Urban University Interface.com

Quotes from Bob Cook…”From the beginning, the Broadway Coalition and city-appointed Citizens Task Force have questioned the wisdom of rigidly following the 2006 ballot language specifying a 150-foot-wide, eight-lane roadway…The 2006 RTA Plan was based on inflated projections of traffic volumes that have changed very little in the past two decades…The research supporting the 100-foot width is robust. Rapid suburban population growth is no longer the key to future prosperity because of higher resource costs and climate impacts as well as the preference for urban living by the “millennial” generation…”  please view Bob’s full article in Robert Cook: 8-Lane Roadway no Longer Makes Sense.

Bob’s proposal can make a lot of sense, but if citizens don’t lobby hard enough, the buzz from funding sourcing is that money won’t be there for less than a 6 lane build out.  One could also try and make sense with buying into the 6 lane R.O.W. and not building the lanes out.  That would bring needed closure to businesses and not have to lay asphalt where traffic projections are unsupportive.  The City can then lease back the buildings for 20 years to those who want to stay, until such time full bore light rail or 5 minute headway tandem rubber wheeled busses occupy the remainder of the right of way.  That too would rankle funding criteria.  I like Bob’s proposal because it is modest and he takes a risk in calling a scenario that beckons our attention, but when the rail comes,  half the car lanes have no choice but to go.  That’s pushing a paradigm and maybe it would mean something very special on Broadway after all; something Grant, Speedway or 22nd can’t be expected to do.