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Breanne Dalnes <br /> <br />From: Matt Tows [Matt@TewsInteractive.com] <br />Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2006 2:38 PM <br />To: Breanne Dalnes <br /> <br />Subject: Concerns regarding the proposed intersection on 151st Lane NW <br /> <br />Could you kindly forward this e-mail into the communications to the Planning Committee and City Council for <br />me? Thank you in advance. <br /> <br />To all it may concern: <br /> <br />Separate from a variety of other concerns I have regarding the proposed Sky Po/rite development, I would like <br />to restate some very major concerns I have regarding the plan to create a new intersection where it appears <br />to be currently proposed in LHB's revised concept sketch. <br /> <br />t am a resident with a driveway immediately across from the proposed intersection. I'll admit to having <br />personal reasons not to have the new intersection immediately across from the front of my house and my <br />driveway, but those aside, I would like to point out for your consideration and discussion that the slope arid <br />bend in 151st Lane poses some very serious safety concerns that need to be addressed if a new road in [ts <br />proposed location remains a part of the planning going forward. <br /> <br />The upward/downward pitch of 151st at the proposed intersection site is already particularly hazardous in the <br />Winter and early Spring. Although this section of the street is plowed and often sanded well, attempts to slow <br />to a stop before making a turn, or attempts to start moving up the slope from a stand-still are very often too <br />difficult to perform without several attempts. This section of the street receives very littIe sun making a <br />thorough 'melt' of the snow/ice coating nearly impossible. We do get partial melting from the street surface to <br />the East (immediately above the steepest pitch), but any moisture produced flows back down into the shaded, <br />frozen section compounding the traction issues. <br /> <br />It has never been an issue of type of vehicle nor condition of the tires in use. I have personally witnessed <br />large refuse trucks, postal vans, and UPS/FedEx delivery trucks at one time or another making multiple <br />attempts to regain enough momentum from a stand-still to complete the short climb to the top of the slope. I <br />made it a point to speak with the drivers from UPS (1), FedEx (1), Ace Refuse (1) and USPS (2) who have all <br />affirmed to me that the slope is one of the more challenging on their routes to negotiate. I have contacted the <br />main offices for each of these services/businesses, and while I did receive some verbal support for my claims, <br />none so far have been willing or able to go on record with any kind of safety advisory statement. <br /> <br />This past Spring, the fire hydrant near the bottom of the slope (approximately 30yds West of the proposed <br />intersection site) was taken out by a vehicle which lost control and slipped off the (currently) straight section of <br />151st. I fear the same type of 'mishaps' will occur on a regular basis if any amount of regular traffic is <br />expected to stop and make a turn in the middle of the current slope. I can call the hydrant a 'mishap' because <br />as far as I know, there were no injuries or deaths that occurred from the accident. Had there been <br />pedestrians or other vehicles in place of the hydrant, the event could have ended very differently. <br /> <br />Again as a resident who has made thousands of left-hand tums off of and right-hand tums onto 151st at this <br />exact section of the street, I cannot express clearly enough how strongly I feel that a intersection at or near <br />this point on 151st Lane is unthinkably, irresponsibly wrong. I know this for fact...I make these turns nearly <br />every day of the year. My fear is that if- by some chance - the new intersection looks good enough on paper <br />to get approved and it gets installed, there may be numerous accidents/tragedies and we will be without any <br />real recourse to correct the situation. I would like to strongly urge that this particular portion of the <br />development be evaluated early on by any/all experts who may have valuable insights and opinions. <br /> <br />Please take the above comments into serious consideration if the proposed development nears an approval <br />stage where the location of the intersection is included. <br /> <br />Thankyou. <br /> <br />-Matt <br /> <br /> <br />