Agenda Packets - 2005/05/23 - Laserfiche WebLink

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RLK Letter May 19, 2005 Page 2 Minnesota Department of Transportation Letter from Mary E. Jackson, Transportation Planner, dated May 16, 2005: Traffic Comment: The general growth for this area is more than the freeway system can handle. Mn/DOT has been working with the cities and counties involved determining future interchange improvements needed for the County Road J and Lake Drive area, but even if funding is obtained to reconstruct the interchange, the intersections may operate poorly if the freeway is congested. It is recommended that the cities and counties develop options to improve their roadway networks to provide mobility. For questions on all the above points, please contact Nicole Rosen, Mn/DOT Metro District North Area Traffic Support Engineer, at (651) 634-2145. Response: Comment noted. As individual projects progress through the design development stages of approval, local transportation requirements will be identified and addressed. Comment: On page 7, in the third paragraph, the second and third sentences are incorrect. The new interchange at Lake Drive/County Road J on I-35W is indeed needed because of the additional traffic volumes used resulting from the Bridges Office Development/ Medtronic campus and other surrounding developments. There is no current access to the north at County Road J and I-35W traffic. The next interchange to the north at I-35W and 95th Avenue cannot handle the volumes that will be coming to this area. The traffic modeling forecast shows that traffic is expected to back up 900 feet from the 95th Avenue southbound exit ramp. This backup is due to the inadequate left turn on 95th Avenue for motorists to go southbound on the West Service Road. Full movements are not allowed at the West Service Road and 95th Avenue. On the previous page (page 6 of 37, fourth bullet), the 2011 improvements call for a median to be placed on the West Service Road to prevent southbound left-turn movements. Thus, motorists traveling southbound on the Service Road will no longer be able to access southbound I-35W at County Road J (based on the Medtronic Campus/Bridges Office Development Improvements). This diverts motorists up to 95th and I-35W. If you have any questions about the above issues, please contact Beth Neuendorf, Mn/DOT Metro District North Area Engineer, at 651-582-1579. Response: Comment noted. The preparer apologizes for the confusion. The intent of the comment was to state that as conveyed to the stakeholders by SEH, MnDOT’s consultant, on April 21, 2005, with or without this change in land use, a new interchange should be provided at Lake Street/ CR J.