10-14-1996 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE REGULAR ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON OCTOBER 14, 1996 (Corridor Selection for Hwy 12 Upgrade - Continued) • Anand Gopinath, 705 Old Long Lake Road, Orono, asked O'Keefe to comment on the "no- build" option. O'Keefe said this option is still an alternative in the succeeding environmental study and still proposed as an alternative. John Winston, Orono, asked what the average speed was during rush hour on Interstate 394 between Hwy 100 and east into Minneapolis to Interstate 94. He noted speeds of 5- 10 mph instead of the 25 -35 mph expected. O'Keefe said he was probably right but did not know. Jonathan Thomhave, Orono Oaks resident, noted the rush hour timing from Wayzata Boulevard to CoRd 6 was about 9 minutes. The 4 -1 /2 miles of proposed corridor is expected tp take 6 minutes for a gain of 2 -3 minutes. O'Keefe was asked if this performance equates to a wise investment. O'Keefe noted this to be a tough issue. He said the commuters benefit from the 394 Interstate with 17 minute improvements attained. When asked if the proposal would result in such improvements, O'Keefe said the improvement per mile is similar to that of the 394 project and makes a strong intuitive case. It was noted that people in the western suburbs are able to commute to St. Paul, Bloomington, and Minneapolis, and there is the need to look at the system and economic health of the metro area to determine that it is worth it. Thomhave also commented with regard to the 3 -lane reversible proposal noting his • membership in the group that proposed the reversible lane concept. It was said that the Canadian firm who performed the feasibility study concluded that the alternative was feasible and safe. Mn/DOT was said to lack personnel experienced with reversible lane knowledge. Thomhave said the reversible lane should cure the traffic problem noting the proposal was made to Dean Johnson, Senate Minority Leader, on June 26. The optional CoRd 11 proposal has an extension of Hwy 12 at Delano, where it doglegs. At a meeting later that same day, which was also attended by O'Keefe, the commissioner of Mn/DOT said he was intrigued by the proposal at the meeting where it was presented. The resident asked if the study was done on this proposal. O'Keefe said it was as part of the process. The information has not yet been compiled into a study, but O'Keefe said it would be done. Debbie Lewis, Orono, commented on the reversible lane suggested. She said she does not see enough land available for this option_ Lewis said she has come to understand that the highway improvement is not to solve the length of travel time to Minneapolis but is a part of a larger picture to the west. She said the benefit of saving time was not the sole benefit of the improvement and did not believe the reversible lane was necessarily the best choice. She does not believe the City of Long Lake wants 24,000 cars to go through their town daily. She asked if depressing the railroad and the road was the right solution in the long run. She asked that the three lane alternative, or tunneling under Long Lake, not be chosen simply because it is used elsewhere, citing an example in Switzerland. • 4