Letter from MNDOT RE left turn lane

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1 • 1)(0%.��N"��rMinnesota Department of Transportation C 0 12'J L 0- .( i'/1 j ry i Ic F Metropolitan District S 114-- °�i" l' 1 1 L.�. t( H-.i i i,Jj(, r IL. (3 C�.. 2,0a9" OpIRAWaters Edge 1500 West County Road B-2 Roseville, MN 55113-3174 • January 5, 2006 Mr. Michael Kurubilla Orono Montessori School ECE'1VE ZI 850 West Wayzata Boulevard Wayzata, MN 55391-9518 4N 0 2005 Re: Signing at Orono Montessori School , )'O�ORONO Mr. Kurubilla: Several of the parents have expressed concern about the signing at the entrance to the school. They have had general questions on the operation of the entrance and concern regarding the placement of the"No Left Turn" signs near the entrance to the school located on Trunk Highway 12 (TH 12) in Wayzata. The entrance has a sign to only allow traffic to enter the school by turning right from TH 12 westbound. The exit at the school has a sign that only allows drivers to exit the school by turning right onto TH 12 westbound. This is referred to as a right-in-right-out entrance. Because there is no turn lane on TH 12 eastbound a car would have to wait until a gap was available to turn into the entrance. The car would be blocking eastbound traffic causing them to stop or drive on the shoulder to avoid them. Turning left from the entrance requires that there is an adequate gap in the traffic and that a driver can see far enough to identify the gap and safely make the movement. A car exiting the driveway going eastbound would not be visible to a vehicle traveling eastbound on TH 12 until the approaching vehicle is 350 feet from the entrance. The speed limit at the school entrance is 45 mph. The minimum stopping-sight distance for a vehicle traveling at 45 mph is 400 feet. While sitting in a vehicle at the entrance to the school,we measured the time from when you would first see a vehicle traveling eastbound until they are in front of the entrance. Vehicles traveled the 350 feet in 4 or 5 seconds, clearly this is not enough time for a driver at the entrance to the school to see the gap, make a decision to go, and get up to a speed of 45 mph. For these reasons the entrance is signed to operate as a right-in-right-out. Mn/DOT understands that it may be an inconvenience for parents going to work or picking up children after work but the signs are there for your safety and for the safety of the other drivers on TH 12. Field review of the site indicated there is not enough paved area to develop a left turn lane on TH 12 eastbound. The existing hill and obstructions west of the entrance block the sight distance for left turns from the school. Also, the intersection of TH 12 and Wayzata Boulevard is approximately 740 feet east of the entrance to the school. Continued ... See Next Page -�