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• = Howarc R. Green Company CONSULTING ENGINEERS March 17, 2000 File: 809700J-0240 Mr. Steve Wensman City of Elk River 13065 Orono Parkway P.O. Box 490 Elk River, MN 55330 RE: TCF BANK SITE PLAN REVIEW Dear Mr. Wensman: As requested, we have reviewed the submittal package for the TCF Bank proposed at the north end of Elk Park Center. Based upon our review and comments received at the staff review meeting, we would offer the following comments: 1. The grading plan shows the bulk of the drive-through area draining either to the service road • at the east side of the site and then down to the intersection of Freeport Avenue, or to the west directly onto Freeport Avenue. We would recommend that additional storm sewer and catch basins be run into the site to pick up the drainage internally. The service road on the east side of the site has storm sewer along the east curb line which could be tapped into and extended to the TCF drive-through exit, where additional catch basins could be placed to pick up the storm water runoff. The same is true at the other side of the development where storm sewer is available in Freeport Avenue. In fact, it is shown to exterd into the site with one catch basin near the northwest corner of the parking area. We would suggest that two additional catch basins be added near the southwest corner of the catch basin to intercept surface drainage before discharging onto Freeport Avenue. 2. We are very concerned about the potential conflicts caused by the western exit from the site directly onto Freeport Avenue. This exit is shown approximately 125 feet from Freeport Avenue. It is not clear from the drawings whetherthis exit lines up with the driveway to the Cub Foods area directly across the street from Freeport Avenue. Last week we placed traffic counters across Freeport Avenue between the proposed access from TCF and Jackson Road. On Friday evening, March 10, the p.m. peak traffic Eastbound was 318 vehicles and westbound was 560 vehicles. As you are aware, the intersection of Freeport Avenue and Jackson Road is a 4-way stop situation. We are quite concerned with that much traffic that westbound traffic may back up at the 4-way stop, blocking the driveway into TCF. Vehicles heading eastbound on Freeport Avenue may stop in a thru-lane of traffic waiting for an opportunity to turn left into the TCF site. We would recommend that this access onto Freeport Avenue be eliminated, forcing all traffic entering and exiting the TCF site to the service road along the east side of the site. This service road intersects Freeport Avenue approximately 450 feet from the intersection with Jackson Road, and will therefore • not see congestion caused by the 4-way stop. This would provide similar traffic movement patterns for TCF Bank as the existing Norwest Bank to the north. O:\PROJ1809700 102401itr 3-17-00 Wensman2.doc 1326 Energy Park Drive • St. Paul, MN 55108 - 6511644-4389 fax 651/644-9446 toll free 888/368-4339 90iS©'d 6bEE 17179 TSS 'OD 1\133e19 LHET :GO 300E-2.,T-eJHW