CR 98-208 Task Force Report - Cty Rds 73 & 5
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December 10, 1998 ..". "" Council Report 98-208
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e TASK FORCE REPORT-COUNTY ROADS 73 AND 5
Proposed Action
Staff recommends adoption of the following motion: Move to accept the report of the County
Roads 73 and 5 task force and to adopt its recommendations. and to authorize staff to proceed
with sharing the results of the adopted plan with other affected organizations and agencies.
Adoption of this motion will establish a Hopkins position with regard to improvements to this
intersection and the adjacent roadways and neighborhoods.
Overview
In May of this year, the City Council appointed a task force of residents, business owners, and
Council members to review the 73 and 5 intersection. The task force was asked to prepare a
recommendation to the City Council, outlining a proposed position for potential adoption by the
Council indicating improvements, if any, which would be beneficial to both the traveling public
and the adjoining neighborhoods.
The task force has been meeting every two to three weeks since appointment, and has
completed their work. The attached report is a summary of their efforts.
. An open house is scheduled to be held prior to the City Council meeting of December 15.
Comments received at that open house will be shared with the City Council.
Staff is recommendIng the Council adopt the recommendations of the report, and to instruct
staff to begin the process of disseminating this informatIon and discussing potential
improvements WIth the City of Minnetonka and Hennepin County, as well as others who may be
interested.
Primary Issues to Consider
. What design goals did the task force adopt?
. What are the design elements of the proposed design?
Supporting Documents
. Recommendation on the CSAH 5/73 Intersection--73 and 5 Task Force and Blko
Associates, Inc_
. Memo of support, Catherine Anderson, President, Bellgrove Assoc_
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<Steven C. Mielke
City Manager
COllllcil Report 9X~208
Page 2
. Staff Analysis of Primary Issues
. What are the design goals of the recommended plan?
In establishing its goals, the task force focused not only on the traffic needs of the roadways,
but also on improvements that could be made to enhance the surrounding neighborhoods.
The report outlines the design goals. They include such things as vehicle and pedestrian
safety, enhancements to the neighborhood, and minimization of impacts both financially and
on physical property.
. What are the design elements of the proposed plan?
The proposed plan is taken from a design of an intersection in Kansas City, thus the plan is
referred to as the Kansas City style boulevard intersection.
The design is intended to both accommodate traffic and reduce the speed of traffic flowing
through the intersection. It includes heavy landscaping, narrowed lanes, traffic signals with
pedestrian crossings, and turning radii that would require slower speeds. The specifics of
. the design are laid out in the attached report.
.
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lll,;,....~;;,,~%~t Date: 12/8/98
Date: December 4, 1998
To: Charles Redepenning
Mayor, City of Hopkins
From: Catherine Anderson
President, Belgrove Improvement Assln.
Subject: Minnetonka Boulevard/County Road 73
Thank you for the opportunity to review the results of the work of the Task Force. We
appreciate the City's willingness to work so hard on this issue and the result.
Both the Board of the Association and available neighbors have reviewed the proposal
and support this concept.
I do want to reiterate the specifics of the proposal which were not evident from the
diagrams, as we understood them, since they are important to the support of the
neighborhood:
_ The City will take all available steps, including action under MS 169.14 to
.. reduce the speed limit on the Boulevard and willl take all steps possible to reduce the
actual speed;
The design will include the plantings depicted, with the purpose to create the
"feel" of narrow lanes;
The lanes will be as narrow as depicted;
The intersection will be placed on a I1tablel1 to reduce speed;
The project would include the development of the bike/pedestrian paths
depicted through Belgrave to the border of Hopkins;
The traffic lanes would be bounded by curbs to eliminate "shorf' turns;
The City will sign and enforce "no entry" restrictions on the neighborhood
streets to eliminate cut through traffic and will consider, with the neighborhood,
barriers which would restrict entry, but would not restrict emergency vehicles;
The City would seek and enforce weight restrictions to preserve this unique
. development;
The signals at the intersection would be on posts, not on arms or wires;
"_.n _ ___
The construction would also include the resurfacing of the streets adjacent to
. the intersection, as is, without expansion, except as contemplated by the design.
It is our understanding that these are each consistent with the design developed by the
Task Force and are not intended as additional qualifications. We received only the
drawings and oral presentations from the neighborhood members of the Task Force.
Weare enthusiastic in our support of this design. Both the Board and the neighbors
who attended the meeting voted unanimously to endorse this design and to thank the
Council and the Task Force for their commitment to this process.
We recognize that the City is not the only decision-maker in this process, but
understand that the Council members of the Task Force have agreed that, if the City
approves this design, but is unable to gain the approval of Minnetonka or the County,
that the matter will be returned to the Task Force to review alternatives. The
neighborhood members of the Task Force have agreed to continue to serve, so long as it
is your pleasure.
On behalf of our neighborhood, we want to thank you for all of the work that has gone
into this process.
.
.
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A REPORT TO THE CITY OF HOPKINS
RECOl\1MENDATION ON THE
CSAH 5/73 INTERSECTION
Prepared for:
. City of Hopkins
1010 First Street South
Hopkins, Minnesota 55343
Prepared by:
73 & 5 Task Force
and
Biko Associates, Inc.
2501 Dupont Avenue North
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411
December 8, 1998
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. TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . ... .... .... ..... ...11-.. "'... ... .... .... .......1
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Design Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
RECOl\1l\fENDED CSAH 5/73 INTERSECTION DESIGN PLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Design Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
LIST OF FIGURES
1. Regional Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Kansas City Style Boulevard Intersection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
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CSAH 5/73 Intersection Study
Page i
. INTRODUCTION
PURPOSE
This document was prepared for the City of Hopkins City Council to report findings and
recommendations from the CSAH 5/73 Intersection study that was conducted under the direction
of the 73 & 5 Task Force, between August and November in 1998. The study was conducted
to meet the following goals:
. Develop alternative intersection improvement design plans to address neighborhood livability
and transportation service needs;
. Conduct an evaluation of the alternative design plans; and
. Select a preferred alternative that would be presented to City of Hopkins residents and
recommended to the City Council.
BACKGROUND
Regional and Local Transportation Purposes:
CSAH 5 and CSAH 73 are both County State Aid Highways that are under the jurisdiction of
Hennep in County. Both roads are functionally classified as "A" minor arterials and, as such,
. are identified as rei iever routes in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Highway Plan. CSAH 5 is the
east/west reliever route for 1-394, approximately two miles to the north; and CSAH 73 is the
north/south reliever for Trunk Highway (TH) 169, approximately one and one-quarter miles to
the east.
At the same time, CSAH 5 is known as Minnetonka Boulevard and CSAH 73 is known as
Hopkins Crossroads to residents of Hopkins and Minnetonka. Both of these streets provide
direct access to residential driveways and neighborhoods. They additionally provide routes for
neighborhood-oriented pedestrian and bicycle circulation.
For the better part of the day, local traffic volumes along Minnetonka Boulevard and Hopkins
Crossroads are moderate to low, and the 4-way STOP control at the intersection operates
efficiently and provides for safe vehicular movements. During these times of the day,
pedestrians and bicyclists can feel reasonably comfortable walking or biking on the crumbling,
asphalt shoulders or front edges of lawns. Conditions change drastically during the AM and PM
peak periods, when regional traffic volumes increase significantly and create perceived and real
threats to an otherwise livable community environment and result in inefficient and unsafe
intersection operations.
The conflict between regional and local transportation needs and uses of the two streets is a
critical issue that was addressed in this study. The regional location of the intersection is shown
on Figure 1.
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CSAH 5/73 Intersection Study
Page 1
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NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES
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NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES
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. Overview of Previous Studies:
Hennepin County first proposed intersection capacity enhancements in 1976, in response to the
growing traffic volumes. At that time, both the Cities of Hopkins and Minnetonka rejected the
County's proposal. Opposition to the proposal was based on the ideas that: 1) improving the
intersection would encourage even more traffic to use it and 2) the addition of turn lanes would
widen the intersection, making pedestrian circulation even more difficult and impacting the
character of the neighborhood.
A proposal to improve the intersection was raised again by the County in 1981, and this time
the City of Minnetonka accepted the proposal, but the City of Hopkins remained in opposition.
In 1988, the City of Minnetonka requested that the City of Hopkins participate in a joint study
of the intersection. The City Council of Hopkins held an information meeting to hear comments
from residents. The City Council rejected Minnetonka's request to jointly study the intersection.
In 1992, however, the City Council adopted recommendations to improve signage, road
markings, and enforcement on approaches to the intersection.
A study was conducted in July, 1996 to determine the traffic impacts of the proposed
Cornerstone Townhomes development, located at the intersection of CSAH 73/Minnetonka Mills
Road. This study identified capacity deficiencies at the intersection of CSAH 73/Minnetonka
Mills Road and operational issues on CSAH 73 between Minnetonka Mills Road and Trunk
Highway 7. These study findings prompted a larger study of CSAH 73 between TH 7 and
. CSAH 5. This study, completed in August, 1996, found that the 4-Way STOP controlled
intersection of CSAH 73/CSAH 5 operates at "very poor" levels of service. The August, 1996
study recommended that the intersection's geometrics should be improved and that a traffic
signal should be installed.
The last study for the intersection was conducted in the Feasibility Study for CSAH 73 (SRF
Consulting Group, Inc.; September 1997). This study, which was prepared for the Cities of
Hopkins and Minnetonka, reported on both street and storm sewer improvements needed for
CSAH 73 from TH 7 to 5th Street North and the CSAH 5 intersection. The study recommended
the addition of turn lanes at the intersection and traffic signal installation. Recommended
intersection approach elements included:
1) 16 foot-wide raised median on all four approaches;
2) 14 foot-wide left-turn lanes on all four approaches;
3) 12 foot-wide through lane on the north, east, and south approaches;
4) 14 foot-wide right-turn lanes on the north and east approaches; and
5) 14 foot-wide, shared through/right-turn lanes on the west and south approaches.
It was mentioned that this design would meet County State Aid requirements.
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CSAH 5/73 Intersection Study
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DESIGN GOALS .
The planning and design process developed for this study included a high level of community
participation activities. Prior to the initiation of this study, City of Hopkins residents, officials,
and staff formed the 73 & 5 Task Force. Some of the Task Force members represent the
neighborhoods that would be directly impacted by intersection improvements.
In addition to conducting research on area traffic volumes, area road improvements, accident
occurrences, and approaches to traffic calming, the Task Force developed goals to guide this
study of the intersection and possible approaches to preserving livability and neighborhood
character, while attempting to meet both regional and local transportation needs.
Design goals developed by the Task Force are outlined below:
. Eliminate neighborhood cut through traffic
. I mprove safety for pedestrians
. Improve aesthetics of the intersection
. Improve accessibility and safety and Level of Service for all transportation modes by:
- decreasing traffic volumes
- providing for safer intersection movements
decreasing speed
. Eliminate confusion at the intersection
. Reduce frequency and severity of accidents
. Improve neighborhood access to roads .
. Support regional transportation needs
. Minimize costs to the City
. Minimize property acquisitions and impacts on adjacent properties
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CSAH 5/73 ltUersection Study
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. DESIGN GOALS
The planning and design process developed for this study included a high level of community
participation activities. Prior to the initiation of this study, City of Hopkins residents, officials,
and staff formed the 73 & 5 Task Force. Some of the Task Force members represent the
neighborhoods that would be directly impacted by intersection improvements.
In addition to conducting research on area traffic volumes, area road improvements, accident
occurrences, and approaches to traffic calming, the Task Force developed goals to guide this
study of the intersection and possible approaches to preserving livability and neighborhood
character, while attempting to meet both regional and local transportation needs.
Design goals developed by the Task Force are outlined below:
. Eliminate neighborhood cut through traffic
. Improve safety for pedestrians
. Improve aesthetics of the intersection
. Improve accessibility and safety and Level of Service for all transportation modes by:
- decreasing traffic volumes
providing for safer intersection movements
- decreasing speed
. Eliminate confusion at the intersection
. Reduce frequency and severity of accidents
. . Improve neighborhood access to roads
. Support regional transportation needs
. Minimize costs to the City
. Minimize property acquisitions and impacts on adjacent properties
.
CSAH 5/73 Intersection Study
Page 4
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. RECOMMENDED CSAH 5/73 INTERSECTION DESIGN
DESIGN ELEMENTS
The 73 & 5 Task Force's recommended intersection design plan is illustrated on the following
page. It is referred to as the Kansas City Style Boulevard Intersection and includes the following
elements:
Intersection Design and Geometries:
. A monument (approximately 10 feet in diameter at the base) in the middle of the
intersection;
. An intersection speed table (approximately 1.5 inches to 2 inches high);
. The existing lane configuration is maintained with two approach lanes on all intersection
legs;
. An 11 foot-wide inside approach lane for exclusive left-turns and an 16 foot-wide outside
approach lane for through movements and right-turns; and
. A raised, planted median (minimum 12 feet wide) on all four legs of the intersection that
does not contain a left-turn storage bayl;
. Left-turn radii to accommodate 40-foot Wheel Base (WB) vehicles;
. Minimum 30 foot-wide radii on all corners of the intersection; and
. Traffic signals for through and right-turn movements mounted on post on the corners of the
. intersection and traffic signals for the exclusive left-turns mounted on post on the .
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Landscape Design Elements:
. Extensive landscaping (wildflowers and large field stones) along all four legs of the
intersection to reflect design elements that already exist;
. Minimum 10 foot-wide pedestrian and bicycle circulation paths along the west side of the
north leg of the intersection, the east side of the south leg, the north side of the west leg,
and the south side of the east leg;
. A plaza on the northwest corner of the intersection; and
. Textured, colored pavers defining the pedestrian crosswalks and the intersection speed table.
EVALUATION
Ten evaluation criteria developed by the Task Force were applied to the recommended
intersection design. Results of the evaluation are presented in two tables on page 7.
1 Further analysis is required to determine the required length of the exclusive left-turn lanes.
Shown on the illustration is 80 feet to 100 feet. These are conceptual lengths are suspected to
. be inadequate to accommodate the volume of left-turns during the PM peak hour.
CSAH 5/73 I1ltersection Study
Page 5
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KANSAS CffY STYLE
BOUfEVARO INTERsECTION
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BOULEVARD INTERSECTION
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EV ALUA TION MATRIX
Evaluation Criteria Kansas City Style Boulevard Intersection
Eliminate cut through Traffic signal will improve intersection operations and lead to a decrease in cut through activity.
traffic
Improve pedestrian "Walk phase" and pedestrian push buttons are included with traffic signal to increase pedestrian
safety safety. Widest pavement section is reduced to 55'.
Improve aesthetics Narrow lanes, traffic signals on poles, includes pedestrian/bike trails, a monument, and landscaping.
Improve accessibility Pedestrian/bike-oriented. Focus is not on moving automobile traffic. Raised intersection speed
and Level of Service table is designed to slow traffic that passes through the intersection. Further analysis needs to be
for all transportation conducted to detemtine if there is adequate capacity and storage space provided to accommodate PM
modes /peak hour travel demand.
EVALUATION MATRIX
Evaluation Criteria Kansas City Style Boulevard Intersection
Eliminate confusion The monument in the middle of the imersection is an unfamiliar design element on regional roads in
at the intersection the Twin Cities area. Typical monument-type applications in the Twin Cities are on low volwne.
. low speed residential streets. Drivers may not know if they should turn left in front of the
monument or behind it.
Reduce frequency and With the exception of the monument and the speed table, the design is familiar. Traffic movements
severity of accidents would be controlled by a traffic signal, which improves safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and
automobiles.
The speed table and change in pavement -surface will sufficiently get the attention of drivers who
attempt to speed through the intersection. The monument (presumably concrete) will also serve to
slow traffic, but will also create a safety hazard for automobiles (particularly in winter under icy
and snowy conditions).
Improve The raised medians, which are required to facilitate left-turn movements in front of the monument,
neighborhood will serve to prevent U-turns and left-turns into and out of some private driveways. Cuts (or
accessibility openings) in the raised median, widun 100 feet (possibly more, depending 011 further analysis) of
the intersection is not recommended.
Suppon regional Narrow lanes and addition of ped/bike amenities shift single focus from moving cars to other modes
transportation needs also. Design still permits movement of regional traffic. Reasonable support of regional needs.
Minimize costs * Estimated $360,500. Design does not meet County State Aid Highway standards. Hennepin
County participation in funding for the project would be a concern.
Minimize property 200 SF (.004 acre)
acquisi tion
* Cost estimates do not mclude property acqUlsltlOllS. Cost estimates !Dclude 35 percent tngmeenng deSIgn, mspectIon,
administration, and capitalized interest.
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CSAH 5/73 Intersection Study
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