As the snow melts, the orange road signs begin to bloom again. This year they don’t just warn of soon-to-be-fixed potholes, but also mark the beginning of a half decade-long project deemed the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit (CCLRT). I know, I know, more convenient public transit, easier access to sports stadiums (woo fucking hoo), and another way to get to fun-filled downtown St. Paul! However, it also means closed businesses, more unnecessary condo developments, and even more impediments to getting to class on time.

No one could argue that the Light Rail will not eventually be useful, but eventually is the key word. It’s too late to beg for an underground transit system, and there is no way to derail the current plans for the new Light Rail. But why are we blocking one of the only main roads between Minneapolis and St. Paul for god knows how many years just so the people of St. Paul have easier access to Twins games? The current route of the CCLRT follows University Avenue all the way to downtown St. Paul; this forces anyone who doesn’t want to be stuck going 20 miles an hour on a one-lane road (yes University Ave will be trimmed down to one lane) to try and brave the traffic of highway 94 or take a ridiculous detour through the bro-mansions of Como Avenue. The city has already put up signs on Snelling Avenue reminding drivers to “Support University Avenue Businesses,” and the construction hasn’t even gotten that far yet.

Instead of hurting local businesses in the name of public infrastructure, why not choose a route that goes through neighborhoods that are in need of this kind of accessibility? The Midtown Greenway offers an already flattened area of land that stretches from Uptown to the river, and a light rail following the bike trail would prevent many of the muggings that take place each year on the Greenway bike path. The 35W bridge was built with enough room to accommodate light rail transit, so why not run the train over the bridge and through the below ground train tracks (again, already flattened and ready for use) through Dinkytown? A route like this would also open up space for a future route directed towards Northeast, another Minneapolis area in need of public transit.

No one is arguing against more public transit here. The Hiawatha Light Rail’s initial revenue was three times more than what was expected, and has probably helped Metro Transit from hiking rates even more. But the Hiawatha Light Rail had a lot more going for it—the epic Mall of America and the Airport on one end and the Twins stadium and downtown Minneapolis on the other. What do we have for the Central Corridor? The same Twins stadium at the starting point, and the Science Museum at the end. Will the Central Corridor help skyrocket Omnitheater sales? Only time will tell.

The Central Corridor Light Rail is an 11-mile transit line that will connect downtown Minneapolis to downtown Saint Paul, providing access to the University of Minnesota, the Midway District and the Capital Neighborhood. Running along University Avenue and Washington Avenue, the project includes 18 new stations and 31 new trains, and will connect to the Hiawatha Light Rail and the new North Star Line. The projected cost is $957 million. Construction is slated to continue through 2013 with the Light Rail open in 2014. More information at www.centralcorridor.org.

Tags: bridge, business, Central Corridor, Como, Dinkytown, Light Rail, LRT, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Northeast, rock, Science, space, Sports, St. Paul, University of Minnesota, Uptown