29th Street Reconstruction Project

[woofner]

I took a look at the newly-posted budget documents to see if they reveal any new details about The Pedestrianization of 29th Street. Since this is such a "wedge" issue (hahahahahahahah), some of us are bound to be disappointed by how it's described there, while some may be pleased.

Construct new pedestrian connection on the N side of 29th St W from Dupont Ave S to Lyndale Ave S.

When you consider the fact that only $700,000 is budgeted for 1300' of roadway, it seems possible they're just building a sidewalk on the greenway side. It seems a bit high for a sidewalk, but a bit low for high-quality, pedestrian-focused street.

[twincitizen]

Woof-dah!

You've got to figure they are simutaneously re-paving the street, no?

[woofner]

The only capital budget item related to 29th St that I could find is titled "29th St W Pedestrian Connection", though it's possible that the roadway could be included in the many resurfacing slush funds.

Now that I think about it, maybe they could remove the existing roadway and replace it with a 16' asphalt MUT for $700k.

[thatchio]

Probably includes fence repair or replacement. If state or federal funds are used, expect it to be concrete square posts with a wrought iron type fence. If not, I think they could install any style fence that meets code.

[Wedgeguy]

Probably includes fence repair or replacement. If state or federal funds are used, expect it to be concrete square posts with a wrought iron type fence. If not, I think they could install any style fence that meets code.

The fence will be replaced when they rebuild the retaining walls, with or with out light rail going thru, when they relocate utilities and rebuild what ever will need to be done. I'd hope it would be aesthetically pleasing and not chain link. But will see what their budget allows.

[twincitizen]

Current condition of roadway at Lyndale: https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-haSG ... AG0481.jpg

[MNdible]

Not sure why we'd need to spend any money on that.

As an aside, I've observed that construction crews often trash the streets during construction, and that they rarely are brought back to a "before" condition. I know that 29th has never been properly paved, but I also know it wasn't that bad before.

[twincitizen]

A $350,000 appropriation for this project appears to have survived budget negotiations. As Woofner posted at the top of this page, Rybak initially proposed twice that amount. Perhaps they will split the funding over 2 years. What exactly is being proposed here is still unclear, other than we're still talking about Lyndale to Dupont, for now. If we're just talking about a sidewalk on the north side of the street, I'm afraid that just doesn't make much sense. The real issues here are the condition of the roadway and the dilapidated fence/landscaping along the edge of the trench.

Mozaic East will include a walkway/bikeway in-between the bus driveway and the new building, so Fremont to Girard is also covered. Unfortunately, Girard to Hennepin would just be the existing sidewalk at Uptown Transit Station, but at that point you can walk on Girard or thru the Old Chicago parking lot instead. Dupont to Fremont blocks will come along when Rainbow/PP/Acme are redeveloped. If the City has designs of ever continuing this east of Lyndale, they should be talking to the owner of the former Heidi's building about securing pedestrian access through their valet lot.

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 118063.pdf

[min-chi-cbus]

Maybe I'm naive to how things work in these situations but I kind of thought that any project being built within a neighborhood that already has a code for sidewalks would have to include sidewalks as part of any redevelopment plans? Wouldn't the cost then be on these developers for the space fronting their projects along the Greenway? Or is this $350K (times 2) only for the gaps between these projects (however few gaps actually remain)?

P.S. I really need to ask for a transfer at my company to the Development Dept. so I can do what I love and actually learn more about how these processes and dynamics work! The projects we do at our company are exactly the kinds of projects that are going on in Minneapolis, but just in other markets (I keep asking about new markets -- i.e. Minneapolis -- but nothing yet).

[Wedgeguy]

This is very much my opinion, But any upgrade and rebuilding of 29th will be partly paid for by the Lime, Buzza, and the other apartment complex between Bryant and Colfax. Again there will be no side walk on the north side of the road as that would front the greenway trench. There is a sidewalk on the south side of 29th so no need for a duplication when there is no need for it. Again there will be a promenade from Aldrich to Girard on the north side of the Greenway when all of the phases of Elan are finished.

[uptown067]

Nothing new...

http://finance-commerce.com/2013/12/dre ... town-park/

[seanrichardryan]

350k for a study.

[Nick]

Consultancy-industrial complex™

[twincitizen]

Of course it's absurd, but don't bite the hand that feeds you. We did go to school to be planners after all.

[Viktor Vaughn]

Reminds me of an Upton Sinclair quote:

It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”

[David Greene]

Of course it's absurd

Is it? How many consultants will work on this project? Let's assume the average consultant earns $80k/year gross (that's probably lowballing it). If you put five man-years of work into the project you've already exceeded the cost just on salary alone. That doesn't count the goods needed to produce the study and more importantly, the cost of benefits for those employees.

Two people working six months on the study probably easily accounts for the $350k cost.

[Viktor Vaughn]

Jannette Sadik-Khan, the NYC DOT Commissioner, has advocated just trying improvements on a temporary basis rather than endlessly studying them. I'm not sure what is specifically being studied here, and if this approach is applicable, but in general seems like a good way to cut down on the absurd cost of consultants.

[woofner]

Buy $350k worth of planters to put at each intersection to prevent cars from entering, and then study whether the sky falls.

Rybak has proven to be the greatest mayor ever at pretending to do something by paying consultants to issue a report about it.

[garfield]

How can you not think it is absurd? What could five people making 80K per year study for 365 days? It is going to cost X to repave the street, Y to tear it up and plant sod. If I got three estimates for each, it might take me (alone) a day to figure out the best option.

Then again, I work in the private sector where I have to produce something to be compensated, so it benefits me to find the best solution as quickly and cheaply as possible. Imagine that...spending based on results and productivity!

[web]

overhead,salary of the employees,supplies,computers.....and last but not least Massive profit to pay executive board of company. Its very expensive to consult work out.

In-house woukld be much cheaper.