06-08-2004 Council Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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ter Hrsfe- cr ; ira :.v7 Future tratfic volumes on CR 15 east of Orono Orchard Road are predicted in Hennepin County's long-range Transportation System P/an (TSP) to oe approximately 24,500 vehicles by the year 2010. and approximately 27,000 vehicles m the year 2020 The 20 year projection constitutes a 30% increase m traffic over existing volumes Using Mn/DOT State Aid Design Criteria guidelines, roadway between 15.000 to 30.0000 vehicles per day are typically built with four travel lanes To reflect the limited access nature of CR 15 east of Orono Orchard Road, and the environmental constraints, the roadway has been redesigneo as a smgie through lane m each direction, with a center lelt-turn lane, for a three lane cross-section Intersection with Orono Orchard Road The intersection of Orono Orchard Road is difficult 'or vehicles on Orono Orcha'd Roao and dangerous for through traffic on CR 15 because of (1) sight Imes. (2) speed of t'af'ic and (3) traffic volumes The intersection of Orono Orchard Road and County Road 15 has safety limitations because the sight distance between me norm on Orono Orchard Road and the west on County Highway 15 is reouced by me curve on County Roao 15 Hennepin County has recognized the situation py pianmng to sign CR 15 lor 35 mph in this area (source Hennepin County DPW) However, absent constant enforcement, traffic IS likely to exceed the limit based on the 50 mph limit between the 1-394 exit and Woodhill Avenue on the similar CR 15 roadway cross-section, ti e improved paving ol CR 15. and CR 15's proximity to a freeway exit ramp In addition to sight distance restrictions and traffic speed, the 60% increase in traff c along County Road 15 over the past 20 years has resulted in extensive delays for vehicles entering or exiting County Road 15 at Orono Orchard Road, and created a difficult left turn situation The increasing traffic following reconstruction ol CR 15 will tnc'ease veh c e oe'ay between Orono Orchard Road and CR 15 Levels of Service (LOS) fo^ Orono Orchard Road left-turning vehicles are presently at LOS F du'.ng the weekday AV and PM peak hour periods and summer weekends LOS F indicates there am insufficient gaps of suitable size to allow a side street maneuver to safely cross through the CR 15 traffic stream in this case. Orono Orchard Road tra'I'C on average waits over a mmute for a gap in CR 15 t'alfic to turn left As traff'C continues to increase, ano gaps in traffic decrease, drivers will tend to make crossing maneuvers of CR 15 that may com.prom se the "critical gap " safety amount, resulting m CR 15 traffic unexpectedly slowing down by applying their brakes and increasing the chances of accidents Unsignanzed intersection LOS grades are estaoi.shed oy Highway Capacity Manual. produced by the Nationaf Cooperative Highway Research Program and the Federal Highway Aamimstration Grades run Irom "A ” (little or no delay) to F" ( very long delays - demand exceeding capacity) Woodhill Country Club members who live W'est and nortn of the Country Club rmust now' use the Woodhill Road access Under the existing access structure, these members currently take Orono Orchard Road to County Road 15 They then make a left-hand turn on to County Road 15 and another left-hand turn from County Read 15 onto Woodhill Road In exiting the Club, they make a right-hand turn onto County Road i5 foliowed by another nght-hand turn onto Orono Orchard Road The approximately 30 turning maneuvers per day per direction at this intersection resulting from Woodhill members Ov*r k Ckiitury «*' Knaintmnp Mxcrtlknev : f I