DRAFT 171ST STUDY 04-27-2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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BACKGROUND EXISTING TRANSPORTATION Road Network Highway ~o~i69 is the primary arterial running along the western boundary of the study area. Today the roadway is a four-lane, at grade regional highway and has average daily traffic counts (ADTs) of nearly 35,000 trips per day. Currently, the primary access point to the project area is the signalized intersection at i7~st Avenue. Additional access points exist attwo un-signalized intersections at 173rd Avenue and 65th Avenue and a handful of parcels have right-in, right-out access or additional median crossings for access. View of Highway ~0/~69 through the study area 0 "r a L z s °i a: r,~; ~®~ Twin Lakes Parkway serves as the primary collector for the FAST, as traffic from southeast Elk River is funneled south to Highway ~o~i69 to the signal at ~7~st Avenue. The roadway has been improved as afour-lane with a median from Main Street to the transit station, and as a four lane road with no median from the station to Highway io~i69. The roadway is anticipated to carry nearly zo,ooo cars per day in the future and extend to the southeast through the study area to Jarvis Street in the southeast corner of Elk River. Twin Lakes Parkway represents the only rail crossing in the project area. A previous rail crossing was located at 73rd Avenue, but was relocated to the current location for the Northstar station development. Currently only a small portion of 173rd Street remians from Highway ~o~i69 to the rail line and then connects south with Ulysses Street to form the built internal road network west of the tracks. 75th Avenue in the northeast serves as a collector for the residential uses beyond the project area, bringing people to Twin Lakes Parkway. The only private streets exist within Elk River Station. Transit The Northstar commuter rail will begin operation in fall of zoog. Currently the Northstar commuter bus service operates out of the park and ride facilities which are currently finalizing construction. The rail service is anticipating five daily commuting trains to downtown Minneapolis with one reverse commute train per day. The average trip time from Elk River to downtown Minneapolis is anticipated to be 35-38 minutes. Rail The two heavy rail lines are owned and operated by Burlington Northern ~ Sante-Fe and operates as a major corridor for cross country rail transport. On average, nearly 6o to 8o trains per day move through the project area with speeds in excess of 7omph. Noise and safety concerns will be significant considerations for land uses adjacent to the rail line. Sidewalks & Trails A limited number of sidewalks and trails exist within the project area. Those trails that have been built came with recent developments such as Elk River Station and the roadway improvements along Twin Lakes Parkway and 175th Avenue. Northstar commuter rail train Existing rail line crossing at study area