02-14-1994 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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^^Neighborhood asks for closing Highway 7 Byi ohii »Uig fo tdL, r The last time a group of neighbors from C)e area of Divi sion Street and Second and Third avenues showed up at Ex celsior City Hall, they had no formal group name, and for that matter, no formal group. But Monday, the Excelsior Ci ty Council got to hear from members of Save Excelsior’s Neighborhood (S.E.N ), the growing group that wants the exit from Highway 7 onto Divi sion Street closed. They say pedestrians and children who play in tlie area are in danger because of Chanhassen motorists who use the exit to travel down Second Avenue to Mill Street. About 20 members of S E N. were at the meeting, as well as a handful of people who were op posed to the Roup's desire to close the exit. As was the case at a June meeting, council members told the group of neighbors that they would not dose off the exit, nor would they ask the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to do so. And. the council also said it would not Lake S.E.N. up on its latest proposal to have the city pay for a study to determine whether Die 130-foot exit ramp is safe. **This IS something that is totally controlled and governed by the state." said Coun- cilmember Bob Murphy. **It's out of our hands." And, as was the case after the June meeting, the lesidenls of the area said they have only begun to fight. “I’m disappointed in the coun cil because we’re a Urge part of Ihc city," said Sieve Young, of Division Street. "But this doesn't mean well give up. Wc’rc just getting going." The members of the group say they ’re going to continue work ing with MnDOT officials to try ai^ get the exit closed. Or. they at leas', want someone to acknolwedge that the exit is not a sa/e one. At previous council meetings in which the residents had spoken. Cindy Sluder led the way for the group. But at Monday's meeting, several speakers presented S E.N.’s case. "You refer to us as Cindy Sluder’s group." said Chcrie EXCELSIOR Gordon, of Third Avenue. "She’s stUl one of our representatives, but we’ve become much more than that. We had a meeting in which 44 people attended." Gordon asked if the council would consider getting together in a meeting with MnDOT and the neighbors. "We keep hearing from the ci ty that it's MnDOT’s problem," she said. "And we hear from MnDOT that it’s the city ’s pro blem. We want to get all sides together and figure this out." When council members said they only have the power to ask MnDOT to consider closing the exit, the residents asked why Robert Dixon, a district super visor with MnDOT. had written a letter staling that the city could close the exit if it wanted to. As Gordon read a letter from Dixon in which the MnDOT of ficial said the state is in favor of having cities closing off unsafe exits, Morphy began laughing. "Is there something funny here?" Gordon and sevcial others asked Murphy. Earlier, Murphy had said that because MnDOT is in a budget- crunch, it would love to have cities close up exits on state highways. "Of course it would be at the expense of the cities." Muprhy said. John Christine, of S E.N., ask ed council members if they realized that the exit was unsafe and that cars exiting onto Divi- Sion Street cannot see pedestrians or other cars in the neighborhood. And Young asked if council members were aware lhal MnlXXr recommends that e.xils such as the one on Highway 7 be at least 300 feet long. He also said the recommended stopping distance for a car traveling 50 mph is 193 feet "Did you know that exit is on ly 130 feet long?" Young said. But City Manager Carl Zieman said many exits on Highway 7 don't meet MnDOT’s requirements. "Their specifications change all the time." Mayor John Anderson said "They 're respon sible for changing them We don't want this to get mlo a com munity against the city t>pe of thing. We're trying to work with yov and have done a lot for your neighborhood." Several residents from Linden Street and a btsiness owner, Ann Eenger, spoke against clos ing the e.xit. "I wanted to mention that 200 people signed a petition against closing the exit." said Jack Kerr, of Linden Street "The question is whether this will solve the problem of traffic on Second Avenue. People will just exit on Christmas Lake Road and go back through your neighborhood. Some of us see this as an inconvenience.'* Bea Kinghom, also of Linden Street, said she often sees children playing in the street on Second Avenue. "1 don't think that's safe," she said. "Right now when 1 drive (a Excelsior, I have one mile. But if this is closed. I'll have two miles. Also, the police say there arc no major accidents there." s ___________ THE MOST VALUABLE COMMODITY IS INFORMATION After years of providing extraordinary research for industry, the INSTITUTE is proud to offer its services to you. the consumer! 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