11/08/2006 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Roads, Access Creating new local access and circulation is vital to development in the study area. Creating new road alignments must address three issues: access and circulation, development parcel size, and road right of way width. Addressing these will require cooperation between different agencies and jurisdictions. Access and Circulation Access management is an important aspect of planning new road alignments. A number of studies have demonstrated a relationship between the number of full access points on major roadways and the number of crashes. The City's Comprehensive Plan addresses this issue with the recommendation to Maintain Hodgson Road and County Road J as "A" minor arterial streets. With this functional classification, the right -of -way width and roadway design should promote traffic movement and limit direct site access.page 137 Managing access to the arterial roads in the study area supports several sound planning goals, including: maintaining an acceptable level of mobility on the roads; reducing the potential for safety problems; and promoting appropriate property access. The intersection of Hodgson and CR J functions poorly now at peak periods. Traffic will continue to increase, further degrading traffic conditions at the intersection. Most of this traffic is generated outside of the study area, but significant development in the study area will generate additional traffic. Development within the area will require good, safe access and circulation. Planning for the study area must acknowledge that the intersection must be improved. This requires improvements to Hodgson Rd. and CR J, but also requires designing clearly defined access points and internal circulation within the study area. Hodgson Road, CR J, and Ware Road are the only roads in the study area. Both Hodgson Road and CR J are classified as minor arterials. The speed limit is 50 mph on Hodgson north of CR J, but 45 mph to the south in Ramsey County. On CR J, the speed limit is 35 mph at the Hodgson intersection. The speed limit increases to 50 mph approximately 2,000 feet to the west and about 2,600 feet to the east of Hodgson Rd. The speed limit on Ware Rd. in the area is 45. No existing local streets provide access to and circulation within the interior of the study area. Defining the access points onto the arterials and collector also includes recognizing that the number of accesses will be limited. The intent is that access to land will be via new, internal circulation roads rather than with individual driveways onto Hodgson and CR J. The new roads will access Hodgson and CR J at specific locations. Limiting the number of accesses to the main roads supports continuing mobility on the main roads. It also minimizes potential safety problems. This will be better than if individual driveways access the arterials at numerous places. Individual driveways interfere with mobility and pose safety hazards. Draft: October 31, 2006 Hodgson/CR J Master Plan page 16