... and our neighborhood in Hudson will be back to normal. Phew!

Let's remember that it is YOUR (Wisconsin drivers) traffic that we have had to deal with for decades. Now that you have felt our pain for a whopping three months you can maybe understand why there is a little bit of animosity for all the Wisconsin traffic clogging our streets. Yes, I understand that many of those drivers stop in OPH to spend money but that really doesn't appease the residents in Stillwater trying to get to or through downtown.

It would be interesting to see how both downtown businesses were affected. At the recent Candlelight Stroll in Hudson there was no place near downtown to park it was so busy (one friend parked 6 blocks from downtown). Glancing at the license plates at least half were from MN. I wonder how Stillwater faired? I suspect many retailers in Hudson were happy with the extra traffic and wonder how many Stillwater businesses missed that very traffic?

Sorry Renee but it is exactly the opposite. When Hudson gets bridge traffic, business is down because everyone avoids downtown if at all possible. Stillwater downtown businesses actually get more business when the bridge is closed because it easier to navigate.

Susan, you just got a glimpse of what it may be like after the new bridge is built. I bet you liked it.

I loved, loved, loved it, CB! I never said that I wanted to keep the traffic in downtown Stillwater. What I was opposed to was spending nearly 3/4 of a billion dollars to move 9,000 commuters a day (yes, I know...future growth). For me it came down to cost vs. benefit. Truth be told, now that all the decisions are made, my preference would have been for Wisconsin to take it's $300 million and build a larger highway from Somerset (to the east of Burkhardt and Hudson) down to 94, and then close the Stillwater Bridge.

You mean all the Cheeseheads who do your work?...

SNAPO!!!

Meow, country boy? How about if you grow up, and we can talk?

Teri, I am not going to get into the full debate again, tell you all statistics, or discuss who benefits more AGAIN....it has been done here ad nauseum.

I said animosity for the traffic clogging our streets....the same way the drivers have animosity for the delays caused by the lift bridge.

It's true that they CHOOSE to live on one side of a failing bridge and work on the other side, and then complain about it.

Do you ever write a comment that makes sense?

Well, I suppose that's true. Many of us cannot afford to live in the big city, so we bought a house we could afford - in WI.

There are homes selling every month in Stillwater in the range of $150,000 - $250,000 (less for town homes and condos). Rent is comparable to that in Hudson. Again, if you choose not to live here, it's hard to have sympathy for you in regards to your difficult commute.

Teri, I have a hard time believing that with gas $3 to $4 a gallon it doesn't cost you practically the same as it would to live in Minnesota, especially when it requires a $700 million bridge.

Sorry to disappoint you Amy, but I don't have a storefront or a walk in business. Yes, the extra traffic is a "bother". Sorry if my honesty on the subject (complaining about heavy traffic...blasphemy!) has so offended you

How on earth have I come across as someone who doesn't like people from Wisconsin?...I grew up over there! Then, I moved Stillwater because I didn't want to deal with lift bridge. so no, I do not have sympathy for people who choose to live on one side, work on the other side, and then complain about it....it's just silly, but that doesn't mean I don't like them. You're reading way too much into the written word.

I also pointed out that I find it a bit ridiculous that people complain about all the extra traffic in Hudson, yet take shots or judge people from Stillwater who complain because we have dealt with the same traffic (mostly Wisconsin plates in the morning and evenings) for decades. It's a bit hypocritical on their part, but I don't dislike people who do it.

I didn't realize that I was required to answer your questions.

The real problem Amy is all of the commuters who bought homes in Wisconsin and work in MInnesota to create this problem and then demand a $700 million bridge solution to a problem that doesn't need to exist in the first place. You seem like a smart gal, why don't you add up the number of actual people who use the bridge in a year or 40 years and divide that by $700 million and see if this bridge makes sense.

I wondered if you were lurking, Randy. I stole your interjection, it seemed appropriate, and I didn't think you'd mind.

as opposed to 250 million for a train station remodel or a billion for a stadium...
you would have to "deal" with the traffic if there were a new bridge...

sorry- meant wouldnt...

You're correct, Amy. If all of the commuters from WI moved to MN, you'd see Woodbury-type neighborhoods from Stillwater to Mahtomedi and all through Lake Elmo.

Actually Carbon, assuming 9,000 commuters and one residency or so for each and also tossing in some additional growth is the perfect number that the Met Council has demanded Lake Elmo grow by in the next 15 or so years. Stillwater won't need to develop beyond what it is comfortable with, you can build out the Inspiration development in Bayport and Lake Elmo will be able to meet the growth goals required. Seems like a win-win to me.

Not true, Randy. Both states pay equally for the bridge. Each state pays for their their highways that approach to the bridge. WI built part of their approach highways 10 years ago, with the understanding that the new bridge would be built. They didn't build the last section because they didn't know exactly where the bridge would end up.

You're right, CB, Minnesota is contributing a similar amount for a bridge that it doesn't need half as much as Wisconsin. Minnesota is paying significantly more for the approaches and other necessities that would not be needed at all if not for this unnecessary bridge that primarily benefits Wisconsin commuters. Thank you for setting me straight.

Randy, obviously, I'm pro-bridge, but I do see ways they could cut the costs. Instead of separate bridges for the on and off-ramps on the MN side of the bridge, they could move those ramps into cloverleaf-type loops on the west side of hwy. 95 - there is room for it. It was also decided long ago to go with the extruded/extradosed bridge instead of the more conventional girder-type bridge like that used in Hudson. That is another added cost.

I have a business with many wonderful customers. I have never met Randy (that I am aware), we just happen to agree on this subject.

I went to Pier 500 within the first couple weeks of the bridge being closed. It was a Thursday night and pretty busy but we were seated right away. Great food!

Teri Larsen, I applaud you! Your comment might the best, most insightful, refreshing, commonsensical, yet neutral comment I've ever read on this topic; EVER. I'm so tired of the same whining & complaining over & over, yr after yr by all the "extremists" that think this is all for WI commuters. Your Burnsville-Roseville & Maple Grove-St Paul comment is spot on. If the state "border" separated either of those commute examples you mentioned, these "extremists" would focus all that animosity there instead. I've never understood why there's so much bitterness w/MN against WI since I've lived in both Stillwater, & now Hudson. If you read the 3rd post in this comment sect, it talks about "all the WI traffic clogging OUR streets", or "YOUR (Wisconsin drivers) traffic that we have had to deal with for decades." The same person said it's our CHOICE to live in WI and commute to MN. Your latest post explains it perfectly why we live in WI. It's one of the main reasons why I moved to WI; Then you've got the same people complain about the $700mil price tag. This bridge could've/should've been built 10-15 yrs ago for a fraction of the cost. But it was the same 'extremist nazis', along w/frivilous lawsuits that prevented it. All preposterous! Fact is, the bridge IS going to be built like it or not, and I happen to like it! Let the haters continue to hate, whine & complain. I love WI since that's where I'm from originally, & I love Stillwater for all the obvious it has to offer.

TP Jr, I stuck with you all the way to 'extremist nazis"...too darn funny, and sooo civil and neutral. I bet you're one of the crowd that call President Obama a Nazi too? Thank goodness that extreme group has been proven to be nothing more than raving fools.

I understand your situation Teri and respect your comments. One important factor that you may be forgetting is the law that forbid this bridge from being built. Congress saw fit to bypass it, so I accept that.

It seems that I am to be vilified for pointing out the hypocrisy of those complaining about the traffic in Hudson without considering what Stillwater residents have dealt with. It's a shame, but says more about those not willing to look at this from both sides, than it does about me.

With that, I will sign off. Well, unless someone decides to attack me again...I just can't leave that alone.

Good luck with that long, slow commute tomorrow morning, at least the bridge has opened back up for you.

Don't let Teri's example cloud some obvious facts that you apparently neglect to consider, TP. All those bridges mention combined probably did not cost what this new bridge will and do you want to take a wild guess at how many commuters use those bridges on a daily basis. You can look it up, but I will tell you flat out it is significantly more than use the lift bridge or will use the new bridge. Yes, the bridge could have been built less 10 years ago, but that doesn't ignore that today's cost is $700 million and yet nobody bothered to consider other design options AFTER the costs had grown to such a ridiculous total. And if you can't see or realize that the majority of people using this bridge are from Wisconsin then you are beyond clueless.

I'll remember that next time I'm at my cabin in WI and I see all those MN plates!

How many Minnesota commuters do you think work in Wisconsin and use the bridge five days a week? How many Wisconsin residents with cabins use the bridge only several weekends per year that couldn't also use the bridge in Osceola or Taylors Falls? Just how many cabins do you think there are in Forest Lake or Lino Lakes? or maybe Ely? I'm not a mathematician, but it is more than you think. Use your brain. Yeah. It benefits all whether you want to believe it or not.