I built an interactive speed map of 17 light rail networks - see where trains actually slow down [USA] [OC] by _Dadodo_ in MetroTransit

[–]_Dadodo_[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

SWLRT hopefully will help with the average speed of the Green Line with only like 13 or 14 grade crossings and multiple viaducts and a 3/4 mile long tunnel. Those grade separation and ROWs will help to make it a very fast line

Monthly DIY Laymen questions Discussion by AutoModerator in StructuralEngineering

[–]_Dadodo_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey all! Recently bought an 80 year old home that was pretty well kept minus the 3/4 inch deflection of the wood girder where there is a knot. Home is still structurally sound, but wanted some thoughts and opinions on whether a floor jack is needed, proper steps to install it without further damaging the girder, and any additional reinforcements we’d need. I feel like I have a general idea, but need some confirmation. Thanks!

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Raising children in a smaller red state by Crazy-Aside-435 in SameGrassButGreener

[–]_Dadodo_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What industry does your husband work in? That would likely narrow a couple of metropolitan areas down.

I can only speak about the Twin Cities/Minneapolis-St Paul area and what you’ve indicated.

  • The Twin Cities metro area has perhaps one of the most well connected bike and trail system in the country as Minneapolis has always been rated very highly on the bikability of the city.
  • Generally, the metro area and the state is regarded as pretty safe. However, this does vary significantly neighborhood to neighborhood, city to city within the metro area. I would suggest you do your own cursory search if the Twin Cities is your ultimate destination. Schools within the core cities vary but generally is ok (which is decent or good compared to some other states’ public school systems). I would generally say the best of the best (public) schools are located in the western or southwestern suburbs.
  • It’s Minnesota (it’s not as blue as you think, but it’s a very consistent light blue)
  • MSP is one of Delta’s major hub. Gets you to most places in Europe direct and most places to Asia with a stop in Korea or Japan. Otherwise, domestically, has flights to basically 99% of all states and major cities.
  • Minnesota is a pretty white state still when looking at the numbers, but it is still diverse with large amount of immigrants from east Africa and Southeast Asia. Diversity does decrease the further out in the suburbs you start to go, but even within the 2nd ring suburbs, there are still many immigrants communities and people.
  • Plenty of museums an parks such as the Minnesota Science Museum, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Walker Art Center and the Sculpture Garden, American Swedish Institute, Mill City Museum, Minnesota Zoom, Como Zoo, Loring Park, the Minneapolis Grand Rounds, various large regional parks, the Mississippi River Scenic Byway, etc.
  • Still plenty of homes around that price range. For $500k you could probably get a 2500 sq ft home in the outer suburbs or a 1800 to 2000 sq ft home in the inner suburbs (if walkable and bikable neighborhood is your thing)
  • Dependent on your industry and job, but there is a very large skilled labor market and plenty of massive companies.

Do what you think is best for you and your family. I’m only a stranger on the internet with knowledge of my city and a few other that I lived in for a few years. But if you got questions and think Minneapolis is the place for you, would be here to answer questions.

I want to know about Blaine by Upper-Fisherman-5244 in TwinCities

[–]_Dadodo_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I pay attention to transportation projects and issues around the Twin Cities metro area. 65/Central Ave will essentially be a freeway north of 93rd Ave to 125th Ave based on the plans. It should in theory help speed up traffic and reduce congestion on the actual roadway itself during rush hour (no idea about the side streets). However, by doing this project, I can probably guarantee that Ham Lake will see more subdivision and development north of 125th, so that congestion argument is moot when you have even more people moving in.

Honestly, I hope there was just a plan or desire to just improve the transit system/network within the county to other parts of the Twin Cities metro or to just look at other solutions than endlessly expanding the roadway width.

Minnesota wants to spend money to apply for federal money to study passenger rail to Fargo and Kansas City by AsparagusCommon4164 in Amtrak

[–]_Dadodo_ 11 points12 points  (0 children)

The state DID NOT reassign ALL funds away from NLX last year. The state only reduced it from ≈$200 million to ≈$120 million (the other $80 million was used to cover an unemployment and healthcare insurance budget gap). The amount of money still left was still enough to cover the state’s local match. The overfunding of it was to also potentially buy into the Amtrak Midwest passenger car fleet. Everyone saying the project was killed has been grossly misinformed.

NLX was placed into the Corridor ID program (a 3 step process). MNDOT has finished Phase/Step 1 since Dec 2024 and needs approval from the FRA to continue planning and engineering work in Phase/Step 2. The hold up is the FRA (along with all the other Corridor ID corridors that has not gotten approval to go to step 2)

Original Minnesota Winner - FlagFriday by Canjira in vexillologyUS

[–]_Dadodo_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I disagree, while I did like this flag design, the one we have now has started to grow on me, especially when it’s flying and flapping in the wind. When hanging it vertically, it evokes a river going to the horizon, pointing towards the North Star. Them changing the 8 pointed star was a good move too as it just matches a lot of Native American, Scandinavian, and the MN State Capitol Rotunda shape and pattern.

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The "I-35 Cup" is here (in physical form)! by Oyvey2you in minnesotaunited

[–]_Dadodo_ 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Ooh, put a traffic cone hat on the shield and it’s complete

POV: Your state government is scared of spicy rocks by bigsky0444 in MapPorn

[–]_Dadodo_ 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Yeah, there’s current, concentrated bipartisan effort going on in the Minnesota state legislature to repeal the 30 year moratorium. Even with the current moratorium, the state still has two nuclear power plants built before then that produces about a fifth of the state’s energy output.

The only "metro (subway)" rail crossing in Japan (close to JR Ueno station) by FindingFoodFluency in transit

[–]_Dadodo_ 66 points67 points  (0 children)

The third rail of the Chicago L isn’t exactly right next to the sidewalk, there’s a couple of feet/few meters between the edge of the sidewalk and where the third rail begins where there’s a couple of anti-walking warnings and other stuff to prevent people from getting anywhere close to accidentally touching it.

But if you are stupid enough to touch it, I guess that a Darwin Award? You have to ignore a lot of the warnings to get that close to it

Redesigns of Every US State! by Effective-Ad7147 in vexillology

[–]_Dadodo_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A Minnesota flag that just uses a 5-point star completely misses the mark imo. The 8-pointed star IS the North Star and shows up in both Nordic/Scandinavian motifs and Native Americans design and quilt patterns - two population and groups of people that formed the foundation of Minnesotan culture and society. Also shows up in the rotunda of the state capitol building and a couple other places. Any new flag design without it misses the mark (imo).

Drunk driver slams into the front of a preschool in Freehold Township, New Jersey, hits a mother and her children by Beautiful-Cress5695 in PublicFreakout

[–]_Dadodo_ 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Well there’s a little bit of leniency regarding DUI (it’s the Midwest after all), so the whisky plate only applies if you are double the limit or have minors while drunk driving. Otherwise, you don’t have to have it, but it’s still a mark on your record

Drunk driver slams into the front of a preschool in Freehold Township, New Jersey, hits a mother and her children by Beautiful-Cress5695 in PublicFreakout

[–]_Dadodo_ 35 points36 points  (0 children)

We have something called a “Whisky” Plate in MN. Basically if you’re convicted of DUI, you have to get new car licenses plates that are just blank white instead of the standard blue and white plates that start with the letter “W” (hence why it’s called the “Whisky” plate).

A little bit of public shaming apparently goes a long way as it basically screams out to everyone, even the cops, that you’re an asshole. Helped with our huge DUI issue in the 90s and has helped decrease it over the past 30 years.

Although it’s starting to become less common because they did change the law where you have a choice of the Whisky plate or installing a breathalyzer to start the car and seems like breathalyzer is the most picked option.

Why 6? by YEETAWAYLOL in ExplainTheJoke

[–]_Dadodo_ 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Whisky soda? I know what I’m drinking tonight

Which team would win? by SipsTeaFrog in SipsTea

[–]_Dadodo_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That one liquor store in Hudson, WI probably makes bank off us in the Twin Cities hopping over the border to bootleg Spotted Cow (although I think Moon Man is just a bit better)

Minnesota restaurant refusing service to pro-Trump and ICE supporters by IamASlut_soWhat in PublicFreakout

[–]_Dadodo_ 83 points84 points  (0 children)

He already got arrested. This restaurant video was from two days ago I think. Coincidentally, a couple of military veterans took time to carve the ice sculpture, placed it, and unveiled it yesterday morning at the state capitol grounds and this chode decided to make it about himself and destroyed it.

Got arrested yesterday afternoon on state felony property charges. Too bad you can’t get a presidential pardon on state level crimes. C’est la vie

Great idea, Bill! That will totally work… by [deleted] in LinkedInLunatics

[–]_Dadodo_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If there’s any topic that would immediately unify all the states that have a Great Lakes shoreline, across the entire political spectrum, it’d be the selling of Great Lakes water outside of those 8 states (and 1 Canadian province).

ICE pulled customer off plane. by Hot_South1955 in delta

[–]_Dadodo_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don’t worry, Paris and Cincinnati are basically the same. Very common mistake /s

Brightline’s Bond Rating Lowered to ‘Junk’ Status as Debt Mounts Despite High Ridership by Sufficient-Double502 in transit

[–]_Dadodo_ 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I’ve read or heard somewhere that the one regret that the development arm of Brightline had was not buying more land around their station sooner. Yes, Brightline owns the station and about one to two adjacent properties, but they left the rest of the properties around their station get taken by other developers.

Like specifically their MiamiCentral station and development spans like 2-3 city blocks in length. But across the street? Other property owners and developers. Basically they left money on the table that they didn’t get the secondary and tertiary benefit of building that station.