Alex Burns

I joined Rep. Sencer-Mura, @bullycreative, and @WedgeLIVE for a panel with the hosts of @thewaroncars podcast. As a champion of urban highway removal, it was great to sit down and discuss the harmful impacts of I-94 and the fight to replace I-94 with an at-grade option.

"I am pleased to introduce SF 817. This bill will enhance community engagement and strengthen planning processes to ensure that highway investments are environmentally conscious, fiscally responsible, and reflective of the priorities of local communities." - @OmarFatehMN

@NikoLeMieux That's precisely the trap of capitalism. It pits cities against one another, demanding constant growth and investment to avoid economic stagnation. The situation in downtown Saint Paul is nuanced and there are no easy solutions, but begging for a billionaire savior isn't it.

@AlexT_Burns Downtown St. Paul wasn’t ruined by investment, commerce, and capitalism- but rather the lack of it. It's the absence of businesses that want to locate here, the lack of people willing to invest in real estate here, and the shortage of visitors choosing to come here.

What stage of capitalism is it when a news outlet casts altruistic billionaires as the only hope for downtown Saint Paul? A better solution: Build the Twin Cities Boulevard. Replace acres of freeway pavement with social housing, businesses, and parks. axios.com/local/twin-cit…

MN Climate Advocates! Today from 2 - 4PM, MnDOT's Technical Advisory Comm. (TAC) will meet to discuss how MN's new highway climate law should be implemented. Major decisions are set to be discussed. Please tune in & push for the strongest law possible. dot.state.mn.us/sustainability…

@PhilmerPhiI An easy fix with a municipal sidewalk plowing program!

I've been seeing a lot of identically over salted sidewalks around town recently, and it appears this is the work of the City's enforcement. I'm glad to see action being taken, but that is a lot of salt!

@GovTimWalz proposes an ongoing $32 million cut to Met Council funding. This would drastically undermine the promised expansion of bus service, Bus Rapid Transit, walking & biking in the metro, which was a centerpiece of the historic 2023 Omnibus Transportation Law. #MNLeg (1/3)

The #RethinkingI94 PAC Meeting is starting now. Some PAC members, @TwinCitiesDSA, and Twin Cities Boulevard supporter are gathered to watch live.

Planning on tuning into the big MnDOT I-94 meeting this Friday morning? Why not join your fellow freeway fighters at the Minneapolis Central Library for a PAC meeting watch party! I've heard there might even be MnDOT jargon bingo.. RSVP here: actionnetwork.org/events/taking-…

From Readers Write in @StarTribune: "The boulevard options have many potential benefits, including reconnected neighborhoods, reduced pollution, improved transportation options and new land for businesses, parks and affordable homes." @MnDOT startribune.com/readers-write-…

For years I have helped represent Saint Paul on Rethinking 94 Policy Advisory Committee. My constituents and I have spoken for freeway removal/at-grade replacement to be explored exhaustively as an option. MNDOT has a generational chance to act on this. I urge them to do so.

I am extremely frustrated that MNDOT staff are planning to prematurely remove the at-grade options for I-94 from further study. This would flagrantly ignore the elected officials who represent the project area, and perpetuate enormous harm to our communities.

As a member of this advisory council since it's inception and as a Commissioner who represents a constituency harmed by this interstate, a call would have been nice from @MnDOT as opposed to what feels like a sneak move pre-holiday. Finding out from the paper isn't collaborative.

It’s difficult to say where motorists — and congestion — would go if Minneapolis-St. Paul freeway was enlarged or reduced. 📝 @billlindeke buff.ly/3VDlmpF

Taking Senator Fateh’s advice and riding the bus to his Minneapolis mayoral campaign kickoff event right now. Hope to see you there.

My name is Omar Fateh – I’m a State Senator, husband, renter, son of Somali immigrants, and a long-time advocate for working people. I’m running for Mayor of Minneapolis to work with you to achieve the vibrant, loving city we know Minneapolis can be. 🧵 fatehformayor.com/donate

MnDOT analysis shows that I-94 expansion is better for bikes and pedestrians ("meets purpose and need") than replacing with an at-grade boulevard option. Proving that there's nothing that a larger urban freeway can't solve. Or their analysis is cooked.

@Callmekeooo @MattFrommer @bradleyforco Do you think highways pay for themselves? In Texas, which has some of the highest tolls in the country, gas tax & registration revenue only covers a quarter of the state’s highway budget, and that % is shrinking every year. tpr.org/news/2024-05-2…

@MattFrommer @bradleyforco Your proposal—like every other public transit in the USA—costs taxpayers. No public transit makes the money it spends, it’s always in deficit.

Yea ok. Hey ladies we have pretty much taken your right to bear arms and crime is at outrageous levels, but make sure you walk or bike to “save the planet”. And don’t worry about the homeless smoking fentanyl on the light rails and busses (yep we heard plenty of testimony on that last session), because this guy and our governor say you’re perfectly safe. Oh and don’t worry about countries like India and China polluting our world, as long as you walk to work, our environment will be saved 😉. Matt, do you actually think we believe anything you say???? Come on man….. @BehizyTweets @dobetterdnvr @DecayDenver @jeffhunt @Derek_Wolfe95

Last week, @MnDOT's Rethinking I-94 advisory committee met for the first time since February. Rather than hear from community members, MNDOT eliminated public comment and told advisory committee members there was no plan for bringing ideas or feedback to a vote.

Words not found in this column: "Climate change" "Pollution" "Public Health" "Racism" "Redlining" If you want to have an honest conversation about the cost of car dependency in the Twin Cities, you won't find it here. Keep beating up the strawman @plattMSP