Minutes

1. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:01 p.m. by Chair Dolan. The Committee members introduced themselves.

Members Present: Craig Anglin, Dick Asleson, Linda Dolan, Harald Eriksen, Charles Grawe (arrived at 7:30), Neal Heuer

Members Absent: Arthur Zimmerman

Consultants Present: Stephanie Jackson, Glen Van Wormer

Others Present: Marty Adams, Rich Adams, Stuart Bestul, Kim Buck, Troy Buck, Dan Colvin, Mary Jo Colvin, Leah Coughlin, Don Cunningham, Jodi Erickson, Keith Erickson, Jane Falcone, Jim Falcone, Kristin Falde, Ryan Flugnur, John Frederickson, Wil Gayle, Cathy Goetz, Randy Goetz, Cindy Hoshaw, David Hoshaw, Faith Jara, Paul Jara, Michelle Kraft, Bonnie Mayes, Kevin Mayes, John Olson, Julie Olson, James Phillips, Kathleen Phillips, Julie Sickler, Denise Sjostrom, Steve Sjostrom, Cindy Traub, Mike Traub, Marissa Zeibo

2. Approval of Agenda

There were no changes to the agenda.

MOTION: Mr. Eriksen moved, second by Mr. Anglin, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion passed unanimously.

3. Approval of January 14, 2004 Minutes

MOTION: Mr. Anglin moved, second by Mr. Eriksen, to approve the minutes of January 14, 2004. Motion passed unanimously.

4. Audience Items

There were no audience items.

5. Continue Discussion of Traffic Concerns on Diamond Path between Pilot Knob Road and McAndrews Road

Mr. Van Wormer provided results of traffic studies on the street. He noted that volumes have not increased greatly even though the volumes on surrounding streets have increased. He found an approximate average of 3,300 vehicle trips per day on the section near McAndrews Road and estimated that "cut through" traffic accounts for approximately 1,100 vehicle trips per day. He found that average vehicle speeds are slightly above 30 miles per hour, but are not excessive. The 85th percentile speed is between 33 and 35 miles per hour. He found that less than four percent of vehicles were traveling in excess of 40 miles per hour. He noted that many times the people who speed in an area also live in the area. He said the volume levels of cut through traffic are a concern, although he noted the street is a collector roadway.

Mr. Van Wormer addressed a number of proposed remedies. He said the general concept of traffic calming is to create friction so that motorists choose to slow down. Chokers are a narrowing of the street. As Diamond Path is already a narrow street, they probably would not be noticeable. Medians can help reduce speed even as much as five to eight miles per hour in some locations. However, as the speeds on Diamond Path are currently not much greater than 30 miles per hour, he would not expect much of a decrease in speed with medians. Speed bumps were used on Diamond Path previously. They do slow all traffic down, including emergency vehicles. Many neighbors did not like the speed bumps when they were previously installed. Diverters are diagonal barricades across an intersection. One possible location for a diverter would be an intersection such as Diamond Path and Emmer Place. However, diverters will divert traffic into another neighborhood and generally cause problems for other neighbors. Finally, some residents had proposed closing the road by making two long cul-de-sacs instead of a through street. The proposed closure would be between Emmer Place and Ethelton Way. However, road closure would have significant negative effects for emergency vehicles. He said closure would also add approximately 11,600 hours in travel time for residents, which at $12 per hour would amount to a cost of $130,000 to $140,000 per year.

Mr. Van Wormer said the City has already attempted to make other routes more desirable than Diamond Path. The traffic light at the intersection of Pilot Knob Road and Diamond Path can provide two green arrows per cycle to encourage traffic to use Pilot Knob Road. The City has also worked with the County to help the intersection at McAndrews Road and Pilot Knob Road function better so that more traffic uses that option.

Mr. Van Wormer said that there are no great engineering solutions for the traffic on Diamond Path. He said the Committee would need to talk with the entire Diamond Path neighborhood before recommending any major changes to the City Council. He noted that there are 485 homes north of Diamond Path, East of McAndrews, and West of Pilot Knob that all use Diamond Path. He noted the existing street width of 34 to 35 feet has a capacity of over 10,000 vehicles per day, but volumes this high are not appropriate for the situation.

Several members of the audience offered comments in response to Mr. Van Wormer's presentation. One member of the audience said they want to reclaim their neighborhood. Another expressed that cutting of the roadway and making it into to cul-de-sacs would be ideal.

Mr. Anglin responded to this suggestion by expressing his concern over closing the roadway, especially with storm conditions. He noted that having a second access to a neighborhood is very important to public safety and eliminating a second access through road closure would be a very large concern.

Another resident said that Diamond Path once served as a main road connecting different neighborhoods. They suggested that improvements to McAndrews and Pilot Knob Roads have changed the importance of Diamond Path and expressed the opinion that road closure would not displace a significant amount of traffic into other neighborhoods.

Ms. Dolan requested that residents provide comments on alternatives other than road closure. One resident suggested purchasing the property to the west of Diamond Path at the intersection with McAndrews Road so that sight lines to the west on McAndrews Road could be increased. Another resident expressed concern about the safety of the crosswalk across Diamond Path at this intersection. Another resident expressed that older developments along Diamond Path seem less safe than new developments.

A resident asked if the street needs to be striped and indicated that he believed the striping causes an increase in speeds. Mr. Van Wormer responded that striping has generally been found to have a small impact that decreases speeds.

Mr. Traub proposed creating a channelizing island onto McAndrews Road to allow only right hand turns, creating a series of medians along the west end of Diamond Path Road, and reducing the speed limit along Diamond Path to 20 miles per hour. Mr. Heuer responded that McAndrews Road is a County road and therefore any improvements such as the channelizing islands would be under the control and authority of Dakota County, not the City. He noted that the existing roadway is not wide enough to accommodate the islands and would require acquisition of additional property. He also noted that the County could create a three-quarter intersection preventing only the left hand turns from Diamond Path onto McAndrews Road. He said that Dakota County might be interested in creating a three-quarter intersection, but would likely be cautious to neighborhood concerns and would want to know how the greater neighborhood would react. Mr. Heuer said that some medians might be possible, but noted that they would prohibit parking in front of some homes. Mr. Heuer also said that the State of Minnesota, not the City sets the speed limits, and that a 20 miles per hour speed limit would be unlikely.

Mr. Traub asked how the channelizing islands worked on 147th Street. Mr. Van Wormer said the islands were installed to prevent traffic cutting through on Guthrie Avenue and Haven Drive when commercial development was underway on 147th Street. He noted that many of the neighbors do not like the islands because they create an inconvenience for them. Mr. Van Wormer also noted that the original islands were since redesigned and supplemented with medians to prevent illegal turning movements.

One resident asked for the installation of temporary stop signs as a means of slowing speeds. Mr. Grawe responded that speeds are already violating one law and installing an inappropriate stop sign would likely result in people running through the stop sign, creating a potentially more dangerous situation.

Mr. Traub asked what solutions Mr. Van Wormer might recommend. Mr. Van Wormer said his goal would be to disrupt the cut-through traffic to create an incentive for those motorists to find an alternate route around the neighborhood. He said he might consider installing medians at several points. He also noted that there would need to be true neighborhood consensus before recommending such a solution to the City Council.

A resident proposed closing Diamond Path at the intersection with Pilot Knob Road. Mr. Heuer noted that many other neighbors in the community might not agree with that idea.

Mr. Asleson noted that Diamond Path is a collector roadway. He said the smaller setbacks might be grounds for traffic calming and he would be willing to consider small traffic islands. Mr. Van Wormer said he would prepare a layout to show the Committee and residents how traffic islands might affect adjoining properties. Ms. Dolan asked that he also prepare a list of possible improvements that Dakota County could do to its roads to make use of the County Roads more desirable to cut-through traffic. Mr. Van Wormer said he would provide the concept plan to the City and staff could then notify Mr. Traub when the plans are available for review. Mr. Anglin said he doesn't believe there is an engineering solution to the issues raised by the neighborhood, but would be willing to see what Mr. Van Wormer proposes.

MOTION: Mr. Asleson moved, second by Mr. Eriksen, that the Committee request that Mr. Van Wormer prepare a concept plan for Diamond Path using medians and other traffic calming measures as appropriate for the Committee's review at the May meeting.

Mr. Heuer noted that the builders and developers of the neighborhood requested the variance for reduced setbacks for financial reasons. He noted that the homeowners received a financial benefit in the form of a lower cost due to those variances.

Motion passed five in favor and one opposed (Mr. Anglin opposed).

6. Traffic Safety Education Efforts with Student Representatives

Ms. Dolan explained that the Committee requested assistance from some youth about education efforts. Four students from Eastview High School introduced themselves. The students briefly explained some of the ideas they had gotten from a focus group. The ideas included equipping a speed trailer with a camera for speed enforcement, increasing the fines and penalties for those caught speeding, revoking drivers licenses more easily for speed violations, and presenting more statistics on the impact of speed.

The students briefly described their current drivers education curriculum. The course uses both video and staff lectures. The course is nine weeks in length with 50 minutes of instruction each day. The students felt that many of their peers do not take the course work seriously and do not care for the long videos. The students felt that guest speakers were very effective. They also felt that much of the material can be adequately covered at a more rapid pace. The students noted that most of the school curriculum is from a manual published by the State of Minnesota, but that they felt most students learn the rules of the road from their parents, not the course.

The students generally felt that the DARE program was highly influential when they took that course at a younger age. They suggested that the DARE program could be lengthened through middle school. They also suggested that peer teaching such as through a mentoring program could be effective. They thought that students would generally be more receptive to hearing about actual experiences. The students also suggested that some violators could be sent back for additional schooling and training. The students agreed to take the refined ideas back to the School for more development of a specific education initiative recommendation.

The students also presented several specific traffic-related concerns. One concern was poor sight lines in the area of the Carmike Theater on Gaslight Drive. Another was lack of adequate parking and improper parking on private property near the location of LeAnn Chin's restaurant. Another concern was the stacking of traffic on 140th Street attempting to enter the Eastview High School parking lot. There was also a concern about snow piles at intersections along Johnny Cake Ridge Road.

7. Update on 138th Street Recommendation to the City Council

Mr. Heuer noted that the recommended temporary improvements were approved by the City Council. He said the area will be monitored over the summer and brought back to the Committee for re-evaluation in the fall.

8. Other Traffic Concerns Communicated to the City

A) Police
Mr. Anglin said there were no new concerns.

B) Public Works
Mr. Heuer said some residents opposing the widening of Galaxie Avenue near 157th Street might appear before the Committee in the future. Mr. Heuer also noted that a resident concerned about traffic speeds and volumes on a residential street might also appear before the Committee in the future. Mr. Heuer said there has been a request for a pathway on the west side of Pilot Knob Road. He said he is also proposing to remove the "No Parking" signs on the west side of Hayes Road near Upper 145th Street.

C) Other Concerns Communicated to the City
There were no other concerns.

9. Adjourn

MOTION: Mr. Asleson moved, second by Mr. Grawe, to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 p.m.