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CHAPTER 4 TRANSPORTATION 65 Only high volume collectors, minor arterials and other principal arterials should intersect principal arterials. Principal arterials should not provide-any direct land access. Principal arterials are a great benefit to the City. They provide fast and convenient access to adjacent communities, the core cities and outstate areas. Principal arterials can also create many problems for a community. The large amount of truck traffic they carry generates high noise levels. Because of this noise and the accessibility and exposure these roads provide, the land they abut is generally more suited for commercial and industrial uses than for residential development. In many areas where residential development does abut principal arterials, sound barriers have been constructed to reduce the noise. Principal arterials are also substantial barriers. Interstate I-694, which divides New Brighton north and south, can only be crossed at 3 locations. The traffic volumes at these crossings (Silver Lake Road, Long Lake Road, and Old Highway S) are so high that separation between traffic lanes and sidewalks and bike lanes is necessary. In addition, the southeast area of New Brighton is totally separated from the rest of the City by I-35W. Principal arterials cannot normally be used by non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians. They also serve no useful purpose for utility locations. They do, however, provide the express routes for transit services. CAPACITY ANALYSIS OF THE ROADWAY NETWORK A good transportation system must have adequate capacity to safely and conveniently accommodate the anticipated future traffic volumes. To evaluate the capacity of New Brighton's roadway network, two steps are necessary. First, it is necessary to estimate the amount of traffic that will be using the road network at the future plan target date. Secondly, a determination of the traffic carrying capacity of the various segments in the network is needed. FORECAST YEAR 2000 TRAFFIC VOLUNIES If the estimated future traffic volumes exceed the road capacity, problems can be expected. By knowing in advance the possible ramification of development on the City's roadway network, the best choices for development and roadway capacity improvements can be made. For the purpose of this section, the year 2000 has been chosen as the target date. By the year 2000, it is assumed the City will be at a point of-full development. The forecasted year 2000 traffic volumes were determined through a refinement process of the Metropolitan Council's year 2000 traffic forecasts. Much assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Council planning staff in refining their figures to the level of detail necessary to serve the City's needs.