2008 Woodie Awards
Median under consideration on Snelling Ave.
By: Anna Waugh
Issue date: 10/5/07 Section: News
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Proponents of the new median say it would make Macalester more accessible to neighborhood residents living on the east side of campus and it would make Snelling more pedestrian-friendly. Opponents point to a potential loss of parking and the loss of points at which to turn left onto Fairmount, Sargent and Lincoln Avenues.
Tom Welna '86, director of the High Winds Fund, said that, through studies, it was determined that residents who live to the west of campus, in the neighborhood known as Tangletown, are much more likely to use the Macalester Campus than neighbors to the east. He attributes this difference to the barrier created by the dangerous traffic on Snelling.
Right now, "you don't dare cross Snelling," Welna said.
One of the reasons Snelling is heavily trafficked is that it is one of the major truck routes through St. Paul.
Historically, trucks have been prohibited from the portion of Interstate 35E that runs through St. Paul. This means that trucks must exit from the freeway at West 7th Street and drive north along Snelling, turning the street into a residential freeway. Snelling is also a state highway.
The latest traffic count, taken in April 2006, indicated that an average of 25,325 vehicles per day drove the portion of Snelling between Grand and St. Clair.
The High Winds Fund has been working since 2005 with other groups, including the transportation committee of the Mac-Groveland Community Council, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and the St. Paul Public Works Department to make Snelling safer.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 8
B
posted 10/05/07 @ 8:27 AM CST
I think this is an absolutely fantastic idea. When I was at Mac, I suggested this very change to the High Winds Fund and the City of St. Paul. It is incredibly difficult to safely cross Snelling--something particularly frustrating for the many students who live to the east. (Continued…)
L
posted 10/05/07 @ 1:42 PM CST
I cross snelling everyday to get to Mac and would love to have a median, but there is no reason to block off the left turn traffic by having the median go the ENTIRE stretch. (Continued…)
Beverly
posted 10/18/07 @ 3:50 PM CST
This is a TERRIBLE idea. I have been a neighbor to Macalester for 23 years, my parents for 36 years, longer than any of these current students, long before they were even born. (Continued…)
Mindy
posted 10/21/07 @ 2:32 AM CST
As a resident who both drives and walks daily in this neighborhood, I can attest to both the agressive driving on Snelling and the difficulty in crossing Snelling as a pedestrian in locations other than the crosswalks at St. (Continued…)
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