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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/08/2003 � � • Traffic Safety Advisory Committee City of Apple Valley January 8, 2003 7:00 p.m. Municipal Center � Minutes 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.by Vice-Chair Eriksen. Members Present: Craig Anglin, Dick Asleson,Harald Eriksen, Charles Grawe, Neal Heuer,Arthur Zimmerman Consultants Present: Stephanie Jackson, Glen Van Wormer Others Present: John Bergman,Kay Bergman,Raymond Frappier, Scott Hoeppner, Cathy Rezmerski, Chuck Russell, Sandra Russell,Kristie Sebastian, Gwen Torgensen Members Absent: Linda Dolan 2. A�proval of A e�a MOTION: Mr.Heuer moved, second by Mr. Asleson,to approve the agenda as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 3. A�proval of November 13,2002 Minutes MOTION: Mr.Asleson moved, second by Mr. Zimmerman, to approve the minutes of November 13, 2002. Motion passed unanimously. 4. Audience Items There were no audience items. 5. 147th Street Channelizin�Island Plans at Haven Drive and Guthrie Avenue Mr.Heuer said the outcome of a previous meeting discussion was to investigate retaining the channelizing islands (islands) at 147th Street and Haven Drive and Guthrie Avenue, but to also consider redesign of the islands as part of the overlay project. The residents in the area were invited,to this meeting to see the redesign proposal. � • � i Mr. Van Wormer provided a brief history of the issue, explaining that the islands were the result of the neighboring Wal-Mart development. Prior to Wal-Mart,both streets had 1,000 or fewer vehicle trips per day. He anticipated that Wal-Mart would add 500 more vehicle trips per day on Haven Drive. Residents wanted to prevent traffic from the commercial area from cutting through the neighbarhood to access Hayes Road. The general consensus of the residents was to try the islands. Mr. Van Wormer said the islands have prevented through traffic. However, local traffic has started a pattern of illegal turning movements to get around the islands. In order to discourage the illegal movements,the islands could be redesigned. In addition,medians could be added as part of the overlay project to prevent illegal turning movements. Mr. Van Wormer presented four options for the area: Option 1 would be to remove the islands and accept that the traffic volumes would likely increase on Haven Drive and Guthrie Avenue. Option 2 would be to install a center median to prevent all left turns onto Haven Drive and Guthrie Avenue. This would require widening of 147th Street. Option 3 would be to improve the islands to reduce the illegal turn movements. Option 4 would be to keep the islands in their current condition and accept that drivers would continue to attempt illegal turn movements. Mr. Van Wormer presented diagrams with the median and island designs. Mr. Heuer said the redesign of the islands should improve snowplowing operations. Mr. Hoeppner asked if the Haven island could be replaced with a center median. Mr. Van Wormer said it would restrict all customers attempting to access Wal-Mart or the other outlots from the north when using 147th Street. Ms. Torgensen asked if the medians would extend past the driveways on 147th Street. Mr.Van Wormer said they would not extend past the driveways. Mr. Targensen asked if the medians would interfere with emergency vehicles. NIr. Anglin said given the routes preferred by emergency vehicles, it would not be an issue. Mr.Bergman said the median by Guthrie Avenue should be long enough to prevent drivers from circumventing it. He asked if the median would reduce speeds on the road. Mr. Van Wormer said it might reduce average speeds by one mile per hour. Mr. Asleson said he preferred to alter the islands instead of adding a median. Several residents expressed support for keeping traffic restrictions on both Haven Drive and Guthrie Avenue. Mr. Bergman said he would support removing the island from Guthrie Avenue if a full median was installed in its place. Ms. Torgensen said she would prefer to keep the island and not have a median. Ms. Rezmerski said she would prefer no median and no changes to the islands. Mr.Asleson said he would not vote in favor of a median but would support improving the islands. MOTION: Mr. Heuer moved, second by Mr. Grawe, to recommend to the City Council Option#2 for Guthrie Avenue—removing the channelizing island and adding a center median. Mr. Anglin asked if similar medians are used elsewhere. Mr.Heuer said similar median conditions exist on Galaxie Avenue near Greenleaf School and the Municipal Center. ( • • He said similar designs are proposed for Cobblestone Lake. Mr.Anglin said he is concerned about limiting U-turn movements around the medians. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 1 nay(Mr. Asleson). MOTION: Mr. Heuer moved, second by Mr.Anglin, to recommend to the City Council Option#3 for Haven Drive—modifying the existing channelizing island and adding partial medians to all outflow from the Wal-Mart development. Motion passed with 5 ayes and 1 nay(Mr. Asleson). MOTION: Mr. Asleson moved that the median be extended along 147th Street form Haven Drive to Guthrie Avenue. Mr. Heuer noted that a number of private driveways enter 147th Street between Haven Drive and Guthrie Avenue. Mr. Asleson withdrew his motion. Mr. Heuer clari�ed that these recommendations will be forwarded as part of the proposed overlay project to the City Council for approvaL 6. Countv Report on Intersection Studies Kristi Sebastian Dakota Co Asst. Traffic En 'gineer Ms. Sebastian presented the results of several requested studies on intersections involving county roads. Diamond Path and McAndrews Road(Countv Road 38) Ms. Sebastian noted that parents dropping off students at Falcon Ridge Middle School travel eastward and then make a U-turn back to the west on County Road 38 at the intersection with Diamond Path. She also noted that traffic collision data shows a disproportionate number of accidents involving northbound vehicles on Diamond Path and eastbound vehicles on County Road 38. While the intersection might meet some of the majar warrants, a signal might not be desirable for a number of reasons. The visibility from the west on County Road 38 is not very good for a signal. A signal might also increase traffic volumes on Diamond Path. She said an alternative might be to restrict turning movements onto Diamond Path,but she noted that residents living in the Diamond Path neighborhoods would have few alternate accesses onto major roadways. Ms. Sebastian said she has no recommendation at this time. There was a brief discussion among the Committee members about the traffic flow at the intersection. 142nd Street and Pilot Knob Road (Countv Road 31) Ms. Sebastian said the issue brought to her attention was vehicle stacking on 142nd Street. She was asked if 142nd Street could be striped for exclusive left-turn lanes and shared through and right-turn lanes. She noted a very low number of collisions at the intersection. She also noted that the intersection seexns to operate well even at periods of peak volume. Ms. Sebastian said that due to the high volume of through traffic on 142nd Street and the low volume of left-turns,the proposed striping would cause delays for r • � vehicles attempting to go through the intersection or to make a right-turn. She also noted that with the proposed striping, it would not be possible for a large truck making a right- hand turn to the east from Pilot Knob Road without entering the left-turn lane. The intersection would need to be expanded to accommodate this movement and there does not appear to be an easy way to make the expansion. Mr.Heuer said as the neighborhood is fully developed,he does not expect an increase in the traffic volume on 142nd Street. Gardenview Drive and 150th Street(Countv Road 42) Ms. Sebastian said she has not completed a report on this intersection,but she has several general comments. She noted that at this time,there are not many collisions at the intersection given the traffic volume. She also noted that given the traffic volumes, left-turn lanes on Gardenview Drive might be beneficial. However,the situation is complicated by the frontage roads near the intersection. Traffic stacked in a left-turn lane would likely interfere with traffic attempting to exit the frontage roads. Similarly, left turns off Gardenview onto the frontage roads would probably experience interference from traffic stacked in the left-turn lane onto County Road 42. There was discussion about the larger issues of the intersection. Mr. Asleson suggested creating a long-term redevelopment plan for the intersection area. Mr. Zimmerman supported the idea of creating left-turn lanes on Gardenview Drive with stop lines created behind the frontage roads. Mr. Van Wormer said he would work with the County to study the impact of the proposed revision. Ms. Sebastian noted that signal phasing could also be considered if necessary. Mr. Asleson noted that the traffic signal at the intersection with Cedar Avenue for eastbound traffic on County Road 42 seems to be rather short. Ms. Sebastian said this is a function of traffic volumes on Cedar Avenue. 7. 160th Street and Fla�staff Avenue Intersection Ms. Sebastian said there is a proposal to add left-turn lanes for Flagstaff Avenue. The lanes would be installed in both Apple Valley and Lakeville. The project would be very expensive because the County's signal mast arms would need to be moved. Mr. Heuer said he is looking at 2004 for budgeting and is coordinating the issue with the County. A layout for the left-turn lanes and associated work was developed by Apple Valley and sent to Lakeville for review and comment. 8. 153rd Street Corridor between Cedar and Garrett Avenues Update Mr. Van Wormer said the Post Office has been very cooperative with the City's ideas for redesigning the 153rd Street corridor between Cedar Avenue and Garrett Avenue. 9. 2003 Street Maintenance/Overlav Project Presentation r � � Mr. Heuer said the main issue in the project concerned 147th Street and Haven Drive and Guthrie Avenue as discussed earlier in the meeting. 10. Draft 2002 Annual Report A copy of the modified 2001 Annual Report was distributed with the agenda packet for Committee members' review. A draft 2002 report will be presented at the next meeting. 11. Traffic Concerns Communicated to the Citv A) Police No new concerns were noted. B) Public Works No new concerns were noted. C) Other Concerns Communicated to the City No new concerns were noted. 12. Traffic Safetv Educational Efforts a) Monthly Newspaper Article A copy of the article in the December newspaper issue was distributed with the agenda packet for Committee members' review. 13. Adjourn MOTION: Mr. Asleson moved, second by Mr. Eriksen, to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.