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<br />April 25, 2018 <br /> <br />Joel Hanson <br />City Administrator <br />City of Little Canada <br />515 E. Little Canada Rd. <br />Little Canada, MN 55117 <br /> <br />PROPOSED CARIBOU COFFEE STORE, SOUTHWEST QUADRANT OF LITTLE CANADA ROAD <br />(RAMSEY COUTY STATE AID HIGHWAY [CSAH] 23) AND I-35E <br /> <br />Dear Joel: <br /> <br />We have reviewed the site plan and Traffic Impact Study (TIS) for the proposed Caribou Coffee in the <br />southwest quadrant of Little Canada Road and I-35E and have the following comments: <br /> <br /> Because the site had not had a continuous use for some time, any new use of the site represents a change <br />in use under Minnesota Rules 8810.5200, which states, in its entirety: “In the event of a change in land use <br />or major change in the traffic pattern of the existing facility, existing driveways are not automatically <br />perpetuated and new driveway access application shall be submitted.” <br /> Because the site is in a location where it is adjacent to Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) <br />right of way, and because MnDOT operates the traffic signals that control ingress and egress from the site, <br />it is crucial to the success of the site that MnDOT’s comments on the proposed development are <br />considered. <br /> The site plan is, in our estimation, well-designed and accommodates traffic movement within the site well, <br />so we do not have any traffic concerns with the internal design of the site. <br /> We concur with the methodologies and traffic analysis of the TIS regarding trip generation and distribution <br />and traffic volumes. <br /> Figure 7, on Page 13 of the TIS suggests a minor striping reconfiguration to provide a left-turn lane into the <br />site. We would consider this configuration if the following conditions are met: <br />o There is no traffic signal indication to control traffic from the proposed left-turn lane. The traffic <br />signal pole in the northwest quadrant of the Little Canada Road/Country Drive intersection must <br />be modified to include a mast arm with a left-turn indication to provide protected/permissive left <br />turn control <br />o The traffic signal indications for northbound traffic exiting the site do not include mast arms for <br />overhead indications. The traffic signal pole in the northeast quadrant of the Little Canada <br />Road/Country Drive intersection must be modified to include an overhead indication for drivers <br />exiting the site. <br />o The pedestrian indications and push buttons that are in place at the existing driveway to the site <br />must be removed. <br /> The latest site plan shows a small median with a utility pole in the middle of the driveway. This is <br />unacceptable and we will not allow the driveway to be constructed with a pole in the middle of it. <br /> <br />We are awaiting comments from MnDOT and are available to meet if there are conflicts that need to be resolved. <br /> <br />Sincerely, <br /> Joseph Lux <br />Senior Transportation Planner <br /> <br />C: Karen Scheffing, MnDOT <br /> Lee Elfering, Elfering & Associates, Little Canada City Engineer <br /> Jessica Jagoe, Little Canada City Planner <br /> Erin Laberee, Ramsey County Traffic Engineer <br /> <br />2