Minnesota’s precinct caucuses will be held Tuesday, February 6, 2018, at 7:00 pm. To find your Democratic or Republican caucus location go to the State of Minnesota caucus finder here.

Save the Mississippi Gorge Caucus Resolution

Save the Mississippi Gorge is an effort to protect the unique river canyon running through the Twin Cities. The gorge was carved by glacial meltwaters twelve-thousand years ago. There are already some 20 bridges across the river in the urban Twin Cities and two new single-use crossings are being discussed.

To recognize the past, protect the future and make the best use of citizens tax dollars,
Save the Mississippi Gorge.

RESOLUTION

Whereas, the Mississippi gorge, from the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers upstream to the falls now called St. Anthony, is the only true river gorge on the entire 2,350-mile length of the great river, and is a National Park, and

Whereas, the confluence area is sacred to the Mdewakanton people of the Dakota nation, called B’dote, “meeting of waters” and considered their Garden of Eden, their place of origin, and

Whereas, already existing bridges beside State Highway 5 across the B’dote could serve riders from Saint Paul to the airport and Mall of America, and the Midtown Greenway railroad bridge at 27^th Street from Minneapolis to Saint Paul, could be retrofitted to serve bicyclists and pedestrians,

Now Therefore Be It Resolved that new transportation routes across the Mississippi gorge National Park be retrofitted into already existing bridges for the least environmental damage and most economical cost to taxpayers.

Background on the Bike/Pedestrian Bridge

Friends of the Mississippi River article :

Proposed Bike-Pedestrian Bridge Across Mississippi Gorge Stirs Controversy

Bike/Pedestrian Bridge

The Midtown Greenway Coalition (MGC) is hiring a consultant, for $7k, to determine the cost of converting the 27th street rail bridge into a bike/ped bridge. Fund raising begins this spring with a $7K challenge match.

It is interesting that citizens rather than government are seeking a more environmental, less invasive, less expensive transportation option.

Background on the Proposed New Bridge Across the Mississippi-Minnesota Confluence

ELECTRIC TROLLEY FROM ST. PAUL TO THE AIRPORT AND MOA

A new electric trolley bridge is being talked about from St. Paul to the airport and Mall of America. The bridge would cross the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), a 72-mile national park from Dayton MN along the Mississippi south to below Hastings.

• Both the proposed trolley bridge and the bike/pedestrian bridge would interrupt national parkland in both Twin Cities disturbing the continuity of flora and fauna along the river.

• The confluence of the Minnesota & Minnesota rivers, B’dote in Dakota (“meeting of waters”) is considered the place of origin for the Mdewakanton Dakota people, a sacred site comparable to the Garden of Eden.

• Information about the electric trolley from Saint Paul to the airport and Mall of America can be found in the Community Reporter, a neighborhood newspaper.

  • See, Letter to the Editor in the Dec. issue go to the Home page, click on Archives, and select Dec. 2017, page 3. It is signed, a West End Resident. (And yes, there are two places in the printed piece with grammatical errors).

  • More up to date information can be found in the current, January 2018 issue of the Community Reporter, by looking at two articles:

    • Neighbors Speak Out – “What’s Next?” by Kent Petterson. This appears on the front page, and continues on the bottom of page 2, PAC.  Note in the last paragraph that this project has been given a feasibility rating of low/medium in terms of the Federal Government criteria, and that it would need to rise to a medium/medium high rating to have a chance for competitive federal funding.

    • On page 2, “Council Perspectives”.  Rebecca Noecker, who is both on the St. Paul City Council, and on the Riverview Transit Study Committee, writes about her vote for the streetcar.

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