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<br />Carson Business Park <br />December 20, 2004 <br /> <br />Page 2 <br /> <br />on this property, that it would develop as 18 townhomes. One thing that the traffic analysis <br />does not deal with but is shown on the site plan is the driveway to the Urista office building <br />currently being constructed on the lot just to the west along Main Street. That office <br />building is just over 5,500 square feet and there is a condition on it that its individual <br />driveway onto Main Street be closed when Carson Avenue is constructed. <br /> <br />The traffic analysis concludes based on the information provided above, that the p.m. peak <br />hour will be the most critical. During the p.m. peak hour, it is estimated that 434 trips will <br />be generated by this development, 219 entering and 215 exiting the site. Figure 4 in the <br />report provides a weekday peak hour level of service diagram. In the p.m. peak hour, it <br />estimates that the left turn and straight-through movements out of the development will <br />operate at Level of Service F. It also estimates that the left turn out of the commercial area <br />north of Main Street will operate at a Level of Service F, as well as the straight-through after <br />the Carson Business Park is developed. <br /> <br />I believe it would be inappropriate to approve a development that their own traffic analysis <br />indicates the main intersection servicing the development, and in this case the only <br />intersection servicing the development, will have two of the three movements operate at <br />Level of Service F at full build out, as well as lowering an existing leg of the intersection's <br />movements to Level of Service F. Their own traffic analysis prepared by Benshoof & <br />Associates states in the text, "Level of Service (LOS) F represents the worst intersection <br />operation with excessive delay. Most agencies in Minnesota consider that LOS D represents <br />the minimal acceptable LOS for normal peak traffic conditions." I would recommend that <br />the platting of this property have a condition on it that the uses and/ or mixes of <br />commercial development result in a LOS D in the worst case scenario for all movements in <br />the a.m. or p.m. peak hour at the intersection of Main Street and Carson Avenue. <br /> <br />B. Other Issues <br /> <br />If the development of Carson Business Park is to move forward, we would offer these <br />additional comments: <br /> <br />1. Carson Avenue should be straightened between the Main Street intersection and at <br />least the first driveway to provide for ease of traffic movements. Currently, the road <br />alignment is curved through the driveways with a vety short tangent prior to meeting <br />Main Street. <br /> <br />2. We would recommend that restricted access be provided around the entire perimeter <br />of the plat with two exceptions, those being where Carson Avenue meets up with <br />Main Street, and where the driveway is shown to Meadow Park 2nd Addition to <br />service the Urista office building. (No access to the Great River Energy site because <br />this just makes the traffic issues worse.) <br /> <br />3. The Technical Evaluation Panel reviewed this proposal and approved the wetland <br />impact for Carson Avenue. It also approved the wetland mitigation plan. It <br />disapproved the wetland impact shown for the driveway to the Great River Energy <br />property. <br /> <br />S:\PLANNING\Case Files\2004\P 04-11 Carson Business Pk\12 20 04 Engineer's memo.doc <br />