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11-05-15 Traffic Cmt Minutes CITY OF SHOREWOOD 5755 COUNTRY CLUB RD TRAFFIC COMMITTEE MEETING SHOREWOOD CITY HALL THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015 5:00 P.M. MINUTES COMMITTEE MEMBERS: FACILITATOR: Susanne Aspley Sandy Finke Chuck Rickart, WSB Engineer Kathy Curry Ed Hasek Teresa Elsbernd Ken Huskins CITY STAFF Bob Gagne Angela Nelson Larry Brown, Public Works Director Paul Hornby, City Engineer Absent: Dave Cooley, Jeff Coplan, Chris Gehrke, John Moen OTHERS PRESENT: Kris Sundberg, City Councilmember 1. APPROVE OCTOBER 22, 2015 MEETING MINUTES No motion was made to approve minutes. 2. SET GOALS OF THE COMMITTEE Elsbernd stated she thought it might be important to discuss the role of this Committee and to come up with a mission in order to determine what our purpose is. She stated the role is to act as an advisory commission to the City. The role is not to figure out the feasibility of or how discussion might be implemented. Hasek stated the co-chairs need to decide between them who will run a particular meeting. Elsbernd stated our purpose is to find logical, safe and efficient ways to move traffic from the residential areas to the main roadways. Hasek stated he believed the purpose was to determine the purpose of particular roadways and what the role of Freeman Park is and whether the park is overscheduled. He stated the most critical thing is everything that has to do with the development. Huskins stated discussion should also center on getting traffic out from neighborhoods and how they travel safely through the city without cutting through another neighborhood. For example, if a vehicle is on 19, how to we keep it on 19. Nelson stated we may not be able to do that; it would be more important to get vehicles to drive responsibly. Elsbernd hoped to identify a few objectives tonight and separate into two subcommittees and address a specific area, then come together and share the ideas. Hasek discussed problems associated with that. He encouraged having two groups discussing the same topic and sharing ideas. He thought it was important if we do break apart into two groups, it would be best if it were done without input from the Planning Commission or City Council. Huskins stated there is nothing to rubber stamp. If he felt the time would be wasted, he wouldn’t be here. Sundberg stated the City Council really does want this group’s input and their ability to come up with creative ideas. The development is going to happen. The other thing is she doesn’t plan to attend every meeting; she just wants to make sure they have what they need to do their work. Elsbernd stated she doesn’t want to break into two groups to discuss the same subjects. She suggested 4-6 problem areas be identified now, and they be assigned to a particular group to discuss. She stated anything can be suggested from new roadways, adding signage or signalization. TRAFFIC COMMITTEE MINUTES THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015 4 PAGE 2 OF Hasek suggested the roles and mission statement be provided for the next meeting. Elsbernd stated the main purpose of the roles is to agree we aren’t experts – we are citizens which gives us a unique perspective. She stated a mission statement can be sent by e-mail to everyone. Hasek stated the feedback from tonight can be included. Hornby stated staff can look alternatives brought up by the committee and look at ways to make them happen. Rickart stated we want to get all the ideas identified first and then start going through each one to dissect and identify any issues. Hasek stated a question he would have is why we can’t take right-of-way from properties instead of moving a roadway. Aspley suggested identifying the roads. 3. AREA PLANS A. Area Land Use Plans B. Minnetonka Country Club Concept Plan C. Roadway Functional Classification Network 4. TRAFFIC CIRCULATION ALTERNATIVES BRAINSTORMING Committee members identified the following roadways and associated problems: Highway 41 and Highway 7 intersection – delays at the intersection because of the backup, safety issue, such a small area looking southbound, people coming from parking lot don’t understand they don’t have the right-of-way. Lake Linden and Yellowstone – problems when it rains, there’s a sinkhole area, sidewalk to nowhere, many people would like to see Lake Linden closed. Highway 19 to Country Club Road, roads which access Highway 19, Pleasant Road and Highway 19. Yellowstone Trail – erosion issues and lack of street lighting Eureka Road Hasek request 11 x 17 right-of-way or plat maps for these various areas would be helpful at the meetings. Intersection of Country Club Road and Yellowstone. Intersection of Eureka and Smithtown\ and increase in traffic from the Country Club development. The volume on Smithtown will increase significantly. Highway 19 and Glen Road – turning off 19 to get onto Glen Road near Xcel Energy. Huskins identified Country Club Road from Smithtown to Yellowstone. The city has indicated it is substandard in design and construction. Speeding is a primary concern as well as the volume of traffic. TRAFFIC COMMITTEE MINUTES THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015 4 PAGE 3 OF Elsbernd summarized the list in order to rate importance: Lake Linden 7 and 41, specifically on the north side Pleasant Road and 19 Yellowstone Trail in general Eureka Road and Freeman Park area Yellowstone Trail and Country Club Road Country Club Road in general Smithtown Road and County Road 19 Intersection Smithtown Road and Country Club Road Intersection Elsbernd asked for suggestions of what will be the priority. Hasek suggested members take time to read the Comprehensive Plan, to read roadway definitions and plans for the future. He read excerpts from the Plan which identified problem areas. The Plan was written in 2009. Problems were identified then for various roadways. The roadway needs to be addressed immediately as it abuts the development. The intersections need to be 4- way stops. There are major design issues that need to be resolved. Gagne stated Country Club Road has always been a problem, and the city will need to spend a ton of money to fix the road. He stated shutting it down is always an option. Hasek discussed public safety issues if that is done. Huskins stated that the approved Mattamy concept design only has access shown to Smithtown Road and Yellowstone Trail. Hasek stated adding 4-way stops was suggested as a way to slow traffic on Country Club Road. Hasek stated making it a 1-way street would also be an option. Widening the streets or adding traffic circles were also suggested at Country Club and Smithtown and Smithtown and 19. Huskins stated turn lanes going north on Country Club Road turning on Smithtown and 19. He stated he would like to look at Country Club Road as one way north and Minnetonka Drive as one way south. Elsbernd suggested adding another access to Highway 7 by buying some properties. She didn’t know how possible that would be with wetlands in the area. She also suggested reworking the Cub parking lot in order to add a turn lane. She stated some of the parking spaces at Cub have never been used from what she could see. She suggested a bike path or walking path to get to MMW across Highway 7. Huskins suggested a flyover or pass over road to MMW without having to go the 7/41 intersection. Elsbernd suggested devoting the next meeting the roadways surrounding the Country Club development. Rickart suggested a realignment of Country Club Road so that it doesn’t intersect at Yellowstone. It was suggested Country Club road be dead ended and an access road to Yellowstone be through the development. Hasek suggested those in favor of making a one-way roadway on Country Club Road should spend time before the next meeting studying how it would work and should do the same with other suggestions such as dead ending the roadway. TRAFFIC COMMITTEE MINUTES THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015 4 PAGE 4 OF Elsbernd stating getting traffic onto Smithtown as much as possible is the goal. Hasek believed 4-way stops on Country Club Road are a priority, the road should not be widened, the roadway should be striped, and the speed limit should be lowered to 20 miles per hour. Signs should be larger, and there needs to be police enforcement. Committee members discussed who is driving on Country Club Road. Hasek stated he didn’t have a problem with the people who are accessing the shopping centers. He had a problem with the ones who travel from one end to the other and do not stop anywhere. In response to a question from Hasek, Rickart discussed the nature of traffic on roadways with 4- way stops. Gagne stated we also need to focus on the needs of the 140 new families in the new development. Elsbernd stated instead of improving Country Club Road, the road might be better in the middle of the new development. 5. NEXT MEETING A. Topics B. Date Elsbernd suggested the next meeting be in two weeks on November 19 at 5:30 p.m. and keep it to one hour. She suggested delving into ideas suggested this evening. Committee members discussed the number of meetings. Brown stated staff has indicated that they need to go back to the City Council to identify the goals that need to be addressed. Also, is this the group or is there another group that will carry on from this group. He indicated staff will be asking the City Council for their guidance at their meeting on Monday. Hasek stated he would like to have topo maps provided. Elsbernd stated that would be more detail than this group needs. Huskins stated at some point, there might need to be a public safety representative present to address those issues. 6. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 6:32 p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Clare T. Link Recorder