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<br /> ongestion
<br /> Continued from page lA
<br /> with oroiects like MnPas� I-494, compared to Ply- Commission, which common to ask developers
<br /> on I-394. mouth's two. includes representatives to pay for road improve- OIl tC8I1Slt
<br /> �Aighway planning and Plymouth contends tltat from Bloomington, Eden ments, and it's even a
<br /> corridor studies will�ive because adding a dedicat- Prairie, Edina,Minneton- practice done regularly by The Twin Cities transit system has 218 regular routes
<br /> priority to alternatives that ed lane in Minnetonka is ka, Plymouth and MnDOT and the Met and its dial-a-ride System that covers most of the seven
<br /> include high-occupancy unlikely,an expansion proj- Richfield. Council. counties.That requires:
<br /> �r�icle IHOVJ anrl h;oh- ect in Plymouth would Julie Wischnack, Min- "But they don't talk ���aO regular-route buses
<br /> occuDanTv t�ll_____I____�H(�TI probably not include one netonka community about that in their plan," 27 light-rail vehicles
<br /> lan s,bus-onlv shoulders. either,which could keep a development director,said Wischnack said. a6� dial-a-ride buses
<br /> priced dynamic-shoulder standard third lane there the Met Council's plan [o Wischnack also found
<br /> lanes and othe�r�n�;+ confined to blueprints. make expansion a low pri- the plan lacking on [he 1Q� park and�itles(with 19,000 spaces)
<br /> advantages ttiat offer an Plymouth also stated its ority could be a concern topic of travel demand �50 miles of bus-only shoulders
<br /> alternative to rongP�+��n" concern that increased con- for some areas of the city. management plans for
<br /> thP�la„ �rarP� gestion will lead to more "That doesn't add a lot specific sites.The plans, �0 miles Of bus-only lanes on city streets
<br /> Juetten said that drivers taking local roads, of capacity and it doesn't often used by large $$ ramp meter bypasses
<br /> MnDOT has told the city which would lead to more address congestion,"Wis- employers, can manage �8 miles of HOVJHOT lanes including the
<br /> something similar—that it maintenance costs for chnack said. how people get to and I-394 reverslble HOT lane and
<br /> would be happy to look at cities. She also said the plan from sites, how transit is
<br /> funding for a widening of "The hope is there's could've included more used and traffic prevent- 7 mlles of exClusive busway.
<br /> I-494 if Plymouth would assurances the system will about private partnerships. ing measures ]ike
<br /> ]ook at solutions such as a still function so that traffic Minnetonka, for telecommuting,staggering On bieyeling
<br /> dedicated lane. isn't thrown into the city's instance,has worked with employee start times and
<br /> "Yet tl�at's not what was lap,"Juetten said. UnitedHealth Group, building cafeterias in The region is known nationwide for its bicycle facilities
<br /> done south of us. We're While Plymouth sent a which paid for improve- office buildings. and high levels of biCycling.Citing other surveys,the
<br /> concerned we're being separate letter to the Met ments on Bren Road, and "A lot of communities plan states that approximately�U �BPGellt of all
<br /> looked at differently,"Juet- Council to comment on the with the Opus Corp., are doing those plans as a employees who work in one of the major employment
<br /> ten said. transportation plan,Min- which paid for work on requirement of new devel- clusters ir1 the Twin Cities live less than
<br /> Minnetonka enjoys three netonka provided its input Green Circle Drive. opments but I don't see a � �iII�S from their workplace.Nearly 14 IIBf(°eNl�
<br /> lanes in each direction of via the I-494 Corridor Wischnack said that iYs collective effort to analyze
<br /> or determine the effective- of all trips in the region are less than one mile long and ,
<br /> ness of those plans,"she close to 4O �1�fGBllt are less than 3 miles.
<br /> We are sa e•••sound••• said. Source:Me[ropolitan Council
<br /> However, the Met
<br /> and haue money to iend ���n��� W�ll support a
<br /> � wide range of [ravel ed state motor vehicle nearly the level of nev
<br /> demand management ini- sales tax(MVST)revenues transportation revenue
<br /> So kiss your banker good-bye..■ tiatives and pledges to to transportation,instead originally expected," th�
<br /> y,;�, support the efforts of of having nearly half the plan states.It projects tha
<br /> �,'��, . building managers to money go to the state's after the revenues are ful
<br /> `` ^ reduce congestion, the general fund. ly phased in, collection;
<br /> ' e �i � , ;��a' ;r.s. plan states. Earlier this year, the would ]ikely need h
<br /> �, �" �
<br /> M �Ns� ' ��y��yst±, The Met Council plan State Legislature passed a increase by 3-5 percent pei
<br /> �§�; l ��� ,A�.i i also includes chapters on bill that increased the gas year just to maintain exist
<br /> ' 6�� ' '` .y,,;.q{� transit,freight movement, tax,the vehicle registration ing levels of service.
<br /> h �� �
<br /> �` ��i��y���'S :� �� ,���� � pedestrians and bicydists, taac and allowed metro-area MnDOT is still workin E
<br /> • ���a'� +s ��`' transportation finance and counties to pass a quarter- out how the gas tax rev
<br /> ' � other issues. cent sales tax for transit, enue wil]be spent.But the
<br /> � Regarding highway which the Hennepin Met Council plan state�
<br /> And �oin the new direetion in banking. p�anning,it "represents a County Board of Commis- that at the current timc
<br /> major shift in direction,"it sioners later passed. , there isn't enough fundin�
<br /> states. The gas tax increase is for highway expansior
<br /> ���� ��� being phased in,and will projects.
<br /> 1� - What became of tax votes? be an increase of 8.5 cents And it notes the
<br /> '[���'!� � �' Voters may be wonder- per gallon by 2012. increased costs for con
<br /> k; ing why transportation But a troubling decline struction materials anc
<br /> , �;; funding is insufficient,giv- in MVST revenue thought labor.
<br /> en recent initiatives in to be caused by a sagging "The bottom]ine is tha�
<br /> TI]E' 17C Ifl/C�IY£'CtlOt7 ll"J EJC71l{�/17t3. 2006 and 2008. economy and a saturated it is not possible lo meer
<br /> Corner of 101 North and Hwy 55 West • 763-235-6000 In 2006, voters vehicle market have meant al] of the transportation
<br /> approved a constitutional that"the falling total col- needs of the region,° the
<br /> www.WestFinancialCU.COfII amendment that dedicat- lections will not result in plan states.
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