At long last a decision has been made on the realignment of Highway 371 at Pequot Lakes. Going back several years, we remember the complaint of one exasperated Pequot Lakes businessman who had an opinion in the long-standing debate but who confided that the indecision and uncertainty was hurting his ability to make smart decisions as much as anything.
Now civic leaders and residents can make informed decisions, knowing the highway will be routed east of downtown. There's nothing we could say on that decision, either pro or con, that would change the mind of any of the advocates in this long controversy. It's time for all involved to make the best of the situation and make plans for the future.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation currently has plans for many more projects than they have sufficient funding to implement. Given the current economy and tight state budgets the city may see delays in the 2018 target date for the realignment. Traffic in the Pequot Lakes area is likely to increase by 2018 and the decision to avert downtown may mean that motorists will avoid a gridlock scenario.
The key to a thriving downtown is to make Pequot Lakes a destination location, a place travelers will seek out for meals and shopping once they have safely arrived in the lakes area. That's our Christmas time wish for the business people and residents of Pequot Lakes.
Comments (5)
Add commentA bypass destination?
"The key to a thriving downtown is to make Pequot Lakes a destination location, a place travelers will seek out for meals and shopping once they have safely arrived in the lakes area. "
Do you mean like Brainerd did after 371 went west?
Total gall with a little pinch of schadenfreude.
Brainerd Dispatch to Pequot Lakes businesses and citizens:
"Quit your whining. We do it to our folks all the time. If you don't want to become a 'destination for meals and shopping,' just follow our plans. Then you, too, can enjoy 20% unemployment and government by calcified bureaucracy. Now, eat your government pork and shut up!"
The editorial staff at this paper is pure arrogance. For Brainerd to lecture anyone on a thriving downtown would be hilarious, if it weren't so sad. Check that. Not sad...pathetic.
371 bypass
The new James J. O'Berstar memorial bypass won't make a lick of difference. Like Brainerd residents,, Pequot folks should argue about important stuff like floride or the new $43 million school bond
Destination Downtown
"The key to a thriving downtown is to make Pequot Lakes a destination location."
Its too bad that the PL Mayor & City Council have alienated most of the business community and driven out most of those who were actually building the "destination" in the past 10 years. With a $4.0 million price tag on their Downtown plan (and no funding in sight), overly restrictive zoning and sign ordinances and a prohibition on commercial development on any new bypass route, no logical thinker will buy into the plan or put a significant investment into that town. (Unless you believe the highway will never be built.)
The retirees running the City will get exactly what they want: a quiet up north bedroom community with a limited offering of amenities that will stay the same until they die.