Agenda - Council - 01/28/1986 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~'~I'_'~ Deparlmen! of Transportation **~~ff 2055 NO. Lilac Drive ~~ Golden Valley, Minnesola 55422 Honor~le record ~i~le k~°"'~ ~yor of nk ~ver ~~~~ 505 U.P.A. Drive ~k ~ver, ~es6~ 55330 (612) 593-8403 I I I I Dear Mayor Hinkle: I appreciate receiving the letter from the City of Elk River dated November 8th regarding a Council resolution supporting year-around operation of the Dayton Port Rest Area. It has led to a number of discussions among our staff here in Mn/DOT and, as you know, we received similar support this fall from the Chamber of Corm~rce, both in Anoka and Elk River. Some time has pessed since receiving the letter, but that is because my staff was hoping to find (or perhaps generate) some new level of positive support within our Department for expanding the operation at Dayton Port. Quite frankly, this has been difficult. 'l ,I i I I ! I ! There are a number of factors that need to be considered: - Dayton Port is located in what we consider an urbanized area where the absence of rest area type services available is becoming less and less of an issue. The n~%cd or justification for rest areas diminishes as eating and refueling stations bec~ne increasingly available. That is not because Mn/DOT is intentionally diverting people to these other private facilities; it is simply because of human behavior. - As the fall season progresses, family travel diminishes, children are back to school, colder weather begins to set in, and daylight hours become shorter. These and other factors lead to a higher adult-to- child ratio in autcmobiles. More ar~ more stops are coupled with eating and refueling than during the skmlner tourist season. The re- sult is that rest area usage drops off significantly, particularly along non-interstate highways. We figure a 50% or more drop in usage from sunm~r to winter, depending on the location. Because of this, about half of the rest areas along non-interstate highways in Minnesota are closed for six months or so during the winter. Of those that are closed, Dayton Port is more in t_he urbanized area than others. Dayton Port has a very uniquely beautiful 'parklike" setting next to the river. We feel that much of the draw in the summer is because of this factor, particularly to picnickers from the i~iate local area. This factor suggests that the drop in Dayton Port from summer to winter I A n Equal Oppo,tunity Employer