05-24-1999 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING MLT?TJTES FOR NLkY 24,1999 ( #1 Townline Road Options, Continued) as a route to the east and would require the residents to utilize County Road 6 as the route to the east and as the route to Maple Plain. Traffic on Broadmoor Lane may also increase as a result of people utilizing that road as a shortcut to Maple Plain. Moorse noted that emergency public safety access is eliminated to Townline Road via Highway 12, requiring access from County Road 6. Moorse recommended that the City of Orono retain the potential to reopen Townline Road in the Riture should the City Cot►ncil elect to proceed forward with Mn/DOT's proposal. Moorse noted that Mayor Johnson of the City of Independence has written a letter expressing his opposition to closing Townline Road. Mayor Jabbour commented that this is the third time that the City of Orono has discussed this issue, noting that the public hearing was held at the, first meeting with little information being available at that time. Jabbour stated that the people in attendance at tonight's meeting will have an opportunity to speak regarding this matter. • Mayor Jabbour stated that the railroad bridge would need to be reconstructed because it does not meet Mn/DOT's highway standards for a stoplight. • Tom O'Keefe, Mn/DOT Representative, stated the railroad bridge has an insufficient horizontal and vertical clearance to allow Townline Road to remain open due to the safety concerns that exist at that intersection. O'Keefe noted that the accident rate at this intersection is high and that a stoplight would help alleviate the safety hazards that currently exist at that location. Mn/DOT is not proposing to reconstruct the railroad bridge due to the excessive cost, which is estimated to be approximately five million dollars. Mayor Jabbour inquired whether the City could retain the potential to reopen Townline Road in the future should the City so desire. O'Keefe remarked that he does not see that as a possibility unless the City wanted to assume the costs involved with reconstruction of the railroad bridge. Dave Jellison, 4750 Creekwood Trail, commented that people currently use Townline Road and requested that the road not be closed, noting that in his opinion it is doubtful that it will be reopened in the future. Mike Martin, 4912 Broadmoor, commented that in his opinion this intersection was poorly designed in the beginning and questioned whether a stoplight would improve safety in that area. O'Keefe remarked that the intersection is not working as presently designed, noting that it ranks number three on MnDOT's accident list. O'Keefe stated that due to substandard sight lines that exist with the railroad bridge, it is unsafe to keep Townline Road open due to the possibility that • people might run a yellow light and not see oncoming traffic coming from Townline Road. 2