01-24-2000 Council Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I All of Lake Minnetonka is open for sea plane usage except for the restricted bays of French Lake, Forest Lake and Tanager Lake (?). Sea plane usage has been generally very limited although the potential for conflicts on crowded bays does exist. The most critical problem to date, however, has been one of noise associated with sea plane takeoffs at odd hours. This has been occasional enough so as not to warrant any significant policy formation in this Plan. Completion of the Highway 12 Bypass (?can wc find a better name for it) system to accommodate ^through ’ commuter and commercial traffic is the most significant factor in long-range transportation planning for Orr^no. The Highway 12 Bypass is intended as a two lane freewav connection between western Orono and the current multi-lane U.S.12 /1-394 freewav terminus east ot Long Lake. The Bypass has become necessary due to the severe bottlenecks on current Highway 12 due to signal iyntion at 4 kev intersections and the ever increasing volume of traffic ilowi ng .Srough Long Lake and Orono. Completion of the Bvnass is expected to r-o vide relief for existing Highway 12 as well as its northerly parallel route. Countv >-'oad 6 which has seen tremendous peak hour volume increases as Highway *2 has become clogged. Completion of the Bypass is expected to increase use of the Ring Route, a connection between Countv Roads 6 and 19 along Orono's western border constructed in the carlv 1980's to provide an alternate to Countv Road 15 for the downtown commute from western Lak e Minnetonka. Roadway maintenance concerns arc perhaps the second most significant factor in long range transportation planning for Orono. Every level of government has been increasingly faced with skyrocketing increasing road maintenance pro blems challenges . Initial construction costs are significant, but the maintenance problem is never ending. Vehicle weights have been increasing, speed has been increasing, and winter safety solutions have caused rapid deterioration of roadway surfaces and bridges. At the same time, maintenance budgets are crimped by inflation, the rapidly rising cost of asphalt, and limited maintenance fund income. This crunch is most severe at the local level where levy - limitations prevent impede the hiring of sufficient maintenance crews or the leplacement of well-used equipment sufficient expenditures for road repairs . Thus, the planning concerns for new roadways include not only the initial cost-benefit question, but also the worr y ab o ut issue of spreading future maintenance capability beyond the reach of limited views or limited budgets. CMP 4A - 9 y