A regional trail that does not link?

In the Oct. 27 edition of the Pioneer Press, Fred Melo reported that the Metropolitan Council approved the highly contested, heavily debated Summit Avenue Regional Trail.

Mr. Melo reported that “Supporters see the trail as an important east-west connection linking existing bike trails along the Mississippi River to trails closer to downtown.”

But how can that be?

The Summit Avenue Regional Trail is intended to be an east-west connection, linking  the Mississippi River Trail in the west to the Sam Morgan Trail in the east. However, a perilously steep incline up Kellogg Boulevard, through dense pedestrian and vehicle traffic (Xcel Center), in segment G of the proposed trail is the only link between the Sam Morgan Trail in downtown St. Paul and Summit Avenue.  As Andy Singer, one of the Summit Trail’s most vocal supporters, stated in the June 13, 2023, issue of streets.mn, the steep ride on Kellogg Avenue, part of this downtown link, is one “even seasoned cyclists will avoid.”

Marilyn Bach, St. Paul

Great news

Metro Transit announced crime has “stabilized.“ That’s great news. The fear of getting mugged keeps a number of people from riding the trains. Next we might hear that a majority of the riders actually pay for the ride.

T.J. Sexton, St. Paul