3.1. PCSR 03-02-2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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i. Residents and students from 1001 School St and Lions Park will most likely continue to cross there after the semaphore is moved further west from their building. Human nature is not to walk a block west, cross at a controlled intersection, then walk a block back east to access the school when it is directly across the road from their house or park. This is why there is a “jaywalking” statute. This creates a danger to the residents and students trying to navigate 4 lanes of traffic, even with a flashing crosswalk. It also creates a danger to 4 lanes of vehicular traffic while trying to avoid the students by sudden stops, swerving, or hitting a student. This is now more of a problem as you have a semaphore controlled intersection and a flashing light crosswalk within a few hundred feet of each other. The motorists travelling through are now navigating two pedestrian crossing areas in close proximity. ii. Residents and students of 1105 Lions Park Drive currently cross at the semaphore at Lions Park Dr. If the semaphore is moved to the west entrance of Central Lutheran, those pedestrians will more than likely walk straight north from their building and cut through the west lot of Central Lutheran Church. This presents problems with potential trespassing issues and pedestrians walking through a busy parking lot where staff and customers of the daycare park and drop off/pick up children. It could also interfere with vehicular traffic entering and exiting the church for a funeral. iii. Student athletes and coaches will now have to cross School St to access Lions Park and the softball fields, and then cross back. These practices generally take place after school, during rush hour times. They will most likely be crossing at the flashing intersection at Lions Park Drive, not the safer option of the semaphore controlled crossing further west, and this is dangerous for the same reasons listed above. b. Residents of 1001 School St, 1105 Lions Park Dr, and visitors to Lions Park currently have a semaphore controlled intersection to safely enter and exit their residences, and the park, from a 4 lane, undivided roadway. If the semaphore is moved to the west, they will lose that safety. c. Moving the semaphore controlled intersection further west, and close to Proctor Av, will have a direct impact on traffic flow on Proctor Av. Proctor Av is an undivided, 4 lane, major north/south roadway connecting the northern half of Elk River and Sherburne county to the schools, parks, Hwy 10 and Hwy 169. The intersection of Proctor Av and School St is one of the busiest intersections in town during peak morning and evening school times and rush hour. It will now see more congestion as there is much less room for staging on School St, which will in turn back up both north and southbound Proctor Av. d. The shorter staging distance on School St from the proposed location of the semaphore to Proctor Av will have a direct impact on vehicular traffic of residents entering and exiting their residences in 5 apartment buildings, 1109, 1111, 1115, 1175 and 1179 School St. Their only access is off of School St in the new, shorter, staging area. 6. Please describe how the parking lot configuration complies with MN State Fire Code chapter 5 and appendix D. 7. Have there been any considerations for adding electric vehicle charging stations or adding conduit that could be utilized at a later date?