City Council Minutes 10-09-2000 WorkshopMINUTES
COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING
CSAH 75 IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
October 9, 2000 - 5:30 p.m.
Members Present: Roger Belsaas, Clint Herbst, Brian Stumpf and
Bruce Thielen.
Members Absent: Roger Carlson
Staff & Others Present: City Administrator, Rick Wolfsteller, Public Works Director, John
Simola, Deputy City Administrator, Jeff O' Neill, Economic
Development Director, 011ie Koropchak, Wright County Highway
Engineer, Wayne Fingalson, Assistant Wright County Highway
Engineer, Virgil Hawkins, and representatives from the Wright
County Sheriff s Department, Gary Miller and Dennis Compton.
The purpose of the workshop meeting was to study design options for the proposed improvements to
CSAH 75. Becky Hauschild from WSB and Associates, Inc. reviewed projected traffic volumes for
CSAR 75. One set of projections was done based on the assumption that the City would have in place
the Fallon Avenue Bridge, the partial interchange at CSAR 18, the 7t" Street connection to CSAR 75
and the 7" Street connection from Minnesota Street to Elm Street. The other set of projections was
done based on the City having none of the reliever streets listed above in place. Representatives
from the Wright County Sheriffs Department also presented information on traffic counts they had
done on Broadway.
Becky Hauschild also submitted information on the number and severity of crashes that have
occurred on the roadway and reviewed some of the problems with the existing roadway. After the
informational meeting on September 25, 2000 the City's engineering firm came up with two
alternatives for CSAR 75. One was for a three lane design with a left turn lane and the other was a
five lane design. Each of the proposed designs was reviewed. Bret Weiss from WSB & Associates
felt that the three lane design is a short term solution. The engineering firm presented information
on a traffic peak hour analysis which simulated how the existing 4 lane, the proposed 3 lane with left
turn lanes and the proposed five lane would handle estimated traffic volumes for years 2000, 2010
and 2020 and the level of safety for each of the roadway designs at the various levels of traffic
volume.
Since safety issues were a prime consideration. This factor was looked at for each design. The
existing four lane roadway which allows for parking on the shoulder has no left turn protection which
tends to create conditions for rear end crashes and erratic lane changes in order to avoid vehicles
making left turns. The proposed three lane roadway with left turn lanes would allow left turn
protection, reduce the incidence of erratic lane changes and parking along the street would remain.
However, the capacity of the roadway to handle an ever increasing volume of traffic would be
reduced. The five lane design with left turn lanes would provide left turn protection and limit erratic
lane changes. While the roadway capacity is there to handle the traffic volumes, the parking would
be removed.
Council Workshop Minutes - 10/9/00
A number of comments from the residents at the informational meeting dealt with the medians that
were proposed. Some questioned whether the medians were needed, the size of the median and
whether they should be landscaped. It was also expressed that medians would be more appropriate in
a commercial zone rather than a residential area. Brian Stumpf asked about stacking of vehicles in
the left turn lanes when certain streets are closed off. With the side streets closed residents would be
using the left turn lanes to make u -turns. It was noted that most collector streets, like CSAH 75, do
not allow parking. Bruce Thielen suggested that the City might look at landscaping on the side to
slow down the traffic instead of the center median.
City Planner, Steve Grittman, stated that the City wanted to preserve the residential area. The
concern was that because of the amount of traffic and the speed of traffic, the residential quality
would deteriorate over time which was why this was included in the comprehensive plan. Steve
Grittman stated that creating a tighter feeling roadway would slow traffic and improve aesthetics of
the neighborhood. The question was asked how taking parking away would keep the residential
neighborhood intact. John Simola noted that the comprehensive plan design did not include a five
lane, only the three lane. Bruce Thielen asked if there was any other place or community where this
had been done. Mayor Belsaas indicated that the calls he had received were against removing the
parking and safety concerns about backing into the street. There were also concerns about snow
removal.
Roger Belsaas asked if the project had to be done this year. Wayne Fingalson responded that the
surface condition of the road had pushed this project forward. He said the county would consider
delaying the project for a year but it could not be delayed much beyond that.
Becky Hauschild briefly reviewed the estimated costs proposed for the median work. Roger Belsaas
asked about CSAH 75 beyond Otter Creek where it narrows. Bruce Thielen asked about CSAH 75 in
the area of West River Street and Prairie Road. Wayne Fingalson stated that there is nothing planned
for further down on CSAH 75. John Simola stated that West River Road and Prairie Creek Lane
were both over 20 years old and like a lot of the streets that were constructed in the 1970's they are
now in need of repair.
Bret Weiss stated since parking seemed to be the major concern, the City could look at the option of
pushing the curb out or perhaps the City could look at different types of medians. He asked that the
Council set some parameters for design so that the engineer would have some direction. Mayor
Belsaas indicated that this would be done at the regular council meeting. The Council also discussed
turnarounds for the property owners. Other issues that also have to be considered in the design of this
project include: 1) Parking by the post office; 2) Westside Market, and 3) Pinewood Elementary. It
was noted that utilities cost would be the same regardless of the roadway design selected but at this
time the City does not have an idea as to the number of lines that would need to be replaced.
0 JA -
Recording Secretary
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