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<br /> <br />PUBLIC WORKS <br />Wayne Sandberg, P.E., Director, County Engineer <br />Frank D. Ticknor, P.E., Deputy Director <br />September 18, 2024 <br />Sophia Jensen <br />City Planner <br />City of Lake Elmo <br />3880 Laverne Avenue <br />Lake Elmo, MN 55042 <br /> <br />Lake Elmo Elementary School <br /> <br />Dear Sophia, <br />Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on the proposed Lake Elmo Elementary School <br />application at the intersection of County State Aid Highway 17 (Lake Elmo Avenue) & CSAH 10 (10th <br />Street). The county thanks the City of Lake Elmo and the Stillwater School District for meeting with the <br />county to discuss the proposed new school location that meets the community’s needs while also <br />providing for safe transportation connections. The county will continue coordinating with the district and <br />city on this proposed school; below are some comments that the County has for the proposal. <br />As we have shared, the proposed rural location adjacent to two high-speed county highways presents <br />several significant challenges related to nonmotorized access and traffic safety and operations; these <br />concerns are identified in the traffic study. By their nature, County Highways manage regional traffic <br />(vehicular, freight, transit, bicycle, pedestrian, etc.) at higher average speeds. With Washington County <br />currently the fifth fastest-growing county in the state, containing two of the top ten fastest-growing <br />cities in the state (Woodbury and Lake Elmo), we would be irresponsible in not planning for the future of <br />this area. We offer the following comments regarding the new design of the school site and the traffic <br />study. <br />1. The site plan indicates right turn lanes at both proposed access points; the county would also <br />require dedicated left turn lanes as a condition of access permit approval. <br />2. The traffic study indicates a significant delay for motorists at the intersection of CSAH 10 and <br />CSAH 17 (overall Level of Service F), with queues extending well beyond the available storage. <br />Washington County expects that the development team will mitigate these operational and <br />safety issues prior to school opening. The intersection of CSAH 10 & CSAH 17 is tentatively <br />scheduled in the County’s draft Capital Improvement Plan for construction of improvements in <br />2028, with $4M total planned investment. This is a significant investment, largely driven by the <br />placement of the school at its proposed location. Washington County appreciates the City’s <br />support in planning for this improvement during the design of the Lake Elmo Elementary School. <br />3. The traffic study recommends a traffic signal or roundabout at the County Highway 10/Lake Elmo <br />Elementary School main access. Washington County expects that this will be installed by the <br />development team without city or county cost contribution as a condition of access approval, and <br />operational prior to opening of the school.