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Changes to Keats/Highway 36 intersection Pagel of 2 Dean A. Johnston From: Ames, John M Dohn_ames1 @merck.com] Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 10:17 AM To: deanjohnston@comcast.net; scdelapp@earthlink.net; johnsonliz@att.net; annejsmith@msn.com; nicolepark@comcast.net Cc: robertanderson3@comcast.net Subject: Changes to Keats/Highway 36 intersection Mayor Johnston and council members; I am sorry that I am unable to attend the meeting tonight. I wanted to make sure that my opinions were shared as part of any discussion of the recent traffic pattern changes caused by construction of turning lanes at Keats and 36. Several quick points: • There was no meaningful advance notice of these changes • Multiple calls to MnDOT have produced no meaningful information, and very limited response (I placed three phone calls to different individuals at MnDOT. One phone message was left for me. The caller left no name or phone number, and provided no information other than that the changes were occurring.) • These changes force residents of the Keats Avenue area who want to go west on 36 to wind through residential streets in the neighborhoods between Keats and Green Acres. Then they face a crossing at DeMontreville, which is more difficult than the one at Keats was! • MnDOT suggests that westbound travelers should head East, and do a U-turn at Lake Elmo Ave. Most people will choose not to add the time and mileage to do this. • Those hauling a trailer west on 36 (as I often do to boat on White Bear) are faced with poor options - a dangerous and difficult U turn at Lake Elmo Ave, hauling my 5 ton truck and boat rig through neighborhoods to cross at DeMontreville (!), or significant (and unlikely) detours southeast toward the old village. It seems that MnDOT, whose expertise is to understand traffic patterns and how to intelligently plan and build road systems, did not even consider the negative safety implications of this unannounced change. To be sure, this intersection was dangerous before the change. MnDOT seems to believe that maintaining the high average speed on Highway 36 is of the highest concern. As the Met Council requires more population in the city, and as MnDOT moved towards a new river bridge in Stillwater, the traffic volume will increase and speeds will be forced to slow. For those of us on Keats, this means that by design, our trips will slow in speed, and be longer in distance by design as a result of these changes. I have been trained that I should never complain without a proposed solution. Therefore, I propose that MnDOT evaluate the feasibility of a frontage road on the south side of 36 to extend from DeMontreville to Lake Elmo Ave to be funded by MnDOT. This should be compared with the feasibility of a traffic signal at Keats/36 to allow for safe crossing. The results should be publicly available before work begins, and the cities of Grant and Lake Elmo should have input in the final decision. I can not believe a state agency would act in this manner. Is their role truly to serve us? Respectfully, John Ames 5/15/2007