04/22/1996 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 22, 1996 case the obvious priority has been to have the availability of a street light at Lake Drive to provide left turn safety for approximately 30 buses which will be transporting 1700 students each day in and out of the middle school site. Mr. Hughes said that the stop light was of critical importance. In each case, if a stop light was not warranted, it was not seriously considered by the School District. He stated that he personally prefers Option F for a number of reasons. It is more accessible for pedestrians who will be walking to the middle school from the east side of Lake Drive. He also said that he felt this option impacted the nearby residents to a lesser degree since the entrance to Lake Drive from Elm Street would be moved only slightly north. Mr. Hughes said he felt that the bus traffic on the school sight will be very smooth. There will be very little conflict with cars bringing students to the school. The bus and car traffic on the school site will not be in competition. They will be totally separated. This is a very good point about Option F. Mr. Hughes said that he recommends selection of Option F. It will provide the best possibilities for the safety of the children coming in and going off the school site each day. John Sullivan, 7132 Whippoorwill Lane - Mr. Sullivan explained that he has been to most of the meetings regarding the middle school and is concerned that a new option, Option F, has been brought in which has not been discussed as the other options were. He would like this option presented to the Planning and Zoning Board since they have not seen it either. Mr. Sullivan noted that on several of the options, signal light has been written on the diagram. When the various options were first presented to the public, staff was asked why the signal light was not included. Staff explained that a signal light would not be approved by MnDOT because it did not meet "warrants". Has something changed, do we know that we are getting the signal light? Mr. Sullivan said that to his knowledge, there is no guarantee that the signal light will be installed. He noted the situation with Chippewa School on Highway 49 in Shoreview. They cannot get a signal light. Mr. Sullivan said that the neighborhood would like the signal light too. Mr. Sullivan said that the City was given sort of a "rats nest" last fall when Anoka County turned Elm Street over to the City. Lake Drive is a state highway. Some people do not understand why the City cannot just say that there will be a stop light at the Lake Drive/Elm Street intersection. The City of Lino Lakes does not have jurisdiction over county or state highways. Mr. Ahrens explained that the entrance to the Chippewa middle school is on a driveway which ends at a state highway. This situation does not meet most of the warrants required by the MnDOT. Mr. Ahrens said that with the intersection of Elm Street and Lake Drive, most of the warrants can be met based on OSM's projections and analysis. The reason Chippewa middle school does not have a light is that their situation does not met the warrants. In addition, the school is on a curve in the road. This situation makes it even more difficult to install lights in that a lot more geometric improvements along the state highway would be needed. MnDOT is very strict about meeting the warrants. PAGE 14