Minutes - Public Works Committee - 11/16/2004

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City Engineer Jankowski stated the City received a letter June 25, 2004 and a subsequent letter. September I 6, 2004 from residents of the Savannah Oaks senior apartment building regarding noise and speed concerns from traffic in the area of the apartment building. The residents have expressed concern primarily over the issue of noise, which relates somewhat to speed but also to driver attitude and condition of vehicles. Ip addressing the noise concerns, a review of the speed limits in the vicinity of the apartment building is in order. The speed limit on TH 47 is 50 miles per hour north of CSAH 5 and 45 miles per hour south of this intersection. The speed limits on TH 47 were last reviewed by MnDOT in 2002. The speed limit on CSAH 5 is 55 miles per hour, but there is a 35 mile per hour advisory speed posting for the segment southeast of Dysprosium Street approaching the TH 47 intersection. The speed limits for CSAH 5 have just been reviewed by MnDOT, and are being discussed as another issue on this evening's Public Works Committee agenda. The speed limit on Dysprosium Street is 30 miles per hour. City Engineer Jankowski explained the residents have also suggested consideration of a noise mitigation barrier. In order to effectively reduce noise levels a solid barrier must be constructed between the line of sight of the source of the noise and the receptor site (the apartment building). Because the apartment building is considerably higher than the road, it would be technically and economically infeasible to construct a solid wall sufficiently high to effectively reduce the noise level. The residents suggest that plantings may help to buffer the noise. Plantings are effective in buffering visual impact of the roadway, but are significantly less effective in providing noise reduction. In any event there are a number of evergreen and deciduous trees along the CSAH 5 between the highway and the building. City Engineer Jankowski advised enforcement of noise standards is an area that could be effective in improving the situation. Certainly, enforcement can be more effectively focused if it can be assisted by the residents of the apartment building in providing the Police department with information. Residents should be encouraged to report loud vehicles and inappropriate acceleration to the police along with vehicle description and peak activity periods, if possible. He indicated staff recommends that the residents report inappropriate activities to the police and that the police concentrate patrol efforts during problem periods identified by apartment residents. resident, stated he and his wife moved in on December 1, 1999. Dysprosium Street was quite bad until the City took over. When they left tonight the officer was sitting there with no lights on waiting to catch people, and that has really helped. The problems have been reduced by at least 75 percent. However, they moved to another apartment facing the Holiday gas station, and the sound level has gone up. The cars race each other at all hours of the day, and after a while you even recognize the vehicle. You can hear it and feel the vibration. They feel there should be some way the county can limit the speed, especially because of the population explosion in that area. They are looking at another large complex that will go up across from Savannah Oaks, and you would think there would be some type of reduction of speed just for the safety of the people. They have written to the county and the state. He commented as you travel on Highway 169 towards Brooklyn Center there are noise control signs. It took years in downtown Anoka, and they finally stopped the drag racing at night. He would think this would also be a problem for the people with private homes off of the Holiday gas station, as well. He is Public Works Committee/November 16, 2004 Page 2 of 12