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DRAFT <br />COMMENTS REGARDING THE HIGHWAY 12 DECISION <br />c. <br />•It increases the construction cost of the project when an existing <br />alignment exists which can be used. <br />•It seems apparent from MnDOT’s traffic forecasts that the two- <br />lane limited access bypass accommodates the majority of the traffic <br />which would be diverted from existing TH 12 and would meet the <br />long term traffic needs of the corridor. <br />•Based on the above, it does not appear cost-effective to construct <br />an extension of Watertown Road along a new alignment given the <br />minimal benefits to the TH 12 transportation system that would <br />result. <br />Watertown Road Interchange. The city of Oiono’s objections to the Watertown <br />Road interchange are similar to the city ’s objections to the Watertown Road <br />extension except magnified. Here again, the costs and impacts far exceed any <br />benefits due to relatively low traffic levels both current and projected. <br />As MnDOT staff have indicated in the past, the design of an interchange on a two <br />lane freeway requires either a very long entrance ramp or an additional lane for <br />merging traffic. This would result in a huge and expensive structure that will <br />serve a relatively low volume of traffic. <br />Orono opposes the construction of an interchange with Watertown Road for the <br />following reasons: <br />•We believe a comparison of the cost of this interchange with the <br />amount of traffic predicted to use the interchange would indicate <br />that it would not be cost-effective to construct this facility. It <br />appears that the two-lane limited access bypass provides the