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Using the Plan Interchange area planning. • While the actual improvement of highway corridors may lie years into the future, the City would benefit from a proactive approach to planning for the interchange areas. The location and design of intersections with Highway 169 and Highway 10 have significant implications for land use and transportation planning. • The nature of highway access influences adjacent land uses. The conversion from intersection to interchange will change traffic movement, may require removal of existing buildings, and may create a catalyst for new development. • Intersection/interchange areas become focal points for traffic. The local street system must be designed to support traffic volumes and movement patterns. • The closure of current intersections would alter movement patterns in Elk River and alter development opportunities at these locations. A proactive approach provides the City with a basis for working with MnDOT on planning for highway improvements. The alternative places the City in a position of reacting to State proposed designs. Some important land use issues are linked to the nature of highway access: • The land use plans for industrial development around the intersection of Highway 10 and 165th Avenue are unlikely to occur without improvements to this intersection. • Failure to plan for an interchange in east Elk River (likely in the area of Jarvis Avenue) could cause the interchange to shift into Ramsey. This situation could limit future highway access in Elk River. • The lack of vacant land for new commercial development may create more impetus for redevelopment. Planning for redevelopment along Highway 169 should consider highway access at Main Street and School Street. • In the current system, 171st Avenue provides the primary access point to Highway 10 in the eastern half of the City. A long-term plan for this intersection is essential to future land use and development planning. Greenways The Comprehensive Plan proposes to establish a greenway system throughout Elk River. The implementation of this concept is not a single action. It involves commitment to the concept and incremental steps to build the system. Much like assembling a jigsaw puzzle, individual pieces are added within the framework of a broader plan. • Building the Future -A Comprehensive Plan for Elk River 3*4 River