CC MINUTES 03071989 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 Councilmember Marks indicated his attendance at the 4:00 P.M. meeting of the Ramsey County Light Rail Transit Intergovernmental Advisory Committee had caused him to be late for the Council work session with 4 the architects which had preceded the Council meeting that evening. 5 The Councilmember reported that this had only been the third meeting the 6 Advisory Committee had held and it was devoted to potential light rail 7 lines in Ramsey County which would be designed to access the other lines 8 being studied by other counties. One of the major considerations that 9 afternoon had been whether to build the LRT rails at the same level as 10 general traffic or at a higher elevation similar to the metro rail 11 system in Washington, D.C. The Councilmember said he perceived the 12 Committee members were leaning towards the latter because that system 13 had proved to be the fastest for moving riders in and out and it 14 provided the best handicapped access. 15 The Ramsey County consultants had identified a -number of potential 16 routes which could be utilized for light rail corridors, Councilmember 17 Marks reported. He said the Committee is studying them all with the 18 exception of the Midway corridor between Minneapolis and St. Paul where 19 it is most likely the first system would be built. Interestingly 20 enough, the Intergovernmental Advisory Committee member added, St. 21 Anthony, along with Roseville, Falcon Heights and Little Canada, had 22 been named in the Ramsey County Comprehensive Plan in respect to 23 transportation as deserving the next highest priority for light rail 24 service because they were the most developed communities in Ramsey 0 County. 26 Councilmember Marks reported further that: 27 -the concept of coordinating the light rail system with the existing Ines servicing areas away from the Minneapolis and St. Paul 28 bus 1 g y p 29 downtowns was also explored; 30 -although the planning of light rail transit in Ramsey County might 31 be behind the Anoka/Hennepin study, the Committee, having held only 32 three meetings to date, has the necessary energy and initiative on the 33 Ramsey County Board to propel the concept into reality in that County 34 as well; 35 -his friend, George Isaacs, who is considered by some to be the 36 "foremost guru of light rail in the country" is also serving on the 37 Ramsey County LRT Board; 38 -Mr. Isaacs had given the Councilmember an advance copy of the survey 39 which had appeared in that morning's papers, which indicated there was 40 a high level of public interest in light rail, especially by young 41 people who are almost compelled to look for alternate means of 42 transportation. 43 Councilmember Marks indicated that when the consultants had asked 4 whether there was anything they could do to enable the Committee members 5