Here in San Diego on the Trolley's Green Line, the campus of San Diego State University was a PRIMARY reason to build on to the campus (it could have passed on by). Westside approach is a 4 percent grade. With two tunnels (cut and cover) the longest being more than 1/3 mile and an underground light rail station with the buses overhead a true transit center was built that carries thousands of students and faculty daily to and from the campus. Parking at outlying SDTrolley stations is free, No longer are the on campus parking passes called "Hunting Permits". It doesn't replace the car, it's an adjunct to the car. It's also "green" technology. Why wouldn't an institute of higher learning WANT this on their campus?
If it wasn't for Jesse Ventura,we would not have light rail In Minnesota. If it were up to some of the people on the right that inhabit our legislature, transit in Minnesota would be cars and freeways only.We also have others at various levels in our state including the Metropolitan Council who have become instant transportation experts. They don't go to Ride Metra in Chicago or GO in Toronto, they listen to special interests who want light rail to meet their special needs, not move people. They have no clue whether light rail would work on a particular route. They think that a very limited schedule will do quite nicely. No service on Saturdays or Sundays or any off peak service for the new Northstar commuter rail? We in Minnesota are in the transit stone age; way behind Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Portland or Seattle, and Minnesota doesn't realize just how far behind we really are.
Where is Jesse Ventura, when you need him? Does UMN offer a major in "NIMBY-ism"? If not, they could import some highly experienced "professors" from nearby hotbeds in SD, or even NY, MA, and VA. I would bet they are just looking for 'grant money' to 'study' the percieved problem.
Hays, in the home of U of M (Montana, that is). Well, I guess there are about 16 other U of Ms., like Maine, Mass., Miss., etc.. Rather provincial, but they all call themselves "U of M". Then, again, they are educating our children, somewhat! Right?
I am absolutely convinced that it is one big lie that streetcars and autos cannot share a lane. They did so successfully in many large USA cities and do so in parts of Toronto and Portland OR and Philadelphia and lots of European cities today. I have never encountered an improvement in either transit service or the speed of traffic when buses replaced streetcars on streets except when: (1) the streetcars were old and decrepit and/or the track poorly maintained, (2) the track layout rediculous in terms of other traffic, like wrong-way running, bi-direcitonal single track in a bidirectional street, wye reversal of single-end cars at the end of the line in traffic, really bad loading and unloading locations, and readers can probably give a few other examples. Fortunately, now, Toronto and Philadelphia are free of such bad track arrangements. or at least relatively free. Of course, Private right of way or reserved lanes are better.
There are arguments that construction may affect research labs. However, they also claim that electromagnetic fields from the overhead wire may affect the labs. Don't tell them that the lines in their basement have much higher voltages.
And yes it may appear that this line is build in the wrong place, but there are those who believe in the "build it and tney will come" school of transit. The Hiawatha line has already met its ridership projections for 2020 (or something like that) and giving rail access to downtown St. Paul will change University Avenue forever. Since there is so little history of restoring rail service in urban areas, we don't really know how to estimate the effects of a rail system in an area previously unserved.
And for those not in the Twin Cities, there are at least 4 alternate routes between downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. Because of the large number of bus riders to the University of Minnesota, the planners can justify the proposed light rail line from the U riders. The only real problem with the chosen route is that most if it is street running down the major thoroughfare between the two cities. This will affect traffic on this street, but hopefully the fewer buses and cars will offset the loss of lanes to that street. Street cars failed in the Twin Cities because so much of it was street running and cars and trolleys couldn't survive together. And believe it or not, wherever the trolleys ran, the trolley company had to maintain that street. This was in spite of the fact the trolleys didn't cause wear and tear on the streets. This was an artifact of the original trolley franchises.
First of all, Washington Avenue through the University of Minnesota campus was a route of those big yellow streetcars TCRT used to run until 1954. I live in the Twin Cities and feel that the Hiawatha line was the right thing to do; But this central corridor is a MISTAKE and should not be built. Fifty years from now people will ask who the built this disaster waiting to happen. The University doesn't want it. The St Paul Fire Department asked just how do we answer fire calls from our two stations on University Avenue in St Paul. The Metropolitan Council doesn't seem to care about that either. They seem that they will build it regardless. This route has been served by Buses since 1954 and should be served by buses in 2054. There are many other areas in the Twin Cities who would benefit from Light Rail and commuter rail like the Northstar. The loons win,and the people lose.
Vibrations disturbing delicate research equipment? Hmmmmmmm...........I think we have heard this one before.
Why is Minnesota research equipment so much more delicate than anyone else's?
Could it be that vibrations from the construction would harm the research equipment?
As stated in the News Wire, the University of Minnesota objects to Light Rail through the middle of campus because all of the details have not been worked out. It claims the trains will destroy the solemnity of its research facility. The rail system will go down the main street through the campus. This road is filled with a hundred or so buses (including large articulated ones), trucks, cars, and every other type of vehicle. Some how these buses driving through a pot hole dotted street (especially after the spring thaw) don't shake the buildings, but the train driving on smooth track is going to knock every gerbil off his perch.
The U wants every engineering detail worked out so that it can determine if it will be affected. The rail system is still under design and wanting to provide those details later in the process.
This is another part of the Lawyer Full Employment Act.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.