12-18-2024 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of City Council FROM: Bill Dircks, Public Works Director DATE: December 18, 2024 RE: Resolution of Support for Sidewalk on South Side of County Road C ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED: Consider adopting a resolution of support for six-foot sidewalk on the south side of County Road C from Rice Street to Little Canada Road. BACKGROUND: Ramsey County is currently planning and designing the conversion of County Road C from four lanes to three lanes from Lexington Avenue in Roseville to Little Canada Road in Little Canada with construction scheduled for 2026. As part of the project, Roseville and Little Canada evaluated existing pedestrian facilities along the corridor and were asked if more were needed. There is currently an eight-foot bituminous trail along the north side of County Road C in Little Canada. The trail will be reconstructed as part of the County’s project. County Road C is a very wide road corridor and difficult to cross, especially during peak hours. Staff believes the addition of a six-foot concrete sidewalk along the south shoulder will make it easier for pedestrians on the south side of County Road C to access the eventual Rice Street sidewalk that will be constructed in 2025 and the Little Canada Road sidewalk on the east end of the project. A survey was sent out to residents of the area and 58% of the respondents felt a sidewalk on the south side of County Road C was important to them. An additional 10% of respondents were neutral. More than 68% of respondents said they either walk, bike, or roll to businesses on Rice Street and Little Canada Road. One of the most important factors that came from the survey was safety for children waiting for the bus in the morning and getting home after getting dropped off in the afternoon. A sidewalk on the south side provides a safe place to stand and walk rather than standing on a boulevard or street. This was detailed well by one resident’s comment on the survey: “I highly support this effort. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help move this initiative forward. Adding a sidewalk on the south side of County C will make my child's school bus stop safer. Today, there is no sidewalk. My child and other neighbor kids are waiting in the street on Country C. Rice and County C is very busy and just a couple blocks away. Adding a sidewalk will allow children to wait on the sidewalk instead of the street, especially during the winter when snow banks are high. There is also no crosswalk to the north side. Adding a sidewalk on the south will allow my family to walk down County C without having to cross a busy street to the north sidewalk.” While a sidewalk on the south side of County Road C is not a part of the Master Sidewalk and Trail Plan adopted in 2023, staff believes the opportunity to add the sidewalk as part of the Ramsey County project is a good one and will be a welcome addition for residents of the area. The Parks and Recreation Commission approved a motion supporting the sidewalk at its December 5 meeting.