ring reported that it now looks likely that funding will be available for installation of a noise sound wall along I-94 and that ground breaking could be held in the spring of 2009.

Ring said a neighborhood meeting of more than 100 people in November and a MNDoT meeting with Sen. Larry Pogemiller in December had been successful. “Miraculously, MNDoT can tie us (Prospect Park) into the detour,” Ring said, referring to MNDoT highway detour arrangements following collapse of the I-35 bridge.

Ring said MNDoT had decided to go ahead with plans to add permanent lanes to I-94 when the department found it was able to remove snow from the temporary lanes.

Ring said MNDoT will also conduct a new sound study in Prospect Park along I-94 to “get us up in ranking” for a sound wall project. He noted that the city of Lauderdale has reconsidered its opposition to sound wall installation on Highway 280 and wants sound walls now that there is more traffic due to the bridge detour.

TASK FORCE RENAMED
A vote approved a name change for the University/4th Street Resident Task Force to simply 4th Street Task Force. The committee intends to monitor development proposals for the Hubbard Broadcasting land. The university recently decided against purchase of the site to build a parking lot and future development.

MEMBERSHIP BYLAW CHANGES PRESENTED
Changes in PPERRIA bylaws proposed by a task force were presented and discussed. The board of directors will vote on the changes in February or March.

PPERRIA President Dick Poppele said the membership rules are the most restrictive of the 86 neighborhoods in the city. But, now the city is changing how it relates to neighborhoods, Poppele said. Therefore, the board is considering By-Law changes “to be more responsive,” he said. “The changes would signal that we want to cooperate with the city. If we’re not recognized as a neighborhood organization by the city, I don’t see how our voice will be heard,” he said.

Task Force Chair Paul Zerby said existing bylaws exclude students and business owners in PPERRIA membership. “It’s been a very contentious issue,” Zerby said.

The task force proposes to relax membership rules and make membership open to all residents of Prospect Park, as well as to one representative of businesses and organizations within the neighborhood boundaries. Also proposed are amendments to reduce the board membership by half to 20, reduce the number of officers to five, and provide for the chairs of the standing committees to be on the executive committee.

Zerby said benefits of expanding membership would include a couple thousand dollars from the city for citizen participation expenses. Benefits would also mean the city planning department would be obligated to give the neighborhood 45 days notice about development proposals, and to give the neighborhood technical support in evaluating proposals.

Zerby said there are concerns that the changes would alter the character of the neighborhood adversely. Board director Andy Mickel said he has been in the neighborhood 35 years and that the meetings have been like town meetings. He raised a concern that changes will lead to a drop in attendance and that board membership would become exclusive.

Zerby said the proposed changes are intended to reach a reasonable balance. “I would hope we could continue to have the town hall meetings,” he said, adding that task force members hope the bylaw changes will result in two operating meetings, the executive committee and a membership meeting. “The board just doesn’t appear in the picture,” he said. At the same time, “We’re trying to make clear the responsibility of the board to manage this organization,” he said.

Former PPERRIA president Joe Ring said it is tough to be the PPERRIA president, who confronts real issues, such as fiduciary responsibility. “It was horrible to get people to volunteer. We need to think very strongly about change,” Ring said.

Zerby asked for further comments. His email is pgzerby@yahoo.com.

U ALLIANCE LOOKING FOR PROJECT IDEAS
President Dick Poppele announced that the University District Partnership Alliance is looking for more ideas for a demonstration project.

The Alliance was established recently after it was proposed in last year’s University of Minnesota Area Neighborhood Impact Report. It outlined ways to make improvements around the Minneapolis campus. The 2007 Legislature provided funding for a demonstration project and asked for a report in 2009. Partners in the Alliance are the university, the city of Minneapolis, and neighborhoods and business organizations in the campus area.

Information and a request for ideas form are available at: www.community.umn.edu/alliance.

COMCAST PROBLEMS?
Former president Steve Cross announced that a group of residents south of I-94 are having problems with Comcast cable operation. Cross asked others to let him know if they are also having problems.

Board member Andy Mickel said helpful information might be available at a website. He apologized for the name, however. It is: www.comcastmustdie.com.

FUTURE OF MINNEAPOLIS NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS
Ward 2 Council Member Cam Gordon reported that the city will hold information meetings on a neighborhood reorganization plan. The Framework for the Future recommends $2 million a year to be allocated to assist neighborhood organizations. The next information session is Monday, Feb. 4, 12-1:30 p.m., Room 319, City Hall. For information, see: www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/communications/communityengagement.asp.

NEXT MEETING: Monday, February 25 2008.

MEETINGS:
4th Monday of the month, 7 p.m., unless otherwise announced. Refreshments, conversation 6:30-7 p.m. Prospect Park United Methodist Church, 22 Orlin Ave. SE

CONTACT: 612-331-2970, 66 SE Malcolm Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55414; pperria@tcfreenet.org, www.pperr.org

last revised: March 4, 2008

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