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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/08/2009 • • Traffic Safety Advisory Committee City of Apple Valley July 8,2009 7:00 p.m. Municipal Center Minutes l. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. by Chair Arthur Zimmerman Members Present: Todd Blomstrom, Harald Eriksen, Charles Grawe, Jon Rechtzigel, Arthur Zimmerman Members Absent: Dick Asleson, Linda Dolan Consultants/Alternates Present: Tom Sohrweide Others Present: John Alexander, Tor Forsgren, Jesse Schaaf 2. Approval of A eg nda � MOTION: Mr. Blomstrom moved, second by Mr. Grawe,to approve the agenda as presented. Motion passed 5-0 3. Approval of Mav 13, 2009 Minutes MOTION: Mr. Rechtzigel moved, second by Mr. Blomstrom, to approve the Minutes of May 13, 2009. Motion passed 5-0. 4. Audience Items Several residents expressed concern over vehicles speeding on Everest Avenue. The current speed limit is 30 miles per hour,but the residents have noticed much higher speeds on a flat and straight stretch of the roadway. They believed the speeding takes place at all times of day,but that immediately following the let-out of school or the end of the work day seems to be particularly bad. The residents said they are currently working with Neighborhood Watch as some of the violators may live in the neighborhood, but also believed cut-through traffic to be at fault. Mr. Sohrweide said it is important to address the root causes of the problem. As the residents had mentioned the possibility of cut-through traffic,he suggested collecting data on vehicle volumes and speeds. The volume data is important to identify how much traffic might be cut-through from outside of the neighborhood. Such traffic might require a different solution. He noted � • that neighborhood education efforts are generally a good solution for this type of problem. Mr. Blomstrom said he would like to collect the data and bring the issue back for discussion. 5. Resident Request for Speed Bumps on Haven Drive between Haves Road and 147�' Street , Mr. Blomstrom reviewed the request to relocate the access from the Wal-Mart property further north so that it does not align with Haven Drive and to install temporary rubber speed cushions or partial bumps along Haven Drive. Mr. Blomstrom reviewed the traffic counts on Haven Drive and found the average 300 vehicle trips per day to be very low for that type of street, indicating that most of the traffic is from within that neighborhood. He also noted that Wal- Mart is in the process of expanding its store which could impact traffic volumes and patterns in the area. Mr. Rechtzigel distributed speed survey data for the street. Staff recommended no action at this time. 6. Resident ReQUest for Parkin�Restrictions on 14000 Block of Guthrie Avenue Mr. Blomstrom said this portion of Guthrie Avenue is actually a small cul-de- sac located across from the athletic fields at Apple Valley High School. A resident has complained of field users using the cul-de-sac as a parking lot. The cul-de-sac is currently signed with"No Parking"between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. between September and June 15�`due to parking problems during the school year. The resident requested further restrictions to prevent parking problems during the summer league season. Mr. Zimmerman asked if the opinions of the other residents on the cul-de-sac had been gathered. The group agreed it would be appropriate for Mr. Blomstrom to survey the other neighbors regarding their thoughts about possible additional parking restriction times. 7. Parkin�on Street Near Briar Oaks Park Mr. Rechtzigel said the park has been scheduled for back-to-back doubleheader games for the athletic associations. There is an overcrowding that is occurring as the first game is ending and the second game begins. The result is often parking on both sides of the adjoining residential street, creating a narrowing of the traffic lane. Mr. Blomstrom confirmed that the street is 32 feet wide curb-to-curb and there is a problem for two cars to pass. Mr. Blomstrom recommended posting parking restrictions on the west side of the street and requesting that the Parks and Recreation Department require the athletic associations using the park to either schedule a greater length of time between games to allow traffic to disburse or to prohibit back-to-back games altogether. Several members of the Committee expressed the desire to notify any impacted properties prior to taking this action. • � 8. Resident Concerns at Folia�e and 153rd Street Mr. Blomstrom said the City requested a MNDoT speed limit study on Foliage Avenue. MNDoT has not yet conducted that study. There was an accident on Foliage earlier this month and the City continues to encourage MNDoT to conduct the study in the near future. 9. Safe Routes to School Grant Program A�lication Mr. Sohrweide said he was very concerned about the reasons that the City's application was rejected. He found a number of discrepancies in the grant rating process. He documented these issues and sent them to MNDoT and plans a follow- up meeting with them to discuss them further. 10. Other Traffic Concerns Communicated to the Citv of A�le Valley Police Concerns Mr. Rechtzigel said the placement of construction cones on 140th during the overlay was quite narrow. Public Works' Concerns There were no other concerns reported. 1 l. Education Issues Pedestrian and Bike Safetv Campai� Mr. Rechtzigel said the Police Department is wrapping up the campaign for the 1 St through 5�'grades. 123 helmets were given away. There was very positive feedback from the school administration who noted that many of the helmets were given to students who were in need. Meetin�Procedures and Conduct The group agreed that the proposed meeting procedures were appropriate and should be posted so that visitors to the meeting can read them. The group also agreed with the content and layout of the tri-fold and recommended that copies be available to residents. Intersection Warnin� Svstem Mr. Sohrweide said there is an effort to test a low-cost system for rural uncontrolled intersections. The solution uses a small radar unit, solar power panels, and a flashing sign to warn of approaching traffic. Hennepin County � � tested the system and found a 54 percent reduction in the number of "conflicts" 12. Adj ourn MOTION: Mr. Grawe moved, second by Mr. Blomstrom, to adjourn. Motion passed 5 - 0. Meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.