A Story I Reported... Light Rail Coming Through the 'U'
This is a story I reported for my news writing and reporting class at the University of Minnesota. The story focuses on the central corridor light-rail line that will be built between Minneapolis and St. Paul, running through the university along its way.
The issue is concerning the exact path the trains will take through the university: above ground or below ground in a tunnel.
Both options have their pros and cons, and I learned a lot about each while reporting the story.
Along with financial issues (the tunnel would cost a significant amount of the total cost of the project), the safety of students moving around campus, as well as traffic concerns, were also raised while doing the reporting.
I contacted the projects communications director as well as the director for the Center for Transportation Studies at the university, as well as using information available on the project's web site.
While the university's official position is for the train to run below ground, interesting points were brought up by the people I interviewed as to why it might actually be beneficial for the train to run above ground on Washington Avenue. Below is the article.
IF anyone has an objection to a light rail train running straight through the University of Minnesota’s campus, it’s time to speak up.
The Metropolitan Council has set a timeline for public comment about the Central Corridor light rail project and it’s proposed features. Public input is a necessary step before the plans can be sent to the National Transportation Safety Board and receive federal funding, said Laura Baenen, communications director for the project.
The debate is about whether the trains will run above ground or below. As the line approaches the university, it will either continue at street level down Washington Avenue and through campus, or it will go through a tunnel, according to Baenen.
The university has raised concerns about the safety of both pedestrians and drivers if the street level option is chosen, as thousands of students use Washington Avenue every day getting around campus.
“Of course safety is a huge concern, especially through the campus area,� Baenen said. “What we need people to do is keep an open mind about both options, as there are pros and cons to each.�
According to Baenen, the Metropolitan Council plans to send a committee to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where an LRT line runs at street level through campus, to study its impact on campus life. The committee will also visit San Diego, where the city’s LRT line travels through a tunnel under San Diego State University.
“The real reason there is a tunnel underneath the campus in San Diego is because they have to deal with hills and valleys around campus, which is something the University of Minnesota doesn’t have,� Baenen said. “It really doesn’t have anything to do with safety.�
The university has been very involved with the lines planning.
In the beginning of October, the Student Senate signed a resolution supporting the plan for a tunnel, according to the senate’s web site.
Robert Johns, the director of the university’s Center for Transportation Studies, said the university’s official position is for the line to be in a tunnel, but that more studies are coming out that may change that view.
“The whole tunnel business is complicated,� Johns said. “LRT is more than a transportation investment. It adds to the ambience of a community.�
Cost is also a factor, he said. The estimated cost of the line is $930 million, which needs to be brought down near $750 million to meet federal requirements. The tunnel itself would cost $155 million if built, according to the project’s web site.
“The tunnel option is quite costly,� Johns said. There are essentially three “big ticket� items that could be cut to bring the cost down: the tunnel, the reconstruction of University Avenue, or the preferred alignment of the line in downtown St. Paul, he said.
According to Johns, LRT has proven to serve as an attraction to those that have access to it.
Case studies throughout the country have shown that LRT lines have re-energized surrounding communities Johns said. “From the aesthetic impact to new businesses, the opportunity is tremendous. It seems to me you need really strong reasons to hide something like that underground,� he said.
Johns also said the center is studying how the train would impact the safety of students on campus.
“We look at the design of the trains themselves. If the train is very visible, sounding its horn and moving at an appropriate speed, I don’t think there is much concern. I see students running in front of traffic on Washington Avenue all the time. The train would be easier to spot than a car,� Johns said.