Businesses critical of results of light-rail meetings

Light-rail planners will host two town-hall meetings Thursday with small businesses in St. Paul to comply with a federal judge's order for more analysis on the Central Corridor project.

But some business owners along University Avenue are staging a counter-rally, urging the Metropolitan Council for more protections during construction.

Jack McCann, president of the University Avenue Business Association, said he doesn't have confidence that the meetings will produce any new concessions.

"They're just going to collect comments," McCann said. "We've done this before. We've told them time and time again at these meetings that the impact is going to be too great. We've given them options. We've said, 'Set up a fund. Do something about parking.' They've dabbled in it, but we've said it's not good enough."

A Central Corridor spokeswoman said planners will consider the views of local merchants and gather data.

A judge ruled last month that the Met Council failed to adequately study how construction would affect nearby businesses.

Minnesota Public Radio has sued the Met Council over concerns about noise and vibration stemming from the project, and will have a hearing Thursday with a new judge in that case.