urbanMSP

Indeed. Though I missed the last meeting, this one hasn't been on the agenda.

As one that has watched this story since I lived in St. Paul in the early 90's, I believe that anything is possible. There was a time when the connection to 35E was said that it would never happen. Well when they finished the 35E section they did build that section of that connection. IT did not open for more than a few years until Mayor Kelly pulled a fast one and opened it on a temporary basis. It then relieved traffic south end of Lexington and Snelling where that neighborhood had been wanting the section open for years. Once it was open it was not going to go back without a major fight between 2 neighborhoods with different agendas. Needless to say that a road along a rail corridor no longer had much sway as it once did once it was show the benefit to other neighborhood that had been affected by traffic for so many years.

The city, the county, and the state are now realizing that once the Vintage is open, that there will have to be an alternative to the current Selby/Snelling connection to 94. When the traffic counts go up, there will have to be an alternative or two around this increased traffic node. One can hope that they can do an excellent design that makes it feel like a parkway without making it feel and after thought. Now that the Vintage card has been played. I give a 94 connection better than a 60/40 chance that it will come to pass. They may have to wait until the 94 rebuild to coordinate construction, but it will happen.

Looking forward to the road diet on Snelling following the connection.

New MinnPost article on Ayd Mill. Apparently there's more of a sense of urgency for a solution as of late.

http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy ... ign=buffer

The Mayor's office has been 'working on a solution' for some time, but have yet to give the neighborhoods any information (we've asked).

Third rail indeed.

Needs a "street-road trade." Upgrade Ayd Mill to be an effective road to 94, but calm the crap out of Snelling especially near Selby.

Right, if Ayd Mill gets a freeway link to 94, Snelling should lose trunk highway status south of 94.

Yep - might as well reroute T.H. 51 onto Ayd Mill via the frontage roads and new connection.

I'd be supportive of the connection (I obviously do not live there) if there were a real trade-off and Snelling, Selby, Hamline, & Marshall were heavily calmed. Talking whole works - protected cycle tracks, bump-outs for bus stops, narrowed lanes, etc.

But, putting on my realistic-glasses. Would that happen? Even if it did, how long would it take? 5 years? 10? 20? If it doesn't, the new connection + overbuilt streets remaining could be even worse for area traffic/safety.

Right, if Ayd Mill gets a freeway link to 94, Snelling should lose trunk highway status south of 94.

That actually seems pretty likely. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if MNDOT already had internal discussions about turning it back to Ramsey County south of I-94.

Right, if Ayd Mill gets a freeway link to 94, Snelling should lose trunk highway status south of 94.

That actually seems pretty likely. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if MNDOT already had internal discussions about turning it back to Ramsey County south of I-94.

I'd bet St Paul wouldn't want to give up future control over Ayd Mill to MnDOT. However, simply ending MN 51 at I-94 makes sense.

I still can't figure out how they plan to build the northern connection without either adding a new at-grade crossing of the railroad tracks. The main other option must be a pretty expensive rebuild of the Selby Ave bridge over Ayd Mill and either doing a 4-way intersection on that bridge (like the 4th St/15th Ave bridge in Dinkytown) or an even higher flyover.

Right, if Ayd Mill gets a freeway link to 94, Snelling should lose trunk highway status south of 94.

Yep - might as well reroute T.H. 51 onto Ayd Mill via the frontage roads and new connection.

Regarding this (and the follow-up discussion), state law (specifically Section 161.122) prohibits MnDOT from making any alignment changes to T.H. 51 south of University Ave. To move Hwy 51 to any future Ayd Mill Rd connection, or to turn it back south of I-94 would require legislation.

I still can't figure out how they plan to build the northern connection without either adding a new at-grade crossing of the railroad tracks. The main other option must be a pretty expensive rebuild of the Selby Ave bridge over Ayd Mill and either doing a 4-way intersection on that bridge (like the 4th St/15th Ave bridge in Dinkytown) or an even higher flyover.

The 2005 plan proposed going under the railroad. There's a rendering of it upthread.

This would really create a kind of highway island neighborhood in St. Paul of Summit HIll and Summit U.

What portion of 35E is restricted from truck traffic? Would changing 51 to Ayd Mill also require changing that status on 35E south of Ayd Mill?

I totally agree that the public has to demand a physically calmed Snelling in exchange for a connected Ayd Mill. This has to be a beneficial trade rather than an overall increase.

Trucks are restricted between the I-35E/I-94 commons in downtown St. Paul and West 7th Street (just before I-35E crosses the river). So yes, letting trucks onto the full length of Ayd Mill Road would require the truck restriction to be lifted on the southern chunk of I-35E (a little less than one mile between West 7th and the Ayd Mill interchange). That might explain the statute for the routing of MN-51.

They should lift the truck ban all together and impose an engine braking restriction within the metro.

They should lift the truck ban all together and impose an engine braking restriction within the metro.

This would ignore the delicate sensibilities of people living next to 35E. Other parts of the metro need to make sacrifices to protect them.

Are the trucks still using Snelling with the bridge closed?

Are the trucks still using Snelling with the bridge closed?

Absolutely. I can see them out my living room window all day.