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MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Joel Hanson, City Administrator <br />FROM: Bill Dircks, Public Works Superintendent <br />DATE: August 21, 2007 <br />RE: 1 -694 EAW <br />The Environmental Assessment Report for the reconstruction of 1-694 from Rice St. to <br />35W has been released and is open to public comment until September 12. The only part <br />of the project that affects Little Canada is the Rice St./694 interchange. There appear to <br />be three issues that the City may want to comment on. <br />1. Potential ponding site on empty lot at Spruce and Country Drive <br />The plan sheets have shown a potential pond at this site since the preliminary <br />drawings were completed. The City has stated their opposition to this possibility <br />on two occasions already and may want to comment again that a pond is not <br />desirable at this location. There are many options for redevelopment of the site <br />and a large pond would certainly inhibit many of them. <br />2. Potential dead -end at west end of Twin Lake Blvd. <br />While the plans do not indicate that this will happen, it has been discussed in the <br />past and may be brought up again. MNDOT feels it will be easier to build the <br />new interchange if they don't have to deal with Twin Lake Blvd. Based on what <br />we have told them in the past they have left it as a through street. We may want <br />to get it on the record again that the City is not in favor of a dead end. <br />3. Caribou Coffee impacts <br />The new interchange shows medians all along Rice St. and also down Country <br />Drive. This would have a huge impact on Caribou, as only traffic coming from <br />westbound Country Drive would be able to get to the parking lot. I have heard <br />