Mayor Rybak Dons Street Crossing Guard Uniform
Celebrates New Traffic Light Following I-35W Bridge Collapse
MMMMMMMM DD, YYYY (MINNEAPOLIS) – Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak today serves as an honorary street crossing guard as he led neighbors and students from Marcy Open School safely across University Avenue at 6th Avenue SE to officially mark the installation of a long awaited new traffic light following the I-35W bridge collapse.
Since the Stone Arch Bridge opened as a bike/pedestrian route in 1994, neighbors have asserted the need for a safer way to cross University Avenue to reach the Bridge. Middle school students at Marcy Open School took on the issue as part of the Project Citizen program in 2006. With the combined efforts of the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association, Marcy Open School students and elected officials, the stoplight is now a reality and will provider safer street crossing at that location.
The need for this traffic light was underscored even more due to traffic changes in this area following the I-35W Bridge collapse. Daily traffic volumes on University Avenue in this area have increased approximately 30% since the I-35W Bridge collapse, rising from 11,700 vehicles/day to 15,576 vehicles/day after the collapse. Traffic volumes on 6th Avenue SE have increased 17% (1,600 to 1,871 vehicles/day) during the same time period.
Project Citizen is a program where middle school students identify a problem in their community and then go through the appropriate governing body to evoke change. The students must research their problem, consider alternatives, select a final solution and present a plan to decision makers. This Marcy Open School project called “Light Fight” received second place honors at the State Project Citizen Competition held at the State Capitol last year.
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