Thank you for the links to the drawings. I had never looked at them before since the 3A/3C debate was finished before I moved back to this state. It now makes more sense why they chose the alignment that they chose, even if I still think it was the wrong choice.I mean, I guess that doesn't square with these three drawings (plus color code chart) taken from Appendix F of the DEIS. They clearly show that the roadway would cantilever over the platforms to allow a sidewalk and roadway to continue on where the stations were. The same was true for the 3C alternates where N/S-bound trains ran under either Blaisdell or 1st Ave.
And, there's this from the DEIS Chapter 6: Transportation Effects (p6-24):
So I'm not sure where that other description comes from. I'm not saying it's wrong, just that multiple other documents show the opposite. In any case, I always thought it was weird that we'd build a cut-cover tunnel but then leave the station open air rather than just closing it off. I'd imagine folks would have pushed to just close it to have a wider sidewalk and/or keep the center turn lanes or whatever.In Segment C-1, the alignment travels under Nicollet Avenue in a tunnel and features two open-air stations. At station locations along Nicollet Avenue, one travel lane in each direction will be cantilevered over the open-air stations below. This will call for the removal of the center-turn lanes along Nicollet Avenue, as well as modifying the appearance of the roadway. The cantilevered roadway sections and open air tunnels extend from 250 feet south of 27th Street to 29th Street as well as from 200 feet north of 22nd Street to 200 feet north of Franklin Avenue.
Also, many of the of the more negative and permanent problems could have been "fixed".
Also, also, I still think a Hennepin Ave alignment would have made the most sense (not considering added costs).