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UPDATE ON T.H. #47 LOCAL INITIATIVE PROJECT <br /> By: Steve Jankowski, City Engineer <br /> <br />RB CASE # <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />On Thursday, February 27,1997, I met with a committee of MnDOT representatives to discuss our <br />T.H. #47 Local Initiative Project. You will recall that this project was identified as a successful <br />1997 project contingent upon resolving access issues. At this meeting MnDOT proposed, contrary <br />to our corridor study, that 142nd Avenue not be signalized, but instead have a divided medium <br />preventing all but right turning movements. MnDOT personnel at this meeting indicated that <br />signalized intersections should be spaced at one-half mile intervals on highways having the <br />functional classification of T.H. #47. We pointed out this would force a large residential area <br />(Rivers Bend) to travel an additional half mile to utilize the CSAH #5/Xkimo Street intersection, or <br />cut through the Rivers Bend Plaza. Additionally, it would also severely impact the southbound <br />access into Rivers Bend Plaza, which would need to turn left onto Xkimo Street nearly one-half <br />mile before reaching the Plaza. It would affect the ability of northbound traffic to reach businesses <br />on the west side of T.H. #47 even more severely, as it would virtually eliminate access altogether. <br /> <br />The City also made a commitment to the businesses in the area at the time of the CR #116/T.H. <br />#47 project to work toward the signalization of 142nd We indicated to these business people, who <br />were concerned about the truning restrictions caused by the raised concrete median, that left turning <br />movements at a signalized 142nd Avenue would allow safe left turning movements, which would <br />allow opposite direction traffic to safely enter these businesses. I indicated that the City would <br />have an extremely difficult time supporting any project which did not include the signalization of <br />142nd Avenue as an element. <br /> <br />The meeting concluded with MnDOT agreeing to revisit this element of the project with an internal <br />projects review committee. At the time of this writing, I have not been advised of a date on which <br />this committee will meet. I hope to have this information by the time of the meeting. <br /> <br />Action: <br /> <br />None - information only. <br /> <br />Reviewed by: <br /> <br />City Engineer <br />City Administrator <br /> <br />RB:03/11/97 <br /> <br /> <br />