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From the Kingfield Neighborhood Association
Resolution on the
I-35W Access Project
Adopted by the KFNA Board on March 12, 2003
Whereas the I-35W Access Project began
as a small initiative and has expanded into an estimated $163 to
$178 million project that includes the following components:
a.. New northbound entrance and southbound exit ramps at Lake Street
b.. Flyover northbound ramp to 28th Street
c.. Relocation of the 35th/36th Street ramps to 38th Street
d.. Reconfiguration of the 5th Avenue entrance ramp
e.. Widening of Lake Street by a minimum of two lanes in each direction
in the Nicollet-Lake area
f.. New auxiliary lanes on 35W
g.. Additional lane and related improvements on the I-94 westbound
flyover ramp
h.. Traffic mitigation and landscape enhancements throughout the
project area
Whereas there are no simple or inexpensive
solution for new Lake Street area ramps; and
Whereas the benefits of access and
economic development of the project are unquantified, uncertain
and do not justify the monetary cost and impacts of the project;
and
Whereas the public funds to support
this project are not, and are unlikely to be, available in the foreseeable
future; and
Whereas there are serious public concerns
about the neighborhood impacts of this project, namely:
a.. Increased traffic volume, noise and pollution in the project
area and beyond, disproportionately affecting the 38th Street area
with the building of new ramps in the Kingfield neighborhood and
the Lake Street area in the Whittier neighborhood
b.. Widening of Lake Street
c.. Loss of 17 housing units on Second Avenue
d.. Loss of parking at the 38th and Nicollet business district
Whereas there are serious public concerns
regarding MN/DOT's requirement that the Access Project accommodate
the creation of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-35W, which
would add a new freeway lane in each direction and $45 million to
the cost of the Access Project; and
Whereas, the KFNA is sympathetic to
and desires to find a solution to the problems underlying the Access
Project, namely:
a.. Traffic volume, congestion and speed
b.. Blight at the Lake Street and the 35th/36th Street ramp areas
c.. Limited and/or difficult access from the freeway to hospitals
and businesses in the Lake Street area
d.. Lack of adequate public transit in the area
Whereas KFNA believes that there
are less expensive solutions to these problems that are in line
with the City's development and transit goals and, which can better
support the population and business growth in South Minneapolis
than the I-35W Access Project plan;
KFNA hereby proposes the following
vision and alternative recommendations for the Lake Street area:
a.. Promote transit first as a way to improve access, reduce traffic
congestion and create a pedestrian friendly urban landscape in the
Nicollet-Lake area and I35W corridor.
b.. Retain the existing Lake Street and 35th/36th Street ramps with
no new ramp construction
c.. Widen Lake Street in each direction by one lane, which would
serve as a dedicated bus lane to improve regular and limited-stop
bus service on the route
d.. Convert an existing freeway lane in each direction, from 46th
Street to Lake Street, to an LRT or BRT lane, in place of the proposed
new HOV lanes
e.. Sustain and increase bus service on all major thoroughfares
from Lake Street to 46th Street and from Lyndale Avenue to Chicago
Avenue.
f.. Provide a bus stop at 46th Street to connect to I-35W express
bus service. Develop a circulator bus system to transport people
to the 46th Street stop.
g.. Create park and ride lots in appropriate locations on the borders
of the City and provide bus service to the Lake Street area businesses.
h.. Modify the neighborhood-developed mitigation plans for the Access
Project to cleanup, improve and beautify the current Lake Street
and 35th/36th Street ramp without new ramp construction. Mitigation
measures should minimally include:
a.. Rebuilding the I-35W Lake Street bridge with a transit station
serving South Minneapolis
b.. Redeveloping the Nicollet-Lake area streetscape as a pedestrian
friendly and transit oriented commercial zone
c.. Building new 35th/36th Street bridges
d.. Converting 35th and 36th Streets to two-way and redeveloping
the streetscape from Lyndale Avenue to Chicago Avenue
e.. Replacing the existing soundwalls and converting the adjacent
2nd and Stevens Avenues to greenway boulevards
f.. Creating a traffic management plan for the Lake Street to
36th Street area
g.. Installing bumpouts, crosswalk treatments and other traffic
calming on 1st and Blaisdell Avenues
i.. Establish a community process to bring together impacted communities
and to develop a community plan for improved access to hospitals
and community businesses and a redeveloped, transit-oriented, walkable
and pedestrian friendly Lake Street area.
-- online at http://www.mnforum.org/pipermail/mpls/2003-March/022572.html
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