1994-05-10 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Meeting Minutes May 10, 1994 Page 2 Special Order of Business. continued ! Harkins noted that over the past five years, one mid block collision has occurred per year at this location. These accidents are not caused by residents turning into their driveways, but rear-end collisions caused by high speeds or inattentive drivers. The majority of the area's accidents occurred at the 5th and 7th St. intersections. Because the raised median prohibits left turning for these residents, they would be expected to make U-turns at the 5th and 7th St. intersections or drive around the block creating new traffic patterns on neighboring streets. He asked that the Council keep these safety factors in mind when assessing this unique two block residential area. ~ Harkins said the residents have opposed. the raised median from the project's very beginning. At previous meetings, the residents acted favorably to the project's landscaping opportunities prepared by SRF and the City Forester; but the Right-of- Way (ROW) Plan drew a number of questions. Comments were made in support of the street and sidewalk lighting, but several residents opposed the raised median between 5th and 7th and felt their voices were never heard. Some residents indicated. they were not informed of the plan and were surprised to hear that it was approved. Also, there are a number of new owners along this two block area which were not notified of the project and indicated that they had never received correspondence. Many of these residents feel that the raised median is being forced upon them. Harkins noted a letter from Ramsey County, which states that initially two alternatives were evaluated; the five lane undivided roadway with a double center left turn lane, and a four lane divided roadway with a 6 ft. center island. The County found that both alternatives would equally improve safety and affect the traffic carrying capability. The five lane option would provide access to all adjacent parcels and the left turn storage capacity was more flexible than the raised median option. Because of this evaluation, the County decided to dropped the four lane divided roadway alternative from further consideration. In conclusion, the residents requested the Council to take action to remove the raised median and replace it with painted lines. The residents' intent is not to stop the reconstruction project; but feel the goals of the City should reflect the needs and desires of the residents also. ~. ,. Benke noted that it is the buyer's responsibility to be fully aware of potential issues in order to make an informed decision before purchasing a property. The landscape plan is currently being reviewed and there are opportunities for residents to become involved in that process. City Engineer Les Proper confirmed that the original five lane design was much wider and required an extra 14 ft. which pushed the road closer to the homes along 5th and 7th St. The intention was to make the road narrower and eliminate as many left tums as possible by providing a protected left turn center lane. However, this design was found to be objectionable by the residents due to the extra yard space occupied by the roadway. The four lane design involved installation of a center median to eliminate left turns. He does not dispute that residents along 5th and 7th St. were opposed to the loss of that access; but it was a trade off between accessibility and safety. Special Order of Business I Silver Lake Road Raised Median Report 94-103 I I