5.4. SR 08-20-2001 Howarct tR
, Green Oompany
Item ~ 5.4.
July 30, 2001
File: 811471J-0060
Ms. Lori Johnson
Finance Director
City of Elk River
13065 Orono Parkway
P.O. Box 490
Elk River, Minnesota 55330-0490
RE: 171 ST AVENUE SIGNAL MODIFICATION
Dear Ms. Johnson:
I received a copy of the letter dated July 13, 2001, from Mr. Scott Powell to the Mayor
and City Council. In that letter, Mr. Powell is requesting that the City pay for the
modifications to the 171't signal system necessitated by his development of the
Mississippi Ridge plat on the west side of the current intersection. As you are aware, the
City staff's position is that Mr. Powel! should bear the cost of adding the fourth leg to the
existing signal system since it is necessitated by the development of his Mississippi
Ridge subdivision.
Staff's recommendation comes from the fact that, three times in the past, developers of
commercial property were made to pay for either the modification of existing signal
systems or the construction of new systems. The three recent examples are as follows:
Elk River Crossing paid for the entire cost of the new signal system at the
intersection of Zane Avenue and Main Street together and the modification of
the existing signal at Trunk Highway 169 (TH 169) and Main Street. They
also paid for road modifications to Main Street between Zane Avenue,
extending across TH 169 to the west side of the intersection. These road
modifications were necessitated by the anticipated increase in traffic caused
by their development.
Elk Park Center paid for the new signal systems installed at School Street
and Freeport Avenue and School Street and Jackson Avenue. They also
paid for modifications to the existing signals at TH 169 and School Street and
TH 169 and Jackson Avenue. The existing TH 169 signal modifications were
necessitated by the addition of a second left turn lane off of TH 169 at School
Street and on to TH 169 at Jackson Avenue.
Hillside Crossing paid for a portion of the City cost of the signal system at
TH 169 and 197~ Avenue. They were asked to and paid approximately one-
quarter of the local cost for that signal system. This was based on their
development occupying one-quarter of the local land. The other three
corners of the intersection are currently either residential development or
undeveloped.
O:~PROJ\811471J\0060\Ltr-073001-Johnson,doc
1326 Energy Park Drive · St. Paul, MN 55108 · 651/644-4389 fax 651/644-9446 toll free 888/368-4389
Ms. Johnson
July 30, 2001
Page Two
These examples provide a basis for the City staff opinion that it is appropriate to ask the
developer of Mississippi Ridge to pay for the modification to add a fourth leg at the
intersection of 171st Avenue. If you have any questions or would like further information,
please call.
Sincerely,
Howard R. Green Company
Terry J. Maurer, P.E.
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Howard R, Green Company
O:\PROJ\811471J\0060~Ltr'073001'J°hns°~JSU UTI Ne ENGINEERS
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Mayor and City Council
FROM:
Pat Klaers, City Administrator
DATE:
August 20, 2001
SUBJECT: Discuss Funding for 171st Avenue Signal Modification
Attached is the July 13, 2001 Scott Powell letter regarding the funding for the 171~'t signal. In
addition to the comments m the July 30, 2001 letter from the City Engineer to the Finance
Director, I would offer the following comments:
· It is not uncommon to require street connections as a condition of plats.
· There is no connection to the street to the south for access to this signal.
· With or without connection to the north street, the signal arm is a requirement
of the development and was not needed before this development.
· The 173~d & Highway 10 intersection and crossover is remaining open, and m
fact is becoming more active as development takes place on the river side.
· The Americinn access is remaining open and the city is planning to work with
MnDot to close the crossover and evaluate how the right m/out functions.
17219 Highway 10 N.W. · P.O. Box 304 · Elk River, MN 55330 · 441-2300
3uly 13, 2001
Mayor Klinzing and City Council,
I would like to first of all thank you for your consideration during the platting process
for Mississippi Ridge. City staff was very helpful and I felt the process went smoothly.
I know Mississippi Ridge will be a benefit to the Elk River Community.
I have one last issue regarding Mississippi Ridge that I would like to discuss with the
City Council. This issue is the construction of the final turn signal arm at the
intersection of Highway 10 and 171st Avenue. Terry Maurer estimates the cost of this
final arm will be between $40,000 and $55,000.
City staff is recommending that the total cost of this signal arm be assessed to
Mississippi Ridge. I understand and appreciate their recommendation. However, I do
not believe Mississippi Ridge is the only property that benefits from this signal.
In order to provide properties to the north of my plat access to the signalized
intersection, I was required to buy a parcel that would not have otherwise been part of
my plat. Although the purchase of the parcel was at great personal expense, I didn't
argue against it because I knew it resolved a dangerous issue. However, it seems
inconsistent to require access through my plat to the signalized intersection to resolve a
safety issue for these properties and now argue that my plat is the only property that
benefits from the signal being erected.
The other three arms of this signal were erected without any direct cost to adjacent
properties. I'm requesting that the Council give my property the same consideration.
In fairness, I feel the city should recognize that other properties, as well as the public
using Highway 10, benefit from the final arm of the signal being erected.
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