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Minnesota Department of Transportation <br /> <br />District 3 <br />3725 12th St. N. <br />P.O. Box 370 <br />St. Cloud, MN 56302 <br /> <br />January. 22, 1997 <br /> <br /> Tel: 612/255-4181 <br /> Fax: 612/255-3257 <br />Toll Free: 1/800/657-3961 <br /> <br />Office: 320/654-5105 <br />Fax: 320/255-2178 <br /> <br />Mr. David Flannery <br />Superintendent of Schools <br />Administration Offices <br />400 School Street <br />Elk River, MN 44330 <br /> <br />Subject: <br /> <br />Pedestrian Safety <br />C.S. 7106 <br />T.H. 169 Elk River <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Flannery: <br /> <br />Thanks for your letter concerning safety along TH 169 in the City of Elk River. The Department shares in your <br />concern and has been actively working with the City to implement safety improvements. Let me address your <br />specific concerns after which I will share with you some of the actions we have taken and are working on with <br />City Engineer Terry Maurer. <br /> <br />Fencing along Trunk Highway 169 from Main Street to 193rd: We are currently working with the City <br />on this issue. The City will be conducting a public involvement process on this and street lighting <br />issues. Contact person is City Engineer Terry Maurer. <br /> <br />Make the crosswalk more pedestrian friendly: The signal is currently regulated for pedestrian <br />movements. There are push-buttons that activate the walk indications on signal poles. Safety islands <br />and a median exist that provide a safe area if needed. The crosswalks are signed properly although it <br />was noted that the crosswalks are not painted on Trunk Highway 169. I will contact the City <br />concerning this issue. Most pedestrian traffic is local and therefore this is a local responsibility. We <br />feel the crossings are safe although when one crosses a roadway there always remains an element of <br />risk involved. <br /> <br />While listening to the citizens and after reading their editorials it becomes apparent that many citizens <br />do not understand the proper use of pedestrian indications (walk, flashing don't walk). This <br />information is available in Chapter 4 of the Minnesota Driver Manual. Small signs which explain their <br />use are also posted on the signal poles near the pedestrian push-buttons. Where schools are close to <br />major highways I have found that a school route plan is very beneficial for addressing safety issues for <br />children going to and from school. I have enclosed a pamphlet on "A guide to establishing speed limits <br />in school zones" that has some good information on pedestrian route planning for school children. <br />Please review at your leisure. The pamphlet does suggest as an additional margin of safety that adult <br />crossing guards be used at high volume areas. <br /> <br />On November 27, 1996 we conducted a pedestrian crossing review at TH 169 and School Street with a <br />local control group to check the pedestrian timing across TH 169. The results indicated that existing <br />timing is sufficient. I have enclosed a letter to the Mayor summarizing this review. <br /> <br />An equal opportunity employer <br /> <br /> <br />