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Page 3 <br />Motion carried unanimously. <br />About a dozen residents of 29th Avenue N.E. were present for the <br />discussion of the preliminary plans containing the geometrics of the <br />reconstruction proposal for their street as presented by Mr. Comstock. <br />The Engineer explained they were the final results of negotiations <br />between the Council, T.A.P. 29th Avenue Committee members, state <br />legislators and the Minnesota Highway Department in an effort to get <br />an acceptable roadway which would qualify for Minnesota State Aid <br />funds. He said he felt the 16 hour traffic survey which had been <br />taken on the street February 4th and 5th might provide a basis for <br />requesting that the right turn lanes insisted upon by the Highway <br />Department might be eliminated and that the base of the roadway <br />might be decreased somewhat causing a savings of $35,000 in construction <br />costs. <br />The residents present, especially those whose front yards would be cut <br />down by the right hand turning lanes, spoke in favor of eliminating <br />those lanes. Mr. Tom Shaeffer, Co-chairman of T.A.P. expressed his <br />committee's appreciation of the aid that had been provided to them <br />by the Engineer and asked that the committee be allowed to participate <br />in the negotiations with the Highway Department for the elimination <br />of the turning lanes. <br />Only one resident of 29th, Leonard Toth, expressed his dissatisfaction <br />with the revised plans saying he disliked the proposed 4 foot nodes <br />which he felt served no useful purpose since "you can't walk in them <br />or park a car in them" and did not feel it was the consensus of the <br />T.A.P. committee that the road be constructed in this manner. <br />His opinion was challenged by Mr. Stan Mirocha and Rick Wolowicz who <br />felt the vast majority of the residents of 29th had "agreed to go <br />along with what T.A.P. 29th did". <br />Councilman Haik said she did not want the turning lanes to serve <br />as an accomodation for people who use 29th Avenue as a shortcut <br />between Silver Lake Road and Highway 8. <br />The Manager then pointed out the City's responsibility to move traffic <br />expeditiously through the City and reminded the Council that many of <br />those who were being thought of as "foreigners" who use 29th were <br />in fact residents of other sections of the City who have every right <br />to use all the streets in the community. Mayor Miedtke added his <br />feeling that any diversion of traffic from any one particular street <br />would result in a heavier buildup of traffic on another City street <br />and said that street might well be 37th Avenue where residents and <br />parents of children who go to Wilshire School are already petitioning <br />the Council to do something to provide greater traffic control. <br />When Councilman Haik said she wanted the sidewalks along 29th included <br />in the final plans for reconstructing the street, Mr. Shaeffer said <br />he would oppose having it considered at the present time since the <br />subject was so volatile with the residents and he feared an attempt <br />to get a consensus at the present time might result in a delay in <br />the start of the construction of the new roadway. The question was <br />then raised as to whether the proposed design for the reconstruction <br />would provide safety for bicyclists without sidewalks with Mr. Shaeffer <br />