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SUM 88 ~00 01:06PM GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM P.1 <br /> <br />Sune 8, 2000 <br /> <br />Mr. Terry $. Maurer, P.E. <br />13065 Orono Parkway <br />Elk River, MN 55330 <br /> <br />Pig: DKIVEWAY ACCESS ISSUES <br /> <br />De~ Mr. Maurer: <br /> <br />Thank you for your letter of May 22, 2000 (attached). However, I still have concerns <br />regarding this issue. Your compromise solution was to construct a southbound left turn <br />pocket at the median opening that services the Bull/Barrett property to the south of our <br />driveway. Although that does allow "regular" vehicles to make U-turns back to our <br />property when southbound, it still does not allow for the accessibility of emergency <br />vehicles. I would question if an ambulance could make this maneuver, and a firetmck <br />surely could not. If a firetruck were to come from the north, it would be unable to make a <br />U-turn there to come back to our driveway. Presently it would have to go up near <br />Highway 10 to turn around. Also, if you were approaching our drive from Highway 10 <br />and Missed it, it would be neccssary to go up and loop through a possible turnaround near <br />the Home Depot location and then make a circle all the way back to Highway 10 to try <br />again. <br /> <br />Time is valuable in thc case of an emergency and this circling and looping around would <br />be wasting precious minutes. Over the years wc have had grass fires during dry seasons <br />and had a garage ignite in thc middle of the night and bum to thc ground. In the last 6 <br />months alone them have been 3 m~ical emergencies at these residences. These 3 <br />residences are going to be much harder to locatc and to get in and out of. If thc response <br />time to an emergency is delayed because the City of ~.lk River re~onfigurcd our street <br />access, wouldn't it then be the city of Blk River's responsibility to accept liability for thc <br />damages or tragedy that could result? <br /> <br />The possibility of a combined effort by neighbors to build a driveway extension as you <br />suggested would most likely double our current ¼ mile road. Knowing the time, energy <br />and money it takes to maintain this long clrivc, we have no interest in doubling that <br />responsibility for ourselves. The Oardners also a~rcc that they do not want to assume any <br />financial responsibility for a driveway extension. If the city is not willing to build and <br />maintain this type of access for us, it does not appear to be an opt/on to pursue. <br /> <br />In our initial conversation you refen'cd to "safety studies" regarding thc rccornmcnded <br />number of curb cuts in a certain length of road, I would still be interested in seeing copies <br />of these studies and/or any guidelines used to determine that one more curb cut (ours) <br />would bc one too many. <br /> <br />continued page two <br /> <br /> <br />