2002.06.27 PC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Planning Commission Meeting June 27, 2002- page 2 All Ayes. Motion carried. C.S.A.H. 8 Realignment Discussion On June 18, 2002, a public meeting was held at the Hugo City Hall to discuss the four possible alignments for CSAH 8. Staff from the City of Hugo and Washington County, along with the project consultants, presented a recommendation to eliminate the 140th Street alternative based primarily on the environmental and fiscal costs associated with this alignment. The remaining three alignments required further study, including the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA). This item was brought before the Planning Commission because the City needed to examine potential impacts associated with the various alignments as they relate to the City's local road system. Changes to CSAH 8 and the local streets may require the City to reexamine its land use plan and zoning for the areas impacted by the changes to the transportation system. The four alignments being considered were realigning CSAH 8 to connect with TH61 at 140th Street, 142nd Street, 147th Street, or 145th Street, where it now exists. Based on analysis done to date, the 140th Street connection was likely to be eliminated. Schumann spoke on behalf of the Hugo Business Association saying the future of downtown businesses would be adversely affected if traffic was routed around them. Schumann said he felt two one-way traffic lanes were need, and that he would hate to see 145th eliminated because of the Stock Lumber property on the corner of 145th and TH61. McRoberts questioned what benefits there would be in the 147th Street option because it would cut through ball fields, the cemetery areas, and residential areas. McRoberts said 147th would not help the north/south flow of traffic and a connection further north would be preferable because it would help alleviate traffic on Elmcrest Ave. and provide easier access to the freeway from the north. Bailly said she liked the 142nd Street option because it would not interrupt as many homes and businesses. She also said that a connection between 140th and 145th Street should be considered. The Commission questioned how that would affect traffic on TH61. The Community Development Director replied that there was likely not enough separation between CSAH 8 and 142"d St. to accommodate the necessary turning lanes and stacking distance. To do that, it would be necessary to widen the road, which would result in the removal of homes. Rosenquist commented that, should they choose 147th, it would be necessary to terminate the intersection of 145th and TH61. Schumann said he felt 147th should be a one-way to the west and 145th should be a one-way to the east, but the County does not want to construct two roads. He also said an extension of Fenway Ave. should be considered an option that would alleviate the traffic from Wilson Tool and the industrial park