New Leaf

Since we now have a website to give meeting times/places and minutes, I have decided to use this blog as a resource and sounding board... and editorialized source for links and sites related to urban (re)design and traffic calming. And I want to know what people are thinking about Cedar Avenue and how we can make it better. At the same time, expect an activist tone. From this point on this blog is not necessarily the voice of Cedar Ave. United, but one voice in the many involved. I encourage everyone to look into the public forum attached to our website. So, without further ado:


I've been thinking a lot recently about what could be some potential fixes for our road (go figure). I've been reading articles on taming, calming, redesigning and rethinking. I've looked at speed tables and roundabouts etc trying to find something that seems like a good fit for our situation. There have been a few ideas that really stand out in my mind.

Of course the complete streets policy is an obvious first choice. Really, who wouldn't want to make a residential city street (identified as residential by the Access Mpls 10 year action plan) more livable? Go look at complete streets: http://completestreets.org/ They have it together. I have been told that Hennepin County has worked with this group before and will work with them in the future. That's a good sign. It's time to look at rethinking the way we use our urban neighborhood streets... There's a lot more than just cars that use them. They are more than 'short cuts' from the burbs to downtown. (granted they are a legitimate and important route... just not a shortcut. Allowing them to be used as unregulated freeway alternatives will continue to erode the neighborhoods the run through... more on this later)

There's the concept of a 'Road Diet' which was a phrase coined some time ago. It's wonder that it hasn't caught on.. at least not around here. It even has a wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_diet This alone would help to curb some of the dangerous driving. Heck, painting lines (and putting out a few cops) might even do it! But we still need to look long term, while still fixing the problem in the short term. We still have people that are too concerned to park in parking lane in front of their house. I don't think that's OK, what about you?

OK, so all these ideas are great and appeal to residents and businesses, but where is the incentive for the county/city? Right now, with our budget issues (all around) it's tough to look at fixing something big like Cedar Ave without some sort of fiscal incentive. Well, here's one: http://www.usroads.com/journals/p/rej/9710/re971004.htm I read this article last week and have been thinking about it ever since. I would suggest reading the whole thing if you are interested but here's the general idea:
Road noise affects property value (duh). This article presents a formula that can be used to estimate the impact. It gives it in dollars and cents, it's a useful tool. It's easy to see that the city could benefit in the not-so-long-term just through increased tax revenue. Residents are immediately reimbursed with a much higher quality of life etc.

As mentioned in previous minute notes, the only available sound level test on Cedar Ave shows a reading of 71; MN state law dictates that 65 is the acceptable limit. Of course we're also significantly over capacity (according to Access Minneapolis) pair that with unregulated speeding and you've likely got the source of the problem.

Anyone who has EVER dealt with airport noise issues knows what this is like, but the airport is intermittent, and dies off at night. In this case there are no [enforced*] time restrictions on roads. This study actually puts a price tag on each loud vehicle that uses the road. On my neck of Cedar the lost value appears to be somewhere between 8,000 and 25,000 per structure... based on the cities tax values. (these numbers don't include the $ amount for large trucks... of which there are many) Factor in the lakes and other attractions I'm sure it's much higher. Throw in the fact that businesses in calmed areas do better and even Thrive... this is a no brainer.

In a city that's really hurting from foreclosures and lost tax revenue this could really help justify calming Cedar Ave.

Any thoughts?? lets take this to the forum: http://cedaraveunited.onlinegroups.net/

I want to know what people think. Please chime in.

Will
4500 Cedar