Search found 437 matches

by at40man
February 18th, 2024, 2:13 pm
Forum: Suburbs
Topic: Suburban Malls and Associated Retail News
Replies: 227
Views: 164165

Re: Suburban Malls and Associated Retail News

Wal-Mart also closed the University Ave store not terribly long ago. I wonder how the Robbinsdale Hyvee is doing? Maybe that will be the next store to close. Their prices are higher than the nearby Cub. I have it on good authority that Robbinsdale Hy-Vee is ailing, in part due to theft. There has b...
by at40man
December 9th, 2023, 10:45 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)
Replies: 733
Views: 337387

Re: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)

They shouldn't have eliminated a median bi-directional single bus lane on this alignment. It works in Indianapolis' Red Line by allowing buses to pass at stations, and it would only have to be implemented for a mile between Maryland and Larpenteur. Because it's bi-directional, cars don't go in the ...
by at40man
December 8th, 2023, 6:56 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)
Replies: 733
Views: 337387

Re: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)

At this point I would vote for officially "downgrading" this project to aBRT. I'd rather see White Bear Ave retain the ability to do a 4:3 road diet, with strategically-placed queue jumps for buses at congested stoplights. Nothing about this corridor makes sense for being actual guideway ...
by at40man
December 8th, 2023, 1:02 pm
Forum: Suburbs
Topic: Suburban Malls and Associated Retail News
Replies: 227
Views: 164165

Re: Suburban Malls and Associated Retail News

Maplewood Mall Sears building purchased by the HmongTown Marketplace, and they plan to open a new market on the upper level, and perhaps a bowling alley or something else for the lower level: https://finance-commerce.com/2023/12/second-hmongtown-marketplace-to-open-early-2025/ I think this is great ...
by at40man
July 11th, 2023, 10:33 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)
Replies: 733
Views: 337387

Re: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)

I know it's easy for to blame stagnant suburbs in this region for not wanting the Rush Line to go out there, but the truth is that engagement was pretty terrible on this one. If you look at the video on 3/22 you'll note Ms. Longrie's frustration with met council about lack of engagement. If you wat...
by at40man
March 28th, 2023, 5:39 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)
Replies: 733
Views: 337387

Re: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)

Kind of amazing that one of the reasons for this line was "regional equity", because Ramsey County wanted fancy buses too. But it looks like all the cities within Ramsey County are pretty clearly saying they don't actually want any transit investments! No, not the cities, really. A vocal ...
by at40man
March 24th, 2023, 7:25 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)
Replies: 733
Views: 337387

Re: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)

Purple Line on White Bear Ave is not a good move due to lack of housing on much of the Maplewood portion, and would be duplicitous with the already-existing route 54 bus. Meanwhile, there is no meaningful transit closer to the Bruce Vento right of way.
by at40man
December 9th, 2022, 9:24 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Amtrak: Empire Builder and Borealis (TCMC)
Replies: 625
Views: 383282

Re: Amtrak Empire Builder and TCMC

What do they currently use it for? A crew base for Empire Builder? If it's sitting un-used and they already have a station at St. Paul Grand Central, why do they need or want to preserve the Midway station? Perhaps they are planning on using it for the second train overnight parking and base for cr...
by at40man
December 9th, 2022, 9:09 am
Forum: Suburbs
Topic: Maplewood, North St Paul, & Oakdale - General Topics
Replies: 34
Views: 17187

Re: Maplewood, North St Paul, & Oakdale - General Topics

Have we seen the redevelopment plans? This mentions 500 apartments with 287 adjacent to the mall. That’s news to me. I spoke with Maplewood Mayor Marylee Abrams about this a couple months ago when we were chatting about Purple Line. Seritage (Sears building owner) is proposing to redevelop the Sear...
by at40man
October 25th, 2022, 8:51 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)
Replies: 733
Views: 337387

Re: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)

https://www.startribune.com/maplewood-city-council-withdraws-support-for-purple-line-seeks-more-time-to-study-transit-options/600218763/ I attended the City Council meeting last night. I don't think the article goes far enough in emphasizing the City Council did NOT remove support for Purple Line. T...
by at40man
October 16th, 2022, 1:02 am
Forum: Cities Around the World
Topic: London
Replies: 18
Views: 9074

Re: London

Been to London 3x this year. It's been wonderful using such a comprehensive system. (And I never saw any chalkboards, all the display boards were dot-matrix). It's fun when you go often enough and long enough that you start getting familiar with the system and even learn some tricks Londoners don't ...
by at40man
October 16th, 2022, 12:28 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)
Replies: 733
Views: 337387

Re: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)

Star Tribune article updating current status of Purple Line and Met Council's response to Maplewood Mayor Marylee Abrams: https://www.startribune.com/met-council-plans-for-purple-line-route-through-maplewood-are-not-final/600214882/ It also basically reiterates her more nuanced position on this proj...
by at40man
October 12th, 2022, 10:14 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)
Replies: 733
Views: 337387

Re: Purple Line BRT (Rush Line Corridor)

Marylee Abrams is a DFLer too... I swear, we won't make progress on transit until suburban DFLers get it through their heads that transit is good. Right now, they seem to begrudgingly support it to move the poors around, but panic the second anyone talks about upzoning or redoing a dreadful shoppin...
by at40man
February 12th, 2020, 1:59 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Ayd Mill Road
Replies: 163
Views: 53300

Re: Ayd Mill Road

https://www.twincities.com/2020/02/12/projected-ayd-mill-road-bike-pedestrian-repaving-costs-double-to-9-8-million-according-to-st-paul-public-works How would a mill and overlay be less expensive? The entire road needs to be re-engineered, and overlay seems to just be kicking the can down the road d...
by at40man
January 7th, 2020, 2:58 pm
Forum: Saint Paul
Topic: St. Paul RiverCentre Ramp RFP
Replies: 13
Views: 7770

Re: St. Paul RiverCentre Ramp RFP

And looking into it further, it appears that the Prairie Island Community and Port Authority are teaming up:

https://www.twincities.com/2020/01/06/p ... ntre-ramp/
by at40man
January 7th, 2020, 1:33 pm
Forum: Saint Paul
Topic: St. Paul RiverCentre Ramp RFP
Replies: 13
Views: 7770

Re: St. Paul RiverCentre Ramp RFP

Is it strange that the Port Authority has submitted a proposal that competes against private developers? I don't get why we have them doing this. My guess is that it might be a fall back option in case other proposals wind up falling through due to the challenges of reconstructing/financing the car...
by at40man
December 22nd, 2019, 2:07 pm
Forum: Saint Paul
Topic: Allianz Field and Snelling-Midway Development
Replies: 808
Views: 207945

Re: Allianz Field and Snelling-Midway Development

Hy-Vee is the last store I want anywhere in St Paul, much less Midway.
Fixed it.
by at40man
December 18th, 2019, 2:32 pm
Forum: Saint Paul
Topic: Galtier Plaza
Replies: 76
Views: 25534

Re: Galtier Plaza

https://www.twincities.com/2019/12/17/new-owners-new-residential-direction-for-st-pauls-cray-plaza/ It should be interesting to see what is done here; much of the indoor atrium is inwardly-focused. When I worked there, we had a decent amount of skyway traffic. The food court also used to be pretty b...
by at40man
October 21st, 2019, 1:52 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: The Dayton's Project
Replies: 354
Views: 233228

Re: The Once and Future Dayton's

Lifetime Work.
What an absolutely terrible name. "Lifetime Fitness" and "Lifetime Athletic" make sense - being fit for a Lifetime is a desirable attribute.

But "Lifetime Work"? Who really wants a lifetime filled with work?
by at40man
August 26th, 2019, 6:11 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Ayd Mill Road
Replies: 163
Views: 53300

Re: Ayd Mill Road

Given that Maryland Ave went on a road diet between Johnson and Arkwright with a daily vehicle count of 23,000 with no true adverse affects, and Ayd Mill has a daily traffic count of 24,000 with far fewer stoplights, I think this reconfiguration will be just fine.