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"It was my generation 50 years ago that saved Summit Avenue and this whole neighborhood of Victorian Architecture. We did good work. Summit Avenue is the longest stretch of Victorian Architecture in the UNITED STATES. It's beauty and charm draw crowds. Wandering down the Avenue and enjoying the beautiful trees, especially in the fall as they turn every shade or red, yellow, orange is a joy. Please don't destroy what we all worked so hard to preserve for future generations -- not just our children, but for everyone."

"These trees are the best part of the neighborhood. They bring beauty and a sense of the outdoors in a place that you would not expect. Your side walks you can repair but these years have taken time to grow. They make fast paced always moving city and make it slow and enjoyable. This is coming from a college student doesn’t care too much for scenery. These trees make a gray city colorful"

"I moved to St Paul when I attended St Kate’s in 1999 and came back to live in this after after living in France for 5 years and wanted to be near Summit Avenue, specifically for its charm. I work 30 miles away but stay in this area for a reason… please do not change anything other than repairing the holes in the road! Thank you!"

"Summit Avenue is a gem of our city of St. Paul, where I have lived for 36 years. It is also the best preserved Victorian Boulevard in the US, and one of the reasons I live here and pay taxes my entire life. I oppose strongly this project that will destroy so many beautiful trees, and harm the natural beauty of our neighborhood, and be disruptive to our natural animal life. I only travel by bicycle, without car, and I find we have sufficient safe routes for bicycles without creating destruction of trees, that could not be replaced in our lifetimes."

"Keep the trees alive!!"

"Keep the trees alive!!"

"Please let’s just repave the street and make the necessary repairs and then just add a beautiful fountain for all to enjoy at the corner of Summit and Lexington! Something like the fountain in Irvine park."

"I firmly believe in the preservation of the history and beauty that exists on this street. Humanity is all too quick to destroy to have things be “bigger and better.” The roads are wide enough. The bike lanes are present. Why mess with a good thing?"

"The plan to destroy a beautiful section of the premier boulevard in our state’s capital is abhorrent. There’s absolutely no need for additional bike lanes. Summit Ave is already one of the most bike friendly roads in the community, if not the country! This is yet another example of both the city council’s and Melvin Carter’s corruption, hypocrisy and disgraceful incompetence. Mr Carter and the political hacks who staff his administration need to be held accountable for the havoc they have created."

"This is such a beautiful street. The colors in the fall are like a picture. It would be a crime to lose this beautiful, historic street. Just fixed the street and leave the beauty."

"Please keep Summit Avenue just as it is. There is so much history along with the beauty and culture that deserves being preserved."

"I own a home at 1389 Summit and disapprove of this! As a taxpayer and owner."

"Please don’t remove our irreplaceable mature trees. I run to the river all the time, take walks with my family, and have never felt the need for a designated path. Without the trees, Summit’s just another street. The appeal is gone."

"Leave our street alone. It is as pedestrian friendly and bicyclist friendly as it will ever need to be. Any more pavement and any less foliage will make it less attractive to both. To say nothing about it’s inhabitants."

"I want to preserve the asymmetrical current historical view of Summit Avenue. I think the street should be repaved and motorist speeds controlled but the current asymmetrical design, including the width of the street and the width of the sidewalks and setbacks should remain as is."

"Please do not materially change the historic nature of Summit Ave. it is my understanding that a residential street has never been designated as a regional trail. Don’t experiment with Summit Ave!"

"Thank you for organizing this. I’m really curious about how this regional trail idea got past the Summit Historical Preservation efforts. Thank you again. John"

"Leave it alone!"

"I often walk on the Summit avenue sidewalks. Sometimes I ride my bike on the bike lanes. Walking and biking works really well on Summit. I’m perplexed… Why would we change what works??"

"I have great concern regarding the proposal. We must ask the questions, who devised this and what is the intention? We must know what the intention is in order to optimize a decision. We must not be reckless in our desire to change something. Summit ave represents something; a deep deep history that must not be destroyed with an eagerness to create an updo. Our cultural foundation exists because of places like the avenue. We must not continue this need to overly reinvent many layers of our society. Please let us be mindful about what we are doing. Thank you."

"Summit Avenue is a treasure! Its history and trees deserve our stewardship and preservation! I honestly cannot believe this notion of changing it has been taken seriously. This time, effort and money, I am sure, is much needed elsewhere."

"This is a desecration and an abomination in the service of fawning stupidity. It must be stopped!!!"

"I commute as a cyclist or runner on Summit Ave almost every day. The design in place today is perfect. It only needs fresh paving and repainted lines. What is proposed is completely unnecessary."

"Summit Avenue needs to be protected for the unique national street that it is. The trees and the boulevards are amazing, irreplaceable assets that should not be tampered with. Where did this outrageous plan originate? Who is behind it, and and who stands to make money from it? The proponents of this plan need to be out in the open, and they need to defend their plan. It is very troublesome that this idea has already been being developed in the dark for so long, and then presented almost as a fait accompli. For the good of the community it must be stopped."

"This would absolutely ruin Summit Avenue . This thought process is so wrong and so destructive and to lose all those trees and green space and make biking more dangerous for bikers ? PLUS HAVE NO PARKING ??? WHAT ARE PEOPLE THINKING ? This is an such an absurd idea."

"Leave Summit Avenue alone. It has a bike path that works great without destroying the pristine greenery and beauty of the area."

"Summit avenue is one of the prettiest streets in the Twin Cities. I am proud to bring out of town visitors to wind our way from the Mississippi River to the cathedral, and it is the highlight of the tour that I take people on often--and I'm originally from Minneapolis! The proposed changes will completely undermine the graciousness, beauty, and historic value of this grand avenue. True, the road surface needs an upgrade, but bikes and cars can continue to coexist within its current design. Do not fall prey to the notion that making something better means making something different."

"I submitted the letter below to the Star Tribune on Friday 6/10. I noticed one that was quite similar in today's print version, so it may not be likely to be published. The Importance of Trees on Summit Avenue The well-written article published June 9 about the loss of trees on Cleveland Avenue and the larger issues involved in the deliberate felling of healthy mature trees strongly impressed this resident of Summit Avenue. The recently-announced plan to make Summit Avenue a part of a regional trail system (the “Project”) does not so clearly state a plan for the demise of its trees, but shows a strikingly similar attitude on the part of local officials. I and many of my neighbors are deeply concerned. At the most recent public information session, on Monday June 6, residents emphasized that its trees are a key element of the unique nature of Summit Avenue and its inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The moderator responded that “removal of trees is not a part of this project,” seemingly distinguishing the Project from the one on Cleveland. But when another resident noted the importance of maintaining a sufficient zone to protect the roots of existing trees, the moderator stated flatly that “the Master Plan does not include tree-by-tree considerations.” To a suggestion that the city should make a firm commitment that the Project would present no harm or risk of harm to trees, she replied, not unreasonably, that with any construction, stuff happens. Sadly, she’s right about that. That’s exactly why the analysis needs to be taken to a higher level, one identical to the one stated so well in the article of June 9. The threats to trees presented by insects and other aspects of today’s environment are bad enough; we humans should not be so cavalier as to put them at further risk by arbitrarily embracing trendy plans of the moment. The facts of urban transportation continue to evolve and are hard to predict. To say “we’re working to limit the impact of the Project on trees” has it backward. Instead, we should be saying that trees are paramount, and that a threshold requirement for consideration of the Project is a scientifically valid and reliable determination that it would not harm existing trees or threaten their long-term survival. Regional trail systems are a valuable aspect of regional planning. But given the threats to its trees and many other bases for distinguishing Summit Avenue from most regional trails, there is no need for Summit Avenue to be part of such a system."

"I live nearby and I love my walks around here. During the shutdown, it was my respite. The mature trees have a history I can feel, and I have not felt the need to have my walks feel any differently. I appreciate the foliage and large paths as they are. When I bike, I feel I am safe. I am all for change when it is needed. But this seems unnecessary and will cause avoidable destruction."

"I have lived close to Summit Avenue on both ends for almost 20 years. It is a great place to walk and bike as it is. A regional trail would ruin it. I really liked when the bike lanes were redrawn a few years ago on the west end. That gave extra space between cars and bikes and made me feel safer. I see many people walking on the sidewalks along Summit Avenue and there is no problem. We don't need a regional trail. What Summit Avenue needs more than anything is REPAVING ASAP! It is a nightmare driving or biking down most of it. If the city is going to spend money on Summit Avenue it needs to be on repaving. The people living on and near Summit should be able to decide what happens to it - not the city. Please preserve it exactly as is, but repave it."

"We must preserve the mature tree canopy which not only provides shade and cooling effects in warm summer months, it provides much needed air cleansing powers, beautiful fall colors, and any removal or disruption to the root system will affect all the trees in the area. Some of which are hundreds of years old - they too should be considered under historical protection. To increase safety, we should be considering repaving the road properly. This is our state capitol and even the road in governor’s mansion is riddled with potholes. We must not also forget that this is a residential area and many families live here. Adding cyclist traffic and removing parking will greatly impact those living here. Other options such as improving the River road bike path, putting in more bike lanes on other roads, and putting the money to repaving all of St Paul’s roads would be more prudent and rational."

"Why hasn't there been public discourse on decisions such as these that seem to aim to destroy the ability to ride a bicycle on Summit Avenue? Why are trees being torn down? Why are drivers whose cars are typically driven and parked on Summit Avenue being treated as if their interests are of no consequence? Who is making these decisions? Are they government servants? Are they using hard earned tax dollars to make decisions that have a negative impact on hundreds if not thousands of lives?"

"Recreational and commuting cyclists use and need Summit Avenue. We all appreciate the trees and the parking that's currently available. Cars are also necessary. Don't punish drivers."

"Fix Summit Ave (and Mississippi River Blvd) for fast and safe commuting for recreational bikers like me! Build community on Summit. Consider: benches, picnic tables, creating play spaces (for all ages), gardens, a natural meandering trail and other amenities that bring people across St. Paul together- within the current landscape of trees."

"Let’s not try to fix something that is not broken. The grand old Summit Avenue lady is grand as is. 👍"

"I find this proposal designed for the few, but paid for dearly by the many!!!"

"Summit Avenue is gracious, romantic in all seasons, on the National Historic Register, tree lined, dotted with pocket parks, fountains, statuary, benches to sit on, sidewalks to stroll and on street bike paths. Victorian architecture for miles, home to The Cathedral, churches and synagogues, colleges, law school, clubs, event venues, apartments, condominiums, and private homes. There is nothing like it in our country! Let’s work to see that the Avenue is repaired for safety, the bike lanes are restriped, efforts are made to calm car traffic, and what we have is maintained. Let’s keep the towering tree canopy, accessibility, wide sidewalks and granite curbs. A Regional Trail, raised and curbed above the street, is incompatible with Summit Avenue, is unsafe as it dissects hundreds of driveways, ensures massive tree loss, restricts parking for residents, schools and businesses. This project has a price tag in the millions and requires constant maintenance by the City. St. Paul needs to maintain what we already have - parks, roadways, buffers, medians, and planters."

"In 1956, a crime was committed against St Paul's thriving Black Rondo neighborhood. That crime is about to be repeated. The US did need a highway system in 1956, but Highway 94 didn't have to run right through Rondo. An alternate proposed route would run just to the North through unused railroad lines. That alternative was dismissed in favor of destroying the Black neighborhood and displacing 500 families. The US does need more bike routes in 2022, but a bike route doesn't have to run through historic Summit Avenue. Alternates routes are available. Yet our leaders propose a route that would besmirch the historic street we show off to tourists, the avenue architecture students come to study. Why repeat a crime that brought shame to this city and to the State? As a retired consultant to local city planners, I urge our leaders to abandon this abominable act of wanton ignorance that reeks of revenge. Let's re-pave our sadly potholed Summit Avenue and propose an appropriate alternate route for bikes to run at their own speed."

"Thank YOU for your efforts to preserve the beauty of Summit Hill and the amazing trees there! If the trees go, the entire Avenue will be lost very quickly. Trees make neighborhoods livable, especially urban ones!"

"Do not remove trees from Summit Ave. The regional trail system can be accomplished without removing any trees. Protected bike lanes is all that is needed."

"I think those whom dictate the Summit Ave area do not remember when the twin cities went through the “next best thing” for the twin cities called urbanization. Ask Larry Millet author of Twin Cities Lost (phenomenal series) we destroyed both cities of their perspective charm……..so once again should we ignore or erase our history and relive and regret."

"I have lived on Summit, near the Cathedral, since 1992. Please: [1] Do NOT eliminate residential parking; [2] Leave the existing bicycle/vehicle/parking layout as-is; [3] Repave and actually maintain the existing asphalt roadway; [4] Identify other routes to act as a "linking trail" for bicycle riders. .... Regional bike trail design by St. Paul's city planners seems to be something like this: .... a) Identify streets that provide direct and efficient routes from here to there. A process most efficiently done while riding in motorized vehicles. .... b) Declare those streets as bike routes. Paint miles of stripes. Congratulate the planners. .... c) Years later, announce that slow bikes and fast cars do not belong side by side on busy streets. Declare that everyone's basic right to be safe requires physical separation to protect endangered bikers. Initiate expensive redesign and Grand Plans that retain the existing (i.e., historically-critical) bike routes. .... d) Raze trees (??), eliminate parking, encumber local residents, reroute pedestrians, install traffic bollards, pave green spaces, buy tons of extra salt plus mini snow/ice removal equipment and create bike lane snow/ice removal jobs -- all to achieve year-round safe and always-accessible bike trails (never slippery, despite Minnesota's weather). Spend millions of dollars. Congratulate the planners. .... OR, today's planners could relocate the supposedly-hazardous bike routes to peacefully scenic side streets, paint miles of stripes, add stop signs to protect non-stop bikers from local cross-traffic, save millions of dollars AND use the money saved to plant trees, widen pedestrian walkways and beautify local green spaces. Receive thanks from the 96% who don't ride bikes and the 4% who do. .... A regional bike trail's design should not be shoehorned into the most direct and efficient route between Point-A and Point-B. Especially when that route "happens" to have been carefully maintained for decades as a nationally-significant historic treasure."

"If you want to see an example of what Summit would look like after the "upgrade" go and view the stretch of Como Avenue between Hamline and Arona. Only one bike lane there. Summit rebuild would have two."

"I'm a year-round biker and I bike Summit often. But the beauty of the avenue is far more important than amenities for bikers."

"There are unfortunately times when nature itself destroys our precious mature trees. However, to purposely remove all these mature trees is unconscionable. It is also a huge hazard for driveways intersecting with the bike trail. That sounds like an unheard of proposition. I can only imagine the lawsuits associated with that. Removing 50% of the parking would be ridiculous. There are disabled individuals that it would prohibit from doing their daily chores, such as groceries, etc.. People live here. People go to functions here. This is one of the most beautiful streets in the state and I believe the country. The trees provide beauty in every season here. What about the people that walk the streets and enjoy them each and every day. It doesn’t sound like the bicyclists are encouraging this either. I say a resounding no!"

"If you were to ONLY repave/restripe the entire length of the corridor, keeping as is the current lane widths etc.....THIS WOULD VASTY IMPROVE the safety and experience of biking and driving this road. freshly paved roads with clear striping reduce accidents by 73%."