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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.10.08 Work Session Minutes City Council/School Board/Dakota County Transportation Workshop Minutes November 10, 2008 Mayor Soderberg called the workshop to order at 6:30 p.m. Present: Mayor Soderberg, Councilmembers Fogarty, Pritzlaff Julie McKnight, Ann Manthey, Terry Donnelly, John Kampf, Tim Weyandt McKnight, Wilson Kevin Schorzman, Brian Lindquist, Todd Larson, Julie May, Brad Meeks, Julie Singewald, John Sass, Gina Mitchell, Bryan Nemeth, Joe Harris, Lori Jensen, Cynthia Muller Absent: Also Present: MOTION by Pritzlaff, second by Fogarty to approve the Agenda. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Gina Mitchell, Bolton & Menk, discussed the transportation conditions for 2009-2010 when the new high school opens, a vision for transportation in the future and accesses to Pilot Knob Road. Traffic operations include how traffic flows, and how efficient traffic moves through corridors and intersections. The county looked at Pilot Knob Road, CR50 (21ih Street), CR64 (195th Street), and Flagstaff Avenue. 195th Street is connected to TH3, Flagstaff Avenue has been paved, CR64 has been paved between Flagstaff and Cedar Avenue. The study analyzed operations as far as intersections and how well they perform, safety as it relates to crash rates, and vehicle hours of delay. Level of service (LOS) for intersections are graded with A being the best and F is at grid lock. A LOS of D would be acceptable for an area such as Farmington. The county looked at the LOS as it relates to the busiest hours in the morning and after work. In August 2008 the crash rate for Pilot Knob Road and 195th Street was at 0.73 with the average being 0.6. The vehicle hours of delay concept is based on how many vehicles are waiting at an intersection and how long determines whether to do a study. It needs to be considered whether everyone on Pilot Knob Road should be delayed for a few vehicles on side streets. The number of crashes is also considered when looking at vehicle hours of delay. When looking at existing conditions, paving 200th Street, Flagstaff Avenue, and 195th Street to TH3 has changed traffic patterns. Coupling that with the location of the new high school, where people are going and how they are getting there is evolving. Pilot Knob north of 195th Street carries twice as much traffic than to the south. When looking at conditions with the new high school, the county considered the number of students and compared conditions with the Lakeville high school. 195th Street is changing with the paving and the new school. West of Pilot Knob is up 5500 and east of Akin Road is up 7500. Flagstaff Avenue has an increase of 4000 vehicles a day north of 195th Street and up 5000 between 21 ih Street and 195th Street. 200th Street is up 3500. Pilot Knob north of 195th Street does not change, but to the south it drops because people are no longer taking Pilot Knob south to get to this part of town. There are four intersections that meet the criteria for vehicle hours of day where the county suggests some improvements be considered. Those are 195th Street and Pilot Knob, 195th and Akin, 195th and Flagstaff, and Flagstaff and 21 ih Street. Turn lanes on 195th Street would improve getting on and off 195th Street for local streets. Council Workshop Minutes November 10,2008 Page 2 It is up to the City and the School Board to identify the type of traffic control wanted at various intersections. At Pilot Knob Road and 195th Street there are three alternatives, a multi-way stop with free rights, a signal, or a roundabout. All three are equal in the level of service. At 195th Street and Akin Road the county suggested making 195th Street a through street and stop signs on Akin, however the level of service goes to F. A multi-way stop sign with turn lanes would be a better level of service or a roundabout. Regarding 195th Street and Flagstaff Avenue, options include a multi-way stop with free rights, a signal, or a roundabout. The current two-way stop has a level of service at F. The county recommended the multi-way stop sign with free rights. Regarding CR50 and Flagstaff currently there is a two-way stop sign. Three options include a % access which would be a left in, a right in, and a right out. There would be a left turn in going east on CR50 to go north on Flagstaff, westbound on CR 50, north on Flagstaff, from Flagstaff onto CR50 you could only make a right turn, not a left turn. Council and the School Board were concerned with diverting traffic away from Farmington with this option. There will be additional activities at the high school in the evening and events bringing people in from out of town. Traffic could go north on Flagstaff to 195th Street and then south on Pilot Knob Road. Other options include a signal or a roundabout. One of the biggest challenges is the Xcel Energy power pole at the comer of CR50 and Flagstaff that would impact the ability to quickly put in a signal or a roundabout. This would need to be moved at a cost of $300,000 - $500,000. The % access could be an interim solution while working on the issue with the power pole. If it takes two more poles the cost would be close to $750,000. Xcel is within their own easement. When the area develops more, there would be more warrants to do something different. The county's short term solution is for 15 years. Eventually Flagstaff would be extended south to Spruce Street. It is up to the County, City and School Board to decide on the type of control desired. John Sass will follow-up with Xcel Energy regarding moving the pole and the cost. Police Chief Lindquist suggested meeting with students at the end of this school year to explain to them the best way to get to the high school. He would prefer to have everyone go north on Flagstaff to 195th Street to Pilot Knob Road. Councilmember Fogarty suggested for the cost perhaps we should look at connecting 208th Street from Flagstaffto Pilot Knob Road. Regarding a long-term vision the next steps include looking at roadway connectivity from one side of the community to the other side, where to make an investment, how things operate, connecting with neighboring communities and primary and secondary intersections. There will be an open house on November 19 for the public to weigh in on what the vision for long term access should be. They will be asking the public to look at conditions on the north and south sides of Pilot Knob Road. The open house will be held in the City Hall expansion area from 4-7 p.m. Councilmember Fogarty noted we have a short time frame to make decisions before school opens in September 2009. John Sass agreed that after the open house decisions need to be made quickly. It was decided to hold another Council/School Board/County Workshop on Wednesday, December 10, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. MOTION by Fogarty, second by Pritzlaffto adjourn at 8:50 p.m. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Respect~IJ}' subm~~..1 C;;:~7n EYnthia Muller Executive Assistant