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<br />onto the highway might be restricted and how that restriction would enhance safety at the <br />intersection. <br /> <br />Chairperson Zimmerman asked if the City has undertaken any of its own traffic counts. <br /> <br />City Engineer Jankowski replied in the spring of2001 the City's consultant was asked to do the <br />analysis rather than MnDOT. <br /> <br />Chairperson Zimmerman noted the City was discussing updating their traffic count and it would <br />lend into option #2 as to whether they want to signalize the intersection or not. <br /> <br />Councilmember Elvig stated they need more information, as they are obviously running on old <br />information. St. Frances, Burns and Ramsey have all grown considerably in those years. He <br />inquired about the area south of this. <br /> <br />City Engineer Jankowski indicated as far as traffic counts go, the City takes traffic counts but <br />only on their City streets. MnDOT counts traffic on their highways and the county on their <br />highways. The counts are available about every two years. Signalization studies include more <br />than how many vehicles pass a certain point, they include the number of left turns and right turns <br />and full movement counts. <br /> <br />Councilmember Elvig suggested they get the needed information from MnDOT. <br /> <br />Public Works Director Kapler distributed a memo from Police Chief Way in opposition to the <br />signalization of the intersection, and in support of the median at the intersection. <br /> <br />Councilmember Cook stated the signalization would create more trouble. There would be three <br />signals in a short distance and there would likely be rear ending. <br /> <br />Chairperson Zimmerman noted at the time this started there were 400 to 500 of residents in <br />support of a signal here. They should have some data available to them so they can back up the <br />decision they make. <br /> <br />Councilmember Elvig inquired about any creative ideas, such as a left turn signal that comes on <br />from time to time. He inquired about the possibility of providing access to the road to the west <br />of this on the other side of the bank, and turning it into a public road. This could serve as a <br />funnel for people to use as a frontage road. <br /> <br />City Engineer Jankowski indicated this would be a good idea to consider. The road west of <br />Highway 47 does provide an opportunity for traffic and is a nice safety valve to be able to use. <br /> <br />Councilmember Elvig inquired if there are any opportunities on the east side behind the shopping <br />mall. If they could create that fork around there it mJght make sense to create a stop sign or <br />signal, but there would have to be good public roads there. <br /> <br />Public Works Committee/June 15,2004 <br />Page 7 of 17 <br />