Letters - Nov 2025

Some Immodest Proposals
As a thirty-year St. Paul advocate for transit and active mobility (biking, walking), I have been following Rethinking I-94 and the Summit Avenue cycling trail issue. I have some immodest proposals.
When rebuilding I-94, limit it to electric vehicles (EVs), bicycles, running and walking. Install a genuine bicycle freeway. Deck over the vehicle lanes all the way because, even without fossil fuels, motor vehicles still emit toxic tire and brake wear and tire noise at high speed. Replace current frequent motor vehicle access with throughtrips only and OurStreets’ traditional boulevard on top.
Expand Reconnect Rondo to the entire project area. Rondo is not the only vibrant community that got sliced and diced by I-94. I would add congestion pricing, but good luck with that.
I don’t bike any longer because of a bad back, but if I did, I would avoid onstreet routes, including Summit. I would also avoid shared bike/walk paths because walkers on them never get complete safety from bikers and scooters (especially electrics), too many of whom don’t ring, warn or slow.
A bicycle trail through western St. Paul without Summit’s frequent and varied interruptions would cut time and increase safety and cycling substantially. Summit could remain a designated bike route, but I suspect regional cyclers would choose a genuine bike freeway for long-distance and high speed.
I have no illusions about the chances of the above. As a veteran transportation geek, I’ve watched traffic engineers pave over traffic expansions with community lip service over and over again, and Trump’s transportation secretary has recently stated USDOT’s official mission is now “capacity expansion.” (Redoing I-94 will need hundreds of millions of federal gas tax dollars).
But wouldn’t it be refreshing?.
Mathews Hollinshead
Former Transit Representative,
Metropolitan Council Transportation Advisory Board, 2017-2024

Bulldozing CVS?
For several years I have seen no evidence that there is a plan for this property. My suggestion will improve safety, and improve the look of CVS. CVS has not been found to be structurally unstable.
One possible temporary solution so that the building looks better, has more traffic, and crime is reduced ASAP is:
• open another police substation in CVS like we had in Midway Shopping Center
• offer this space to MTC for fare checkers as a break room
• hire 2 or 3 full-time police officers to include CVS, LRT platforms and area around Kimball Court (trailer cop cameraduring remodeling)
• remove plywood and replace with vacant store front photos like in HarMar Mall, Rosedale Mall, etc… so property looks nice with windows lit
Funding – same funding as for fencing and boarding up CVS, and Kimball Court grant money.
Another vacant lot that is ugly includes a vacant funeral home only feet from CVS and Kimball Court. Our neighborhood has expressed frustration – over 300 and 400 people asking city to do something.
It is time for city to have a plan to keep us safe, not just bulldoze and leave us yet another scar.
Jerry Ratliff
Hamline Midway for 46 years