05/06/98 Special Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

CASE #1 LEAD LINK CLOSURE OF 158TH AVENUE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE APPLE RIDGE DEVELOPMENT By: Steve Jankowski, City Engineer Background: The proposed Apple Ridge subdivision, when fully developed, can be expected to generate about 1,350 trips on a daily basis. The proposed street layout encourages the majority of these trips to utilize only Apple Ridge streets and T.H. #47. A traffic engineering analysis was prepared by Bolton & Menk, Inc. and is attached to this case. That analysis estimated that 182 daily trips would be generated from the subdivision to C.S.A.H. #5 using 157th-Lane. During the course of the approval process, a number of public meetings were held at which concern was expressed from the adjacent existing subdivision that traffic from the Apple Ridge development would exceed the levels identified in the study and adversely impact their quality of life. At various times, these citizens had requested a "lead link" closure of 158th Avenue, between Osmium and Potassium Streets in the new subdivision, which would allow only emergency vehicles to pass through. This plan would limit only 17 Apple Ridge homes to the use of neighboring, existing subdivision street, or approximately 170 daily trips. It is anticipated that final plat approval of the last four phases of the Apple Ridge subdivision will be on the May 12 Council agenda, and the issue of whether or not this type of street closure should be required of the developer has not been resolved. If the Council desires this type of street closure, it should be clearly stated in the development agreement, and the area residents should be informed of the decision. Observations: The type of street closure requested will be problematic for several reasons. Any type of closure that will allow emergency vehicles to pass through without damage, will also allow non- emergency vehicles to pass through undamaged. It could be anticipated that such a closure will require frequent maintenance. Secondly, a conversation with the City of Coon Rapids engineering department indicated that a "sawed" chain link type of street closure, attempted several years ago, did result in minor damage to emergency vehicles. In one instance, the chain was mistakenly replaced without the sawed link, and major damage resulted to a fire department vehicle. The temporary closure was removed after that incident. The City of Coon Rapids also has an emergency street closure which has been in place for approximately two years with only one incidence of a drive-through. This is a gate-type of closure which is required to be physically opened by getting out of the emergency vehicle. An automatic type of gate facility was over $4,000 and was deemed to be too expensive to install and maintain. The non-automatic gate, used by the City of Coon Rapids, costs less than $1,000 and the most vulnerable piece is a two by six piece of lumber with $100 of reflective warning tape.