HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 01-14 Maplewood, Move MN outline city's transportation needs MAPLEWOOD REVIEWlike remnants of the
�z
crumbling pavement
reveal its poor condition.
-�
"Snowshoe 1s i
N
submitted photo
pretty rough shape. It's
A stretch of Frost Avenue shows the result of the first phase of the Gla6stone
just deteriorating," says
_
Redevelopment project, complete With landscaped medians, new lamppoles
Mayor Nora Slawik, look-
sidel e
ing out the car window
on a tour of the city's
_., 4,
nothing new. In the 2015
like highway, and bridge In preparation, Mayor
local transportation needs
Erin, Hinrichs /Review
Legislative Session,; how-
reconstruction. Slawik has been working
with the :city engineer
Potholes and crumbling pavement along' Snowshoe
ever, ,she'd Tike to see a
"People are going from on the "84 Percent" oali-
and a representative of
Land are not scheduled for repairs until 2017, unless
portion of the proposed
a city; to a county, to a 'tion, with other mayors,
Move MN, a state -wide
the city finds an alternative source of revenue.
transportation package
state toad all in a matter of to come up with a stray-
coalition advocating for
"
earmarked for local trans-
minutes," she says, adding ,egy for securing a portion
more transportation fund-
Coordination, cost receiving calls from resi-
portation projects, which
it's about "raking sure
ing.
the Issues dents who live along
are often overshadowed
the whole system is better see Maplewood
JAN 14 2015
For Mayor Slawik,' roads in need of repair is
by demands for things,
funded." on Page
JAN 1 4 ' 2015 • •
a 1ewood/.M�r, � osees issue as Ibipartisan
continued from page 1
;of the - anticipated state
transportation package
for cities' . '
,Although City Engi-
neer Michael Thompson
.says. Maplewood. made
good headway by invest -
"
ing in local transportation
Projects when borrowing'
prices . and construction.
prices were low during
'
the 'economic downturn,
he estimates 40 percent of
the city's 130 miles of city
streets are in poor con -
dition. These needs are
coming up against higher
5`
> prices and fewer funding
€
sources.
For instance, stretches '
of pave�menfz along Ster-
ling Street, Woodland
w..
Avenue and Lakewood
x
Drive all need to be
redone. The causes:
submitted photo
normal wear, bad win -
As part of the award- winning
"Living Streets" neigh -
tern and, in some cases, .
borhood project in the Bartelmy -Meyer neighbor -
,a , faulty blacktop mix-
hood,- the city`added` "sitleviialks and'rain "gardens "to
ture used back in the
make the area more.green and pedestrian- friendly.
,late 1980s. Thompson
estimates the premature
make residential neigh -
on time.
failure, of the blacktop
, a' borhoods more appeal -
What they -say about
mix alone could cost the
s3' ,�
°i' ing and accessible and
passing bills in the Leg -'
city up to $5' million to
the city as a whole more
islature is. that you have
Address.
attractive to business.
to turn; the heat up," says
Given resource con -,
"A good transporta-
Slawik, calling for her con-
straints, `the city slates
tion system-allows us
stituents to be; more vocal
roughly one road repair
to be competitive," says
about their local transpor-
project each °'year) with ,
Thompson. ` ", t brings in
, fation needs.
costs borne in part by
the -comrrieree.
"I-do believe some form'
frontage property, owners.
0
Slawik,, a former state
of transportation package;
In order to ramp up _-
? representative herself,
will come out of this, ", shed
progress, it would need
says the' kind of trans -,
says. "Will it be every -!
to explore alternative .
portatioii plan Maple-
thing we hope for? Proba -'
sources of revenue, such
wood-needs has been in
bly not, because that's not
as a,franchise. fee..If that
and out of committees at
realistic. But if it balances',
wasused, each resident
submitted photo the Legislature for some
` those needs of us as a sub -'
Would pay about $2.50
The roundabout was completed during the first phase of
the Gladstone ; Time, and now the timing
urban city with the urban
a month,` in additional
Redevelopmentproject.
is right to see it through,
areas along with the rural
utility fees,' that would
She posits it as an issue
areas, and makes good
go. straight to designated
cates many understand, For instance,: Maple-
Frost Avenue; the ",`new " that affects.' a variety of
transportation, invest-
street repairs, allowing the
the need' for something wood has benefited from
interchange At Highway interest groups; from busi-
ments for a better Minne-
city, to fix%a couple addi -:
like a franchise fee to some recent redevelop, _
36 and English Street and ne'ss owners Who can't
sota,'then I think we're all `
tional miles o£ street each
keep, up with infrastruc- meet projects that city
the award winning reno -' afford to be stuck in traf-
winners:"
;year.,
ture, she holds that resi- officials hope to continue
vations in the Bartel my- _;fib or have customers
dents can'f ontinue to emulating. Thompson
Meyer_ neighborh66d, that inconvenienced to :stu-
Erin Iii ricks cani he
Not fair to city
shoulder increases in and Slawik point out the
:made it more pedestrian dents and the elderly who
reached at 651- 748 -7814
residents;,
property taxes, and spe sidewalks, 'lamp poles and
ti.
"ssessn
,'and environment it' depend on rehable,:;pub-
friendly. _, k �. -4;r
; _ nd, ehinrichs @li li „n u,
q }
ciaX a ts� i ordet ndsca' ed me'dians that
t:,.Althou h Slawxk sa s .;,, ?,a a , p
Y... k,:
_ ,, et
lic trarzspox at16# xo g
"1.�+lo
Follow hes t;
?Y%?. i
resident feedback'_: indi
,....:. :, ...n. ..,
to xe air cat. nstreetss u ; # w,.extend ,parfway u$;
p y �._.�
The changes, t . `f,sa , to c s, a men c..m /E . c N i�7
ut n� tt��1±±�t' 1��j, (y, yc
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