6.2. SR 07-05-1994 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

~- e: MSJ~ CD.\Sl!LTL\G E\Gt\EEllS CIVil ENGINEERING: ENVIRONMENTAl MUNICIPAl PLANNING STRUCTURAl . SURVEYING TRAFFIC TRANSPORTATION 1326 Energy Pork Drive SI. Paul, MN 55108 612-644'4389 Fox: 612-644-9446 fill 9800 Shelord Parkway Minneapolis, MN 55441 612-546-0432 Fox: 612-544-6398 May 19,1994 File: 230-221-11 Mr. Steve Ach City Planner City of Elk River 13065 Orono Parkway Elk River, MN 55330 RE: DARKENW ALD PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT Dear Mr. Ach: We have previously reviewed the proposed Automall, Mr. Movies, Little Caesar's Pizza proposed development on the Darkenwald property and commented in a letter dated April 15, 1994. At that time, we recommended that a traffic study be done to analyze the effects of this proposed development on the intersection of Carson Street and Main Street. The developers have had a traffic study prepared for this proposed development by Benshoof and Associates. We have reviewed the traffic study and would offer the following comments: 1. The traffic study analyzed two different alternatives for road alignment, one with a right- in/right-out at the north end of Carson Street on TH 169 and the second without a right- in/right-out access point. We have had recent discussions with MnDOT regarding the TH 169 corridor relative to additional access points. MnDOT has informally proposed that a corridor study be prepared for TH 169 from the intersection of TH 101 to the north City limits. This corridor study would be a joint effort between MnDOT and the City and would take approximately 18 months to complete. MnDOT has indicated they would make no decisions on additional requests for access points until such a study was completed. Therefore, we believe it is best to analyze this development as if a right- in/right-out access on TH 169 will not be granted. 2. The traffic study indicates that the proposed development will generate approximately 160 trips in the p.m. peak hour leaving the site. In order to accommodate this increase in trips, the traffic study proposes improvements consisting of the widening of Carson Street to accommodate a right turn lane at Main Street and to add a 2-foot wide striped island between north and southbound traffic. This would result in a street width of 42 feet. The current street is 30 feet wide. We concur with this recommendation and would add that the right turn lane should be a minimum of 300 feet long plus a taper section. We believe it needs to be long enough to accommodate several right turning vehicles and also to preclude left turning vehicles from lining up and blocking access to the right turn lane.