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from Councilmember Dean Zimmermann
Printed in The
Pulse, issue of October 2 2002:
Planning for Lake Street Ramps to and from 35W has been underway
since 1997, following an Allina Health Systems and Abbott Northwestern
Hospital-commissioned transportation study. Funding for the ramps
project is primarily federal, but requires a local match from State,
County, and City funds. As with most highway projects, this one
is moving at a glacier’s pace, but it is still moving. It will
take a broad coalition to melt the glacier or redirect its course.
Here are a few of the ways I have been working to influence this
project:
My appointee to the Project Advisory Committee (PAC), John Kremer
of the Whittier neighborhood, has been one of the most effective
and outspoken neighborhood advocates.
I have tried hard to keep separate the re-opening of Nicollet Avenue,
which is a very desirable goal, from the ramps project.
My staff and I have participated in numerous meetings of neighborhoods,
of businesses, and of elected officials.
I have repeatedly said that adding a dedicated bus lane or a rail
line to the 35W corridor would be a good thing, and I am willing
to rebuild the bridges to accommodate these transit options. However,
bridges to accommodate HOV lanes only are unacceptable. Additional
lanes will only add to congestion on the highway and in the City.
I have continually proposed one ramp from northbound 35W to 28th
Street. This would meet the goal of getting workers to the job centers
at Abbott Northwestern Hospital and Wells Fargo and would minimize
neighborhood disruption of the larger project.
In addition to the problems associated with adding ramps at Lake
Street, I believe they would fail to manage traffic effectively.
Traffic entering on a northbound entrance lane to the freeway would
not be able to weave across to westbound 94 during rush hour. Traffic
entering the freeway system from the current 5th Avenue ramp can
already go either to northbound 35W or eastbound 94. In addition,
the 5th Avenue ramp is downstream of the major congestion on the
curve in 35W northbound.
There would be little value in adding an exit ramp from southbound
35W to Lake Street for the major job centers. Most of the traffic
arriving from the north comes in from Hiawatha Avenue to 26th Street.
The ramps project will cost at least $150 million. An investment
of $150 million would be better spent on light rail to clean up
the atmosphere and relieve traffic congestion.
As I said before, it will take a large and strong coalition to
influence this project for the better. I welcome Mr. Avidor’s
and others’ involvement.
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