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Because it undermines the Minneapolis Plan
From the Minneapolis Plan:
"Transit Service and Existing Growth Centers"
"Minneapolis' existing growth centers, in downtown, at the
University of Minnesota and at the Honeywell [now Wells Fargo]/Hospitals
Complex in South Minneapolis, must continue to have high quality
transit service. These transportation links are essential to preserve
the accessibility and therefore competitiveness of unique destinations"
So how does reality measure up to the Plan?
Downtown is now equipped with light
rail, bike lanes, and a myriad other pedestrian and transit facilities.
The University has two shiny new pedestrian
bridges, bus shelters, more traffic calming, and increased bus service.
The Hiawatha Corridor is getting the
region's first light rail line, an investment of around $750 million,
along with increased bus service.
The Wells Fargo/Hospitals complex
is getting the 35W Access Project, complete with new freeway ramps
and a widened right-of-way for new highway lanes, to be built ten
years from now.
This last project is so out-of-step with our city's Plan it is
embarrassing.
People who bus to work are also pedestrians. They stop and shop,
wave to neighbors and best of all, keep cars off of the roads. The
Minneapolis Plan calls for a vibrant pedestrian and transit center
at the Wells Fargo/Hospitals complex in South Minneapolis.
Therefore, the automobile-focused Access Project should be scrapped
for something that respects our City and the people that live here,
and that recognizes that freeway building is an antiquated solution
that creates more problems than it solves.
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