Agenda - Council - 02/08/2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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PW CASE: CONSIDER CLOSURE OF BARIUM STREET AccESs ONTO CR 116' AND THE ELIMINATION OF THE ARGON STREET EMERGENCY ACCESS INTO MALLARD POND SUBDIVISION By: Steven J. JankoWski, City'Engineer Background: Anoka County is in the process of preparing plans for a project which is scheduled for August o'f 2005 or[ CR 116 between TH 47 and Iodine Street. This project will provide signalization of the Dysprosium/Thurston Avemte intersection and will establish a roadway section having two through lanes in each direction with a raised-centel' median. Attached to this case are sheetsthat show the existing and proposed roadway plans for this project. This project also proposes the clgsure of a number of existing access points to enhance the safety of this roadway. One of the proposed closures includes Barium Street, a private roadway into the Mallard Ponds townhomes subdivision. The closure of this access point does raise a Staff concern over the ability to provide good .access into the Mallard Ponds subdivision since a total of 94 housing units would now be dependant upon a single un0bstrUctedlaccess point, 140th Avenue. At the time Mallard Ponds was platted the City allowed an, emergency access point betWeen Argon Street in the Flintwood Hills subdivision, a public roadway, and the private Argon Street in the Mallard Ponds subdivision. This emergency access does not allow free travel between these two roadways as a locked gate has been constructed on the private segznent of Argon Street. Staff is concerned about the effectiveness of this gated access and feels that the City erred in allowing it to be established. Observations: Within several months the City will be asked to enter into a joint power agreement with Anoka County to facilitate the constrUction of this project and also sign the plans approving the project design. Staffsupp'orts this closure primarily because it will increase the safety on CR 116, but also becaUse traffic uses this private street and 140th Avenue to bypass the Dysprosium/ThUrSton intersection. Staff also feels that this would be an appropriate time to consider removing the gated access separating the two segments of Argon Street. Since this Will impact local traffic patterns, notice of this case has been mailed to the Mallard Ponds and selected portions of the Flintwood Hills 2"~ and 3''~ additions. Recommendations: Staff recommends that the public Works Committee support the closure of the Barium Street access onto CR 116 as an :lement of the 2005 construction project, and that the