CR88-89 Mall Barricade Plan i / I
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April 27 , 1988 KIP� > Council Report 88-89
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1/1'111 COUNCIL REPORT - MALL BARRICADE PLAN
Proposed Action
Staff recommends that the Council authorize the Police Department
to continue with the current barricade pattern for an additional
six-week study period .
Overview
City of Hopkins has experienced a cruising problem for the past ten
years .
There has been a great deal of research and experimentation by the
police to determine the most effective method to reduce the number
of cruisers and the problems associated with this phenomenon .
The most effective measures to date have been the barricading of
the Mainstreet with a westbound one-way-only traffic pattern .
Primary Issues to Consider —
- What are the ramifications of removing the barricades at
this time?
- Has the present barricade pattern been operational long
enough to determineits effectiveness?
- Has the present barricade pattern generated a greater
volume of traffic in the residential areas north of
Mainstreet?
Supporting Information , �kuth21- lnti ,..t..*- of
FiA
- Detailed background . jc_6_. rvt_ g ----,l-E- , 1 -34-
- Analysis of issues .
- Alternatives .
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Earl L. Johnson , Chieff Police
Page 2
Council Report 88-89
Detailed Background
On March 8 , 1988 the Hopkins City Council approved the police
recommendation to barricade the Mainstreet and to configure the
traffic one way westbound . The Council approved this barricade
configuration on the condition that the police department report
back after a one-month test period .
Based on a limited test of the current barricade pattern , it is
clear that we have not only reduced the number of vehicles , but it
has become readily apparent that traffic has returned to near
normal by approximately 11 : 00 p . m.
Unfortunately , an important factor that determines the extent of
the cruising problem on a given night is the weather . The weather
for the past several weeks has not been conducive to cruising .
This has made it very difficult to accurately asseess the impact of
the current barricade configuration . The police department would
have greater confidence in its assessment of results if the test
period had been longer .
Nonetheless , it is important to note that prior to barricading the
Mainstreet , the number of vehicles cruising the downtown area was
greatly increased . The police dispatchers would continually
receive calls from residents complaining of traffic congestion ,
noise and other cruising- related problems . The present pattern of
barricading has virtually eliminated the complaints from both the
businesses and the residents residing in close proximity to the
Mainstreet .
The officers continually receive comments from the cruisers that
the vast majority of them intend to leave Hopkins and focus on both
Anoka and Minneapolis ' Central Avenue for their cruising
activities . They indicate that the reason for this is the
barricaded Mainstreet .
Analysis
- What are the ramifications of removing barricades at this
time?
It is staff ' s assertion that the removal of the barricades at this
time will defeat the progress made thus far at reducing the number
of cruisers who come to Hopkins .
- Has the present barricade pattern been operational long
enough to assess its effectiveness?
Staff believes that an additional six -week period is necessary to
assess the effectiveness of this barricade pattern . In addition ,
traffic counts are being conducted on both 17th Ave . N . and 1st St .
N . for additional study .
Page 3
Council Report 88-89
- Does present barricade pattern generate additional volumes
of traffic in the northern residential area?
It is apparent that there is additional traffic on both 17th Ave.
N . and 1st St . N . as a result of the barricade pattern .
Resident complaints from the 1st Street area were received by the
City Council at their last meeting . While 1st St. N . is not a
high volume traffic corridor , it should be noted that 17th Avenue
N . is .
To address the concerns of the residents on 1st St . N. , the police
department will experiment with variations of our current pattern ,
as well as increasing the level of enforcement . These actions , of
course , will be dependent upon Council approval to continue the
current barricade pattern .
Alternatives
1 . Council authorization for a six-week extension of the
present barricade pattern to accurately measure its
effectiveness .
2. Deny the extension recommended by the police department.
3. Request additional information and proposed traffic
patterns to Council for discussion .
Recommendation
Staff recommends alternative number 1 .
ELJ : jf
•
MEMORANDUM
TO: J . P . LiddY
FROM : D. C. Sikorski
DATE : May 1 , 1988
SUBJ :
Mall Report - 4 /29 , 4 /30 and 5 /1 /88
FRIDAY NIGHT :
prepared for tonight .
barricade plan ( second modification) 17th and Mainstreet .
NOTIFICATION OF STREET wassSpe effective April
An expandeddiscourage
T0, 9l8 , described u athe neighborhood west ofe to
to was designed of eastbound
3
(See 8t was distributed The modification back by way
from doublingh , from past or
(See attached notification) . Although , screaming ,
1sttbound Mainstreeticruiser traffic
oncMainstreet. ugh ,ng ,
againexhaust/ muffler
N and starting overand
Stbeen no noticable increseraysySt N mainly
there has stops , headlight of 1st
� observation , rolling the residents
t litter ;udsishe increasecvAna major problem by
sounds perceived as
t 17th and 14th avenues . was to place the
n between f the notification of 17th Ave , the street
b h the original intention °of Mainstreet west
b Although north side each other at the intersections ,
the from Thiseworked out
A barricades all on diagonally acrossof Mainstreet. o complain
N and
the them out erected them on both sides did not call
officers of Mainstreet dispatcher to
and o The residents south called theistSt N•
Only one personSheo said it
I quite nicely . Shady Oak Road and asking in the
bi complainbany inconvenience .aboutecomplaint of cruisersstP Oak Road
the barricadesh
at
bl " kid" . There was one which is located on Shady I was
likea Trailer Court nl telling themShthatO
soundedloto for the Pines them out a to that lot and
Ma overflowAfter chasing there was no return
di just northitheirf He lice s• late numbers ,
recording license plate
upto
calls regarding
NO", no further ca for driving
and 14th avenues and observed no short cuts
ad( 16th , 15th least nine citations off shift .
tak I monitored Mainstreet. I counted at
1st St N from and 17th and Mainstreet before I went
dutand there was no
van around the barricadesthis evening , The
weather was warm
a w was clear and the45 minutes
The reasony not have been inundated withto allsl bcu
t ershad not yet
bot we could late asst s� n9
exp why15 minutes Because of this , good
erectedunever got off to a
tea barricades hane the usual 2100 hours . barricading anywhere on
earlierg - because of the bars . a bunch of cars •
more than 10 cars in
earnest and11 bunches
SUNE begun inbetween these small Most of
start. There were neverlarge gaps N inh eithersmdirection .• turned
There1st Stthey either
All Mainstreet. Shady Oak Roadwhere
er they
was almost nonexistent on to N
nigh Traffic continued of Cond St
cont
Only the westbound do ledisecs Mainstreet by waySo C Oak Road thnot Ave ,, o that
seeing the barricade at Shay fewOcruisers 0
whey south and doubled
Hwy 7 and places unknown •
turned right to - r Ave N to 1st St ��•
therewas apath up 21
there a cleat-
April 29, 1988
Hopkins City Council
1010 First Street S.
Hopkins, MN 55343
I am writing in response to Lloyd Hockel's presentation
protesting street barricades. His petition was supported by 38
residents.
There must be at least 500 residents who either live on
Main Street or within a half block of it. I wonder why these people
are deemed less important than people who live in a house. Certainly
our rent payment includes property taxes; we all shop in Hopkins.
I lived on Main Street for five years and then moved to a quieter
building because of the 'cruisers' . I know of others who have been
forced to move because of this cruising noise.
It would seem that the cruisers would not get any kick out of
driving on residential ( : ) streets for long and maybe in a short while,
we could get rid of these pesky people.
I have heard that there has been a suggestion into making Main
Street a walking only mall between certain evening hours. I was told
that it was voted down by store owners because it might hurt their
business. Which stores? Maybe it would increase their business. I
have heard people say they never come to Hopkins in the evening because
of the cruisers. I have nver heard of any shopper staying away because
of the barricades.
Sincerely,
May 1 , 1988
Chief Earl Johnson
Hopkins Police DeparLment
1010 First Street South
Hopkins, MN 55343
Dear Chief Johnson:,
In response to your Department's recent efforts to curtail
the cruising problem in Hopkins, I would like to take this oppor-
tunity to tell you how much this has helped our business and how
much we appreciate this.
Prior to the period several weeks ago where your officers
began barricading, our business, our employees , and, most signi-
ficantly, our customers suffered. Prior to this period, Main
Street would be choked with traffic, and our lot would be filled
with cars. The occupants of these vehicles--most of whom rarely
if ever purchased anything--littered our lot with debris and
garbage , as well as often verbally abusing our customers, many
of whom openly expressed fear of being anywhere on Main Street
at night. Many nights our employees were forced to spend as
much time running loitering cruisers out of the lot as they did
on their assigned duties.
Now, and for the past several weeks, the situation has been
markedly different: no speeding cars, no garbage , no broken beer
and pop bottles, and no abuse of citizens trying to do business
at their corner Clark Station.
I believe that allowing the barricades to remain will, in
the intermediate to long-term, resolve the cruising problem in
Hopkins; therefore , I respectively ask that you not remove the
barricades from Main Street. To do so would mean the return of
many problems , and that would not be in the best interest of the
people of this community..
Since ly,
V E . (])
Mark E. Conway 11
111E)
Manager, Station # 844
Clark Oil and Refining Corporation
1702 Main Street
Hopkins, MN 553L3
938-9954