Memo - Preliminary Layout
Public Works Department
Memorandum
To:
From:
Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
Steve Mielke, City Manager ~
Steven J. Stadler, Public Works Director
Copy:
Date:
July 6, 2001
Subject:
Preliminary Layout, Excelsior/Milwaukee/Jackson Intersection
The purpose of this worksession item is to update City Council on the current status of
this design work and answer questions.
On June 5 City Council approved a concept plan for this intersection and an
engineering services agreement with Bolton & Menk to complete design work. Since
that date there have been many meetings or discussions with agencies that may
influence the design or must approve final design plans. These agencies include:
Medica consultant engineers, Hennepin Parks, Canadian Pacific Railways,
MetroTransit, and SuperValu. The attached plans reflect the results of these
discussions as well as various design considerations. Also attached for comparison
purposes is the BRW Traffic Impact Study concept intersection plan.
Preliminary Layout Plans, Option 3 and 4
Each option is shown on two sheets, one sheet showing Medica site impacts and the
other without showing the Medica site.
Option 3: This option is based on an intersection design that stops all Excelsior
Boulevard traffic in the event of a train on CP Rail track, bus on a future busway or LRT
train crossing Excelsior Blvd. The pedestrian crossings are all stop light controlled
except where they cross at a free-right turn lane condition.
Option 4: This option is based on providing dual-left turn lanes for eastbound
Excelsior Blvd to northbound Jackson Avenue without the need to stop for a train or bus
crossing. The pedestrian crossings are similar to Option 3. Option 4 has greater
impact on the Medica site plans due to the need to shift the intersection slightly to the
west.
A letter from Del Miller, Hennepin Parks regarding regional trail crossings is attached.
Staff and the city consultant will discuss design issues, pedestrian crossings, design
schedule, public involvement and upcoming City Council actions in more detail at the
worksession.
. ..
) ~UN-19-2001 16: 30
HENNEPIN PARKS HQ
763 559 3287
P.02/03
SUBURBAN HENNEPIN REGIONAL PAFlK DISTRICT
HENNEPIN PARKS
jfi:'1I% ~ <<~<:~ ~);~~/.l cl.,Y1!l!E!1J/.!
: PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP THROUGH RECREATION
. AND EDUCATION IN A, NATURAL 'RESOURCES-BASED PARK SYSTEM
.
, DistrlctHaadquart~rs - 12615CountyRoad9 . Plymouth, MN 55441-1299
Telephone 763/559-9000 '. TOO 763/558-6718 . Fax 763/5~S-3287
. www:hennepinparks.org . an equal opportunity employer
June 19,2,001.
Stev~anhart
"Bolt~ ~ Menki Inc.
1515 E3s~ Hwy 13
. Burnsville,MN 55337-6857
Re: .Excelsior Blvd. Trail Routings
Dear Mr. Manhart:
Park D'istrict. staff and SRF Consulting Group have been working on trails in the U.S.
169/Excelsior Blvd. Area for ov~ seven years. Our main concern has, been to develop a safe
crossing(s) of Excelsior Blvd. That woul<l be utilized by a large percentage of the trail ~ers.
With this background in mind, 1 would make the following observations:
1. Whjle the Park District is not opposed to a bridge or underpass in this area, we do' not
believe either structure would be used by a high perceJ?,tage of trail Users. This is
because either structure would ~e a more circuitous route than at grade crossings. At
this location, due to roadways and rail crossings, we could not force use of a bridge or
underpass by fencing off the ,alternative at grade crossings..
a. Underpasses would be 'very difficult ,to build within the constraints of roadways,
active rail track,' Depot Coffeehouse, extensive utilities, etc. Additionally, a
proposed "express bus way" would ~me through this same.area.
2.
b. An underpass would be very long and li,kely have right angle approaches, making
its use unq.esirable for many, due to security concerns.
The preferred at grade c~ of Excelsior Blvd. would be at the signals at the Depot
Coffe~house driveway (#2)on map). To optimize this crossi~g, we would conc~r with
proposed changes to cfetfu.eate the cross~ng ahead of queued west bound Exce~sior
traffic (~t the signal). FUrther) we b.elieve that removal of the "free right" turn
movement for '\vest-bound Excelsior to go northbound on U.S. 169" traffic would be a
significant improvement (#2A on attached map). A free right. is a major problem for
pedestrian crossings as they are never in a "red" stop condition and cannot observe the
pedestrian signal as does through traffic.
3.
In conjunction with No. 2 above, we would' rec.ommen~ removi~g the existing' trail
between the ''Depot'' and the current Excelsior Blvd. crossing (#3 on map). Further, we
would recommend ..crea'ting a landscapellandform barrier to direct traffic to the
preferred cros'sing (#3A on map).
,,;.. .. .fIl' ~
JUN-19-2001 16:30
HENNEPIN PARKS HQ
763 559 3287 P.03/03
"
- 2 ~
I
4. " The trail on Medica P!ope,rty onJhe n6~h side ofEx~eisior Blvd., between the U.S. lq9
r~p and the bU,si1;1ess cat11pUS entrance\on St. J;ouis Ave. (#5 ,on map), should be a'
maximunl"of 12 feet wide and be set back from the roadway to allow a v~su.allandsca.pe
barrier 'between the trail and roidway. ,thi~, will keep trail 'users away from the
roadw~y and ~i~e. ~straction.s f~r/drivers o,~ the roadways.
. ". .
5. We would recommend a crossing of St. Louis Ave. at the' ~ignalized enb"ance to the,
Medica site'(#6 on map).: The 'trair:w,ould'r~join the'cuttent East LRT Trail at that
point. We would als'o reconui1end, eliminating' the ,'free right movement at this
intersec~ion (#6A pn map). W e'~would recommend removing the existing trail from this
pofut, west to Excelsior Blvd. . Again, ,we w~uld recommend a ,landscapellandform
barrier to disco~ge users from taking 'alternative routes (#6B on ~ap).
, '
6. We would recommend that sidewalks on Excelsior Blvd. be five or six feet wide and '
concrete,,',to 4istingu~sh tq.eI;il ~ being for pedestti~' access to the bus sto~ps and/or
Depot Coffeehouse. 'These sidewalks will present: a chance for trail user~ to utilize
them as altem~tes, but signage that lnnits USe to pedestrians'("rio bikes") should help.
7 . We would prefer that there' not be ,.a '~'free right movemenf' availal?le to Jackson/St.
;Louis traffic turning onto westbound, Excelsior, Blvd. Tbi's will be .particularly trUe if
the free right movement discussed in No.2 above i~ not eliminated.
In s~ary; we feel this single' at grade cro'ssing of EX'celsior Blvd. is the.,pr:eferr~ alternative.
We believe th~t a bridge .or underpass would not be highly utilized 'and w01;lld be very difficult to
build at this location. "
If yo~ have ,~y que~ti,onslt please 'call me at 763~5.5~-6754.
, $incerely, ,.
15/
" Delbert E~ .Mjller
Iriterg;overnniental ~elations, Man~ger
Shl/wplletters/200 l/del/ 4,- 5
"
,; .
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