5.5. SR 06-12-2000Item 5.5.
Howard R, Green Gompany
QONSULTING ENGINEERS
June 5, 2000
File: 808200J-0060
Mr. Pat Klaers
City Administrator
City of Elk River
P.O. Box 490
Elk River, MN 55330-0490
RE: MAIN STREET / T.H. 169 IMPROVEMENTS
Dear Mr. Klaers:
We have completed work on the final plans and specifications for the Main Street improvement
in the area of the Elk River Crossing subdivision and the improvements to the Main Street / T.H.
169 intersection. These plans were delayed slightly due to realignment of Zane Avenue internal
to the Elk River Crossing subdivision. As you are aware, they encountered a substantial
amount of organic material near the intersection with CSAH 12 intersection. The remedy to this
situation was to move Zane Avenue approximately 15 feet to the west. This caused a slight
redesign of the Main Street intersection at Zane Avenue.
This project has also grown in scope since it was initially conceived as an improvement for the
Elk River Crossing development. The main components of this project are detailed in the
following list:
· Widening of Main Street between T.H. 169 and CSAH 13 to allow for an additional
westbound Main Street left-turn lane to southbound T.H. 169. Along with this
widening will be the reconstruction of the median closing the access to the old liquor
store location.
· Signalization of the new intersection created by Main Street and CSAH 12
intersecting Zane Avenue and CSAH 13.
· Slight improvement of CSAH 13 north of Main Street to accommodate the
realignment of Zane Avenue in Elk River Crossing.
· Construction of an additional southbound T.H. 169 left-turn lane to eastbound Main
Street to accommodate the anticipated traffic increase caused by Elk River Crossing.
· Minor geometric modifications on Main Street west of T.H. 169 to line up with the
improvements planned for Main Street east of T.H. 169.
· As an alternate, we intend to bid the construction of a left-turn lane from Main Street
into the Earl Holen land located west of T.H. 169. There have been discussions with
developers about potentially improving this property. If in fact improvements and
development occur on this property, a left-turn lane should be provided so left-turning
vehicles can get out of the through lane of Main Street.
1326 Energy Park Drive · St. Paul, MN 55108 ° 651/644-4389 fax 651/644-9446 toll free 888/368-4389
Mr. Pat Klaers
Page 2
June 12, 2000
An overlay of Main Street is planned from Carson Street to the railroad crossing near
TH 10. This will rejuvenate the surface of Main Street, which is approximately 16
years old and beginning to show signs of wear and tear.
Bryan Adams, General Manager of the Elk River Municipal Utilities, has asked us to
include two watermain improvements with this project. The first watermain
improvement would construct a 16-inch watermain to replace the current existing 6-
inch watermain on Main Street from Carson Street to CSAH 13. This will include of
jacking under T.H. 169. The second improvement Mr. Adams asked to be included
is an alternate bid to replace the existing 6-inch watermain in Main Street from
Carson Street to Gates Avenue with a new 16-inch watermain. If this improvement is
pursued by the Elk River Municipal Utilities, it is our understanding that they will pay
for removing and replacing approximately half of the width of Main Street prior to the
overlay, which would be funded by the City.
We have attached a resolution for the City's Council's consideration which would approve the
plans and specification and order the advertisement for bids. We anticipate opening bids on
Thursday, July 6, 2000. Bids would then be available for City Council consideration as early as
July 10, 2000. If all components of the project are authorized to proceed, construction would
need to begin shortly after bid opening to insure that the project is substantially complete and
ready for traffic prior to the opening of the Wal-Mart and Home Depot stores and the onset of
the winter months.
If you have any questions regarding this, please call.
Sincerely,
Howard R. Green Company
Terry J. Maurer, P.E.
Howard R, Green Company
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
RESOLUTION 00 -
A RESOLUTION FOR THE CITY OF ELK RIVER
A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS
AND ORDERING THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
IN THE MATTER OF THE MAIN STREET! T.H. 169
IMPROVEMENT OF 2000
WHEREAS
pursuant to City Council direction, the Project Engineer has prepared
plans and specifications for the Main Street / T.H. 169 improvement,
which plans and specifications have been reviewed by the City;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Elk River, Minnesota:
Such plans and specifications, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated
herein by this reference, are hereby approved.
The City Administrator shall prepare and obtain the publication of an advertisement for
bids for the making of the improvement pursuant to the attached plans and
specifications. The advertisement shall be published once each week for three
consecutive weeks, shall specify the work to be done, and shall state that the bids will be
received by the City Administrator until 10:00 p.m. on Thursday July 6, 2000, at which
time the bids will be publicly opened in the Council chambers of the City Hall by the City
Administrator and the Project Engineer and will then be tabulated for consideration by
the City Council at a meeting thereof at 6:00 o'clock p.m. on Monday July 10, 2000, in
the City Council chambers at City Hall. No bids will be considered unless sealed and
filed with the City Administrator and accompanied by a cash deposit, cashier's check, bid
bond, or certified check payable to the City Administrator in the amount of 5% of the
amount of such bid.
Passed and adopted this 12 day of June, 2000.
ATTEST:
Stephanie A. Klinzing, Mayor
Sandra A. Peine, City Clerk
O:\PROJ\808200J\0060\RESOLUTION 00.doc
New Signal
Overlay
(RR to 169)
17811q
City of
River
13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490
Elk River, MN 55330
Intersection Improvements
LOCATION
MAP
CASE:
Main St /
N
T.H. 169 Improvements
Watermain
Watermain
Left Turn Lane
City of
River
13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490
Elk River, MN 55330
LOCATION
MAP
Main St /
CASE: T.H. 169 Alternates
JUN 08 ~00 i~:~gPM GUARDIAM AD LITEM PROGRAM
STATE OF MINNESOTA
DISTRICT COURT OF MINNESOTA
~-4~URI'FH JUOIOI,e~.
GUARDIAN AD LIT~ PROGRAM
FAX TRANSMISSION COVER SHEET
DATE
TO
FAX#
You should have received T page(s), including this
cover sheet. If you did not receive all the,pages, please
coil (612) 348-68~4,.
MESSAGE:
JUM 88 '00 Ol:00PM GUARDIAM AD LITEM PROGRAM
Howard R, Green Company
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
May 22, 2000
File', 800110J-0081
Mr. Art Meisenbach
Ms. Sue Tisdale
17391 Tyler Street NW
Elk River, MN 55330
RE: DRIVEWAY ACCESS ISSUES
Dear Mr, Meisenb=ch and Ms. Tisdale:
This correspondence is just as a follow-up to our recent phone conversation. As I indicated on the
phone, I presented several options to the City Council relative to left turn driveway access for your
property and your neighbors. I laid out three options for the Council from the extreme - do nothing, to
the other extreme - remove the median and provide a center left turn lane, The compromise solution
was to construct a southbound left turn pocket at the median opening that services the Eull/Barritt
property. This will provide left turn pockets at both 175th for northbound and at the Eull/Barritt
opening for southbound. Each of these openings are within approximately 500 feet of your driveway.
As we discussed on the phone, this will provide a means for vehicle trips to go either direction with
minimal need to drive out of the way. it will, however, not 'help in the short-term with trips of vehicles
with boats or horse trailers. When this area develops, there will be several opportunities through the
development of the Brown property just to the north, or the Eull/Barritt property to the south, to have
an opportunity for a turnaround, Both of these properties as they develop are anticipated to have
roads looping through them.
We would also be willing to discuss with you and your neighbors any opportunity you think there is for
a combined driveway access on private property that could access the Eull/Barritt median opening.
As I indicated, the City may be willing to participate in the construction cost of such a combined
driveway, but would likely not be open to ownership of the driveway nor maintenance. The City also
would not be willing to acquire property in order to construct such a driveway. In other words, it will
take 'a--~'~bined ~ffoft by the neighbors Working together to accomplish this '~Hveway, it"at all
possible.
If you have any questions about these issues, or would like me to meet with you and/or your
neighbors to discuss other options, please call me at 651-644-4389.
Sincerely,
How/~aH~: Green Company
Terr~ J. 19fkurer, ~.£.
Mr. Pat Kiaers, City Administrator
Mr. Paul Motin, Council Member
, O:\PRO,J~800110j~3081~IE 5-21.00 Meisenbach-T'~dale.do¢
1326 Energy Park Drive . St. Paul, MN 66108 · 651/644-4389 fax 651/644..6446 toll free 8~61368-4389
SUM 88 ~00 01:06PM GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM P.1
Sune 8, 2000
Mr. Terry $. Maurer, P.E.
13065 Orono Parkway
Elk River, MN 55330
Pig: DKIVEWAY ACCESS ISSUES
De~ Mr. Maurer:
Thank you for your letter of May 22, 2000 (attached). However, I still have concerns
regarding this issue. Your compromise solution was to construct a southbound left turn
pocket at the median opening that services the Bull/Barrett property to the south of our
driveway. Although that does allow "regular" vehicles to make U-turns back to our
property when southbound, it still does not allow for the accessibility of emergency
vehicles. I would question if an ambulance could make this maneuver, and a firetmck
surely could not. If a firetruck were to come from the north, it would be unable to make a
U-turn there to come back to our driveway. Presently it would have to go up near
Highway 10 to turn around. Also, if you were approaching our drive from Highway 10
and Missed it, it would be neccssary to go up and loop through a possible turnaround near
the Home Depot location and then make a circle all the way back to Highway 10 to try
again.
Time is valuable in thc case of an emergency and this circling and looping around would
be wasting precious minutes. Over the years wc have had grass fires during dry seasons
and had a garage ignite in thc middle of the night and bum to thc ground. In the last 6
months alone them have been 3 m~ical emergencies at these residences. These 3
residences are going to be much harder to locatc and to get in and out of. If thc response
time to an emergency is delayed because the City of ~.lk River re~onfigurcd our street
access, wouldn't it then be the city of Blk River's responsibility to accept liability for thc
damages or tragedy that could result?
The possibility of a combined effort by neighbors to build a driveway extension as you
suggested would most likely double our current ¼ mile road. Knowing the time, energy
and money it takes to maintain this long clrivc, we have no interest in doubling that
responsibility for ourselves. The Oardners also a~rcc that they do not want to assume any
financial responsibility for a driveway extension. If the city is not willing to build and
maintain this type of access for us, it does not appear to be an opt/on to pursue.
In our initial conversation you refen'cd to "safety studies" regarding thc rccornmcnded
number of curb cuts in a certain length of road, I would still be interested in seeing copies
of these studies and/or any guidelines used to determine that one more curb cut (ours)
would bc one too many.
continued page two
Le~er to: Terry Maurer
Page Two
In your letter you r~fer to future development and being able to loop through different
future roads. However, we are looking at our situation right here right now. We can't
wait for several years of development to be able to loop around to get in and out of our
property. Curr~tly, every time we leave our prop~ty we will have to make a U-turn no
mamr which direction we go --- every time. While the concern is for the safety of furore
traffic, I am concerned with my own immediate safety of constantly making U-turns.
Also, if traffic increases as predicted will the area be posted "No U Tums" - thus causing
further access difficultics?
I understand and accept that the area in wMch we live is changing. I will have to learn to
live with the increases in traffic and noise that will come with the planned business
developments. Yet my feeling is that more consideration is bcing given to serving futurc
developments and future traffic than to the three residents and their safcty who have
collectively lived at this location for $0+ years.
My request remains to give us a curb cut. If a curb cut is not to be made, I would like in
writing the reasons why not. Although the medimi curbing is already installed, I expect
that the cost to modify it would bc very minimal compared to the millions of dollars the
city has devoted to this project. I ask you to re-consider your decision on this issue.
Because time is critical as the road progresses, I am requesting a response within 10 days.
Thank you
Sincerely,
Susan Kay Tisdale
17391 Tyler St. NW
Elk River, lVlN 55330
441-7910
/st
attachment
cc: ;lohn Dietz, Council Member
Larry Father, Council Member
Pat Klaers, City Administrator
Stephanie Klinzing, Mayor
Paul Motin, Council Member
Daryl Thompson, Council Member