The Metropolitan Council is reining in its plans for building roads to far-flung suburban developments, favoring instead more central highway lanes dedicated to transit and toll payers, according to the
Star Tribune:
"A sudden change in Twin Cities highway planning could mean the end of
the road for some suburban projects.
"Commuters and suburban elected officials are fuming over the decision
by planners to back away from the age-old compact in which the state
tries to keep pace with suburban expansion.
"Planners are instead embracing the idea of blanketing the inner metro
area with a network of so-called "managed lanes"--what critics have
long dubbed 'Lexus lanes'--for buses and drivers who are willing to
pay extra to skirt stalled traffic. Officials outside the Interstate
694-494 beltway say they see their hopes for new roads vanishing as a
result, despite forecasts for major population growth. ...
"The clash features some unexpected opponents: On one side are state officials working for a Republican governor, along with transit advocates, environmentalists and much of the business community. On the other are many Republican-voting suburbs."
Read the full article here.