LETTER: 'Share the Street' makes sense

To the Editor:

There is lot of controversy over spending more than $320,000 for sidewalks on Eunice Avenue and Hallquist Avenue. In 2006, the “Sidewalk Committee” proposed adding sidewalks to increase connectivity in those neighborhoods, contingent on receipt of grant money to pay for the project. The city applied for the grant money twice and was denied both times because those neighborhoods don’t meet the grant criteria.

With serious budget shortfalls, even after raising the city levy by nearly 2 percent, the city must bond for (borrow) $150,000 (47 percent) to pay for this project.

Red Wing is feeling the drastic cuts the city has already implemented: loss of two police patrol and two administrative positions, elimination of spring and fall yard waste cleanup, reduced funding for summer recreation programs, ice skating rinks, maintenance on smaller parks and bike trails. Borrowing for this project is fiscally irresponsible – the city should live within a budget just as the rest of us do.

Building sidewalks on these streets means the removal of at least 35 mature healthy trees. Additional trees may die due to damage from the construction. Red Wing is recognized as a Tree City USA community whose purpose is to make caring for trees a top priority; therefore we should be sensitive to unnecessary destruction of any trees.

Neighborhood residents recommended a “Street Sharing” option to the City Council on multiple occasions. Statistics have shown in many cities (Minneapolis included) that simply painting a line to create a biking/walking lane on the street creates a safer walking/biking environment than sidewalks.

Both Eunice and Hallquist are wide enough to easily accommodate this option that would cost only a few thousand dollars. What a great opportunity for City Council to take a proactive stance to maintain the environment, save hundreds of thousands of dollars we don’t have and create the added safety we’re all concerned about.

On March 26, the City Council will vote on this project that the overwhelming majority of owners of affected properties don’t want. Please help support the “Share the Street” option by calling and/or emailing your City Council member.

Jeff Marcus

Red Wing

Tags: opinion, letters