11-28-1994 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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ii‘%- ;, "'^I* -------^pr- i :■ Hitfhvav 12 Expansion What can he done??? ►r-''£v: Ki' i- .v-l . •-. <• -S. . mm'- ^hinkins that I*« <oxn« to #*laborate on one of the obvious solutions: n ;i' \. V- The cne that sent ions tliat if the Burlington Northern tracks tfould be used for **light rail transit** that, all of the problens of western Henneuin counties' access to the setropolitan ares would be solved. (and we reslly would have a Minnesota depsrteent of ^l•ansportation not a Minnesota depsptnent of highways). Well, that is a good solution, but I'll be dead and buried before I ever see any light rail (or subwav) svstee in this setro ares (and I've got 30 years to <o). ,SS» ■ ‘V- ■ f . 2) N- 1 The one that sent ions that If you go out onto highway 12 during rush hour. %cu'll notice over BOX of the cars with only one person In then ana U’ soneone would setup a toll booth and start charging ono person urs 30 cents an axle, the nuaber would be reduced substaiitirillv. thereby avoiding a new highway all together, (that's Iiecause in 10 - 13 years the “electrcnic viilagn" that we hssr so such about -ill begin %o take shape in this setro ares. "Tels- connuting'" will begin to replace "auto-coanuting" sad reduce the nuaber o:' autoaobiles on the roadways during rush hours). i»5Vr-'.'v 3) »!• ' , -V The one that says that MnDot should reassess ths corridors that they already discardegi. including reassessing the widening of highway 5S west t.\ Rockford. U1 that does is aove the problea froa thoao of us III thi» south corridor to one of our other iieishbors. S » <*■■•1 .V ■ ‘■f The one that mentions leaving US hlgliway 12 on the existing Tliose who live next to the existing hizhway sade their decision in full Vcnscience of, the traffic. (There’s even a new hoaae in Independence (dust outside of Maple Plain on the west) which Is about 1000 feet froa highway 12 and 300 feet ^ froa the Burlington Norther:i tf-cks. ■.«u this nerson v:>ssibly ronplsin about an upgrade:: roidbed b«>causc of sore noise «jp air pollution???) No. this solution in a bit acre avant garde". I propose a tunnel. Now before you fall out of your chair laughing (since a tunnel is a very expensive undertaking) lets review .luickiv two itens: iSi- .1 tr.V The Concept It's incortant for MnUot to rethink how you're approaching the areas of Long Lake. OrOno. Independence and Maple Plain. MnOot has gdt to liegtn t'* think of this area as one large l.'ie^ur one very large aoiintain. The way to get auto'a froa one side to another is eitlier a large bridge (like the one crossins Lake Poncetrsin Just outside \*ew Ori?;insi .r a tunnel. I opt for rr.e tunnel. Vou see,^Valerie. If MiiD***t v.jild heair. to think of this area ns ’mutouchable", then a tunnel i -oooes your oiilv option. . -T^21 T|ie advantages of a tunnel (in this situation) are nuaerous: a) b) c) d) e) tunnel doesn't disrupt trees, birds cr the habitat. * tiiunei doesn’t soiit connunities. tunnel doesn’t drain the w«*tlands or daasge Long Lake or E.iker ?'*.rk or the neighborhoods of Orono and Independence. \ t:innei doeari’t have to be piv-^-'d in the winter. • tunnel doesn't require v**rv r.!inv liouaes to be tom down. CJr- .J? ; i' ^tTAeBTvyea-^TTr'WMii ~i —.r.*> -■r.' m