7.4. SR 03-17-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Elk River Comprehensive Plan Residential neighborhoods are more likely to and east-west connections in areas where there is experience diverting traffic from other local residents limited development today. This will ensure a more and/or businesses that are familiar with the roadway even distribution to traffic in the northern half of the network and know how to link from one neighborhood community and provide for better connectivity over to the next. Most through traffic will not have the the long-term. Coordination with Sherburne County patience to figure out a route that would get them will be key to the success of these efforts. to where they want to go in a timeframe that would make it worth the effort. The proposed functional classification map identifies potential collector and arterial routes that could be Improvements identified by MnDOT, the County and developed to help address connectivity needs. Some the City for US 169 and US 10 will address a majority of the proposed changes shown on the map are of these concerns. Additionally, if the County and included because Sherburne County's transportation City develop other continuous routes, there will be plan identified new connections or modifications to opportunities for local traffic to avoid US 169 and US the roadway status. A few of the county's proposed 10. Providing opportunities for local trips will free up changes include new alignments through public areas capacity on MnDOT's roadways, thereby improving such as parks. Coordination and discussion between traffic flow and resulting in less diversion. The the county and the city will occur before any new proposed functional classification map shown in the roadways are constructed. The discussion between last section of this chapter identifies potential collector the agencies will include ways to minimize impacts to and arterial routes that could be developed to help existing land uses. address the issue. Non-Motorized Transportation Lack of Continuous North-South Facilities and System and East-West Routes (arterials and The City of Elk River recognizes that a number of collectors) The make up the transportation network, and The City of Elk River has been noted as having few that not all of them involve the use of single occupant continuous north-south and east-west routes. This vehicles on the roadway. As shown in Figure 6-6, lack of continuous routes is a result of natural barriers there are a limited number of sidewalk and trail as well as the development patterns that have facilities within the community and they do not form occurred over time. As noted above, much of the a cohesive system at this time. Like the roadway City's development has come in small sections at a system, lack of continuous sidewalk and trail routes time, has been more rural in nature, and has been will hamper the mobility of pedestrians and bicyclists, constrained by the BNSF Railway, the Mississippi result in safety problems (sometimes there is no River and other resources in the area. space to walk/ride when the system suddenly ends and opportunities are limited for those with physical At this time, it will be quite challenging to provide disabilities) and limit system users (who wants to use good continuity in areas that have already mostly/fully a system that does not link to anything?). developed. There may be some limited opportunities to provide better connectivity than what exists today The City has begun to address the existing in locations with some existing development (but not deficiencies by requiring new developments to include fully developed), but there will be impacts to homes construction of either sidewalks or trails as part of and businesses in these locations. their plans. In addition, the City has also identified a number of new sidewalk and trail connections The City should use the opportunity when it updates that serve as links between neighborhoods, its transportation plan to identify new north-south recreational areas, downtown Elk River, and along key 58 / Chapter 6: Transportation