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Session 1700, Minutes June 30, 1997 Mrs. Thompson asked Mr. Wagner what he meant by the term "cut and cover". Mr. Wagner said that the lowest cost of building Metrolink, would be on the surface, like a streetcar. The second way is to cut it into a slot, which means below grade and open. The third way is to cover the slot, so that the construction is the same, which means the bulk of the construction costs are sunk already into the surveying, preparation, trenching, etc. This is what he means by cut and cover. It is Mr. Wagner's opinion that cut and cover would be the best method to utilize. The most expensive way is to tunnel. Mr. Wagner's second amendment is on item six, page two. Mr, Wagner said that the Council had originally, last October, said that there would be "no commuter parking on residential streets", and in the new resolution the words ~restrictions on" were added. Mr. Wagner said that it was not strong enough. He would like to suggest substituting the words "restrictions on" with the word "no". The last item to amend is to add an item eight. The October resolution had an item that said, "No park and ride lots". Mr. Wagner explained that we do not want University City property or houses taken for parking lots. He would like to suggest adding "No park and ride lots" as item eight. Mr. Wagner explained that if he would have had time and if he would have read more carefully, he would have brought this up on the floor and would not have voted for it. He hopes the Council improves its processes in the future, because he did not get to put his eyes on the resolution until an hour before the meeting. Mayor Adams reminded him that he was out of town that weekend. Mr. Wagner concurred that he was out of town, but if he was in town, he would not have seen it, because it was not delivered until Monday atternoon. Mayor Adams said that it was an oversight. Mr. Wagner said he would not have seen it until alter 6:00 p.m., but he admitted that he did a lousy job of reading it. He just wants to correct it. Mayor Adams said that he had questions, and he wanted to make sure that all the Councilmembers understood what it said. Mayor Adams explained that it was up to Council to decide whether to hold the resolution over or not at the June 23rd meeting. Mr. Wagner was not aware of this. Mayor Adams apologized for the confusion. Mayor Adams assumed that Council understood that this meant no park and ride lots, as originally submitted. He has no problem with adding it in. Mayor Adams said that he did disagree with Mr. Wagner on one point. He does not see anywhere in the resolution where it sta'[es that University City supports the Northern route. The newspapers have it wrong. What the resolution says is that, number one, what is going to happen strictly in University City. If either the Northern route or the so called Green Une is built, whenever it comes into University City, the conditions listed in the resolution will be the criteria. This resolution is also saying to the East-West Gateway people that they promised to make a decision last year and it had not been done - only more studies. It tells them to make a decision, so everyone can understand what is happening and get on with their lives. East-West Gateway is only hiring yet another consulting group to study something else. Mayor Adams is personally becoming very tired about this protraction. He does not care what they decide, just as long as they decide something. As a negotiator, he does have problems with total subterranean construction. He is not saying that he is for it or against it, just that it becomes a problem as a negotiating tool. He believes it is too restrictive. There maybe some slots that are totally covered, but there maybe some slots where it could be open, particularly all along that stretch by Washington University. That is on their property, and University City can not tell them what to do. Mayor Adams had thought that the item dealing with overpasses would have taken care of Mr. Wagner's problem with kids getting from Lourdes and Flynn Park. Right now the kids use an underpass. As far as safety, Mayor Adams says he sees some kids going across Millbrook street and he does not consider that very safe. Mayor Adams does accept Mr, Wagner's argument, however. Mayor Adams has been apprised that RCGA and Mr. Dick Fleming is all of a sudden reinventing the 40 route. The 40 route Mr. Fleming is talking about is excluding University City totally, going all the way out to Chestertield, totally excluding the North/South route. Mayor Adams said that excluding the North/South route will be a tremendous economic detriment to University City. He is looking for that North/South route to open up an underutilized area of University City at Olive and 170. He sees that as a great, potential, economic engine that will raise property values and help the school district - which needs it. If Mr. Fleming has his way, MetroLink in University City is out the window. Mr. Fleming sees urban development out into the far regions as being a great positive good. Mayor Adams personally sees it as tremendous urban sprawl and a killer. Not only to the City of St. Louis, but to University City, Clayton and the rest of the cities in this inner area.