Minutes - Public Works Committee - 01/18/2005

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COMMITTEE BUSINESS Case A: Appointment of Chair and Vice Chair Chairperson Elvig stated that the City Council had nominated him as Chairperson of the Public Works Committee and he requested that the Committee ratify that nomination and appoint a Vice Chair of the Committee. Motion by Councilmember Olson, seconded by Councilmember Cook, to ratify the nomination of Chairperson Elvig as Chairperson of the Public Works Committee and appoint Councilmember Cook as the Vice Chair of the Public Works Committee. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Elvig, Councilmember Olson, and Cook. Voting No: None. Case #1: Consider Intersection Modifications at TH 47 & 142ND Avenue City Engineer Jankowski explained that MnDOT is planning to overlay TH 47 through the City of Anoka and perform other spot improvements along the highway in 2005. Among the additional improvements being considered by MnDOT for the segment of TH 47 within the City of Ramsey are the following: · A northbound bypass lane at 157th Avenue · A free right turn lane added for eastbound CSAH 5 to southbound TH 47, which will facilitate westbound Xkimo Street left turns onto southbound TH 47. · An extension of the raised median through the intersection at 142nd Avenue. Staff supports the first two improvements since they will have only positive impacts on the highway system. However the closure of the median at 142nd Avenue, while it will increase the safety of this intersection will also have adverse impacts to area businesses and on access to the adjacent neighborhoods. An open house was held on Thursday, December 16, 2004 to solicit public input regarding the proposal to close this median. Individual notices of this meeting were mailed to property owners of adjacent properties along TH 47 as well as to the residential neighborhoods both east and west of the highway. A list of open house attendants and the comments submitted by them where provided to the Committee. Those who commented cited a concern over the negative impact to adjacent businesses as well as the fact that a median would not address the safety concerns of pedestrians, which cross at this intersection. Most open house attendees requested that the signalization of this intersection be considered instead of the median. MnDOT has indicated that they will consider traffic signals for an intersection only if one or more of the eight signal warrants outlined in the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices is met. A signal warrant study was prepared by MnDOT for this intersection in June of 2004. The study shows that the four warrants, which relate to traffic volumes, including the warrant relating to accidents, were not met for this intersection. Three of the remaining warrants are not applicable to this intersection. The warrant relating to pedestrian volume was not analyzed. This warrant requires that 100 or more pedestrian use the crossing for each of any four hours, or that Public Works Committee/January 18, 2005 Page 2 of 27