CR 94-223 CTY RD 3 Corridor Study
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November 30, 1994 -s- 0 "" '" Council Report 94-223
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COUNTY ROAD 3 CORRIDOR STUDY
Proposed Action.
Staff recommends that the city Council conduct the public hearing regarding
the county Road 3 Corridor Study and direct Staff to schedule a detailed
discussion regarding this matter for an upcoming City Council meeting or work
session.
Overview
For more than a year the City of Hopkins has been working with the County Road
3 Task Force on the formulation of the county Road 3 Corridor study. This
process involved a number of meetings with the Task Force, Planning
Commission, Neighborhood Advisory Board and HBCA, as well as general
information meetings. Also, news briefs were prepared regarding the progress
of the study and newsletters were sent out to all of the businesses and
residential interests along the corridor.
The study has been prepared in draft form and is has been available for review
by the community. Over the course of the last month staff has conducted
meetings with the County Road 3 Task Force, HBCA, the Neighborhood Advisory
. Board, and the Planning Commission for the purpose of reviewing the draft
. study. In addition, a general information meeting was held during the month
of November to allow interested persons to provide comments on the findings of
the plan.
During the upcoming public hearing representatives of the Hosington Koegler
Group will be in attendance to provide a brief presentation on the contents of
the study. Subsequent to this presentation the council is then requested to
open the public hearing and accept any additional testimony which may be
provided regarding this study. It is hoped that through this public hearing,
as well as the various public meetings recently held, the City council will be
in a good position to discuss the contents and recommendations of the County
Road 3 Corridor Study at a subsequent meeting, ultimately resulting in the
City council formerly adopting the plan in its' current or revised form.
Primary Issues to Consider:
o What types of comments were made during the public review process?
supportinq Documents
o summary of County Road 3 Corridor Study [Council should have received a
completed draft of the study at an earlier datel.
o ~etters regarding access to Interlachen Neighborhood.
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Thomas K. Harmening
Community Development Director
CR94-223
Page 2
Primary Issues to Consider:
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What types of comments were made during the public review process?
Over the course of the last month city Staff and HKG have met with the county
Road 3 Task Force, HBCA, the Neighborhood Advisory Board, and the Planning
Commission. In addition, a general information meeting was held to allow
interested persons to provide comment on findings of the plan. Overall, these
meetings were noncontroversial and the questions were general in nature and
related to design, timing of construction, the costs of the project, funding
mechanisms, etc. It should be noted that the west end residential
neighborhood in the vicinity of 18th, 19th and 20th Avenues did make
suggestions regarding the possible loop street option. In this case,
residents in this area suggested that the loop street may be a good idea but
that the loop street should not connect to County Road 3.
HBCA has formerly gone on record in support of the County Road 3 Corridor
Study from a conceptual perspective.
It should be noted that despite the fact that this matter did not come up
during the pUblic review process, residents in the Interlachen neighborhood
have expressed concerns regarding proposed access arrangements into that
neighborhood. In particular, some residents are concerned with Homedale Road
being proposed as a full movement access with other existing access points
reverting to a right-in right-out situation. Enclosed are letters from
residents which relates to this matter as well as a response which I sent to
. them which illustrates the reasons for the access recommendations made by
staff.
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LAW OFFICES
PETERSEN, TEWS (1 SQUIRES
PROFESS~ONAL ASSOG~ATION
. 4800 1 D S CENTER
80 SOUTH EIGHTH STREET
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55402-2208
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TELEPHONE (612) 344-1600
FAC5 1 MIL E (612) 344-1650
JOSEPH L.NUNEZ.
- CERTIFIED AS A REAL PROPERTY tAW SPECIALIST
BY THE MINNESOTA HATE BAR ASSOCIATION
November I I, 1994
~.-1r. Thoh1~~ K. H~~e~ing
Community Development Director
City of Hopkins
1010 First Street
Hopkins, MN 55343
Re: Strategic Plan, County Road 3 / Excelsior Boulevard Corridor
Dear Mr. Harmening:
. Thank you for your update letter of November 4, 1994. I am a resident of InterIachen Park
and have followed the corridor study closely. My wife and I appreciate the City's efforts to
keep us informed.
Although I cannot attend the meeting on November 16th, I nonetheless want to publicly state
my and my wife's opposition to the planned full access to InterIachen Park via Homedale.
Homedale Road cannot, and should not, handle the traffic load as the current plan would
provide. Interlachen Road, with the ;.lddition of the stop sign at Boyce, is the only safe route
into our neighborhood for full access from Excelsior Boulevard. It is inconceivable that the
commercial convenience of full access traffic onto Powell is worth putting our children and
other residents at increased risk by diverting traftic onto Homedale instead of the wider
lnterlachen Road.
Please anticipate organized opposition to a..'1y planned full access onto Homedale from many
of the residents of lnterlachen Park, which would include exercising every right we have in
law and equity to ensure that traffic into our neighborhood is designed with safety first and
commercial convenience as an unimportant consideration.
Respectfully,. ~~(C.~"
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. !. . Joseph L) Nunez '
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cc: Chuck Redepenning, Mayor
Michael Miller, neighborhood representative
Lisa Appelhoff lnterlachen Park Neighborhood Association
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_'" Hopkins., MN 55343 .._~~J
July 26, 1994
Mr. Thomas K. Harmening
Community Development Director
City ort-Iopkins
10 lO - 1 st Street South
Hopkins, MN 55343
Dear Thomas,
Many residents ortlle lnterlachcn Park neighborhood have been active in the planning process
for the County Road 3 project. 1 am writing to summarize the \...cy comments, concerns and
requests from our neighbors. \\ie ask that you design the final dran of the Highway 3 project to
include the follO\ving features:
. . Maintain full access (",..ith traffic signals) at Blake Rd and Meadowbrook ReL as currently
in place.
. AlIow left: and right turns into and out of the neighborhood at Intcrlachen Rd. I don't
know if this intersection can or should have traffic signals.
. Only allow right turns in and out at Homedale and Hawthorne.
. No access to or from Highway .3 at Ashley Rd
The above comments correspond closely' to the latest draft of tile project, except Jtlr the
intersection at lnterlachen Rd. There are many factors that lead to our request to make
lnterlachcn Rd (and NOT Horncda1e Rd,l a full access intersection including:
. Intcrlachen Rd is rrght in the middle of the neighborhood bet\vccn 8laj,;e and Mcado\\
brook
. lnterfachcn Rd provides direct access to the Church (St. John the Evangelist) and School
(John Ireland Schools - elementary School)
. lnterlachcn Rd is wider than l-lomcdale - able to accommodate the trafTic
. We feel that having Interlachen Rd as a full access intersection - versus Homcdale -
. would put the least amoLlnt of stress on the East - West streets through our neighborhood.
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. We have heard that designing Interlachen Rd as a full access intersection would require Powell
Rd to he a right in, right out only intersection. This ,"QuId impact the business traffic on Powell.
We would welcome the opportunity to meet ,vith the businesses north of us to review the
situatiol1.
After discussing the Highway 3 plans with dozens of nelghbors, I fee! that the above represents a
consensus opinIOn.
Thank you for your consideration. Please prepare the final dral1 of the Highway 3 project
according to the above request.
1:l(/J;11A1
Mihael J. Miller
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\VILLIAM D. (;ULLICKS()N JR.
109 Interlachen Road
Hopkins, 1\1innesota 55343
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Mr. Thomas K. Harmening
Community Development Director
City of Hopkins
I 0] 0 ] st Street South
Hopkins, MN 55343
Dear Tom:
My neighbor, Mr. Michael J. Miller, wrote to you last week suggesting a neighborhood consensus
surrounding some changes in the County Road 3 design plan.
. While a consensus may exist along Homedale Road, it is a stretch to broaden that to our 280
home area of Hopkins.
The current plan incorporates business concems of both Hopkins and St. Louis Park (i.e. Powell
Road interchange). The city park at the end of Homedale is just that, with access currently avail-
able from County Road 3 that will be reduced under the proposaL
It is a topographical oddity that Homedale Road is tlat to the 200 block south. Interlachen more
resembles a roller coaster with an uphill grade from Excelsior to the midpoint of the 100 block,
then steeply downhill to Goodrich Avenue and back up again through the 200 block. Unlike
Homedale with four-way stops at both Boyce and Goodrich Avenues, Interlachen has none So,
current levels of traffic proceed at excess of posted speeds. The proposal to make Interlachen the
new main thoroughfare of the neighborhood will only increase the volume of high velocity traftle.
Mixed with our peculiar terrain, accidents will occur.
There is a primary school on Boyce, just off lnterlachen. A number of neighborhood children
walk to that school either to attend it or to catch one of the many buses that stop there. (Those
buses, incidentally, currently come up lnterlachen Road from the south.) Combine this with the
safety concerns raised earlier and a larger danger potential exists.
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Letter to Mr. Thomas Hannening
City of Hopkins
The current plan with a right turn only access at InterlachenIPoweU Road was acceptable to a
number of us in our neighborhood. The changes proposed in Mr. Miller's letter are not.
Very truly yours,
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William D. Gullickson Jr. .(
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c: Mr. Mike Miller
112 Maple Hill Road
Hopkins, MN 55343
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21 Homedale Road
Hopkins, MN 55343
November 26, 1994
Ms. Nancy Anderson
City of Hopkins
1010 1st Street
Hopkins, MN 55343
De ar Ms. Anderson:
As I mentioned to you on the telephone, I was unable to attend
the informational meeting on November 16 regarding the proposed
changes to C,)unty Road ., As you suggested, I have documented my
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concern and thoughts in this letter. I hope you wi 11 consider
theTll in the planning p:c.)cess.
As the father of two small children, I am concerned .about the
p.C'oposal to make OUr street, Ho'medale Road, the only full access
intersection into the middle of Irlterlachen Park. This proposal
. will increase the traffic on my street, a detriment to our quiet
enjoyment of our property, yet we will see an increase in our
property taxes through d3sessments.
As an alternative, I propose leaving Interlachen Road as a full
access intersection. It is i f1 the center of the neighborhood and
allows for a balanced traffic distribution. It is also the
location of St. ]..) hn' s c h U l' C h and school. It seems like the most
direct access from County Road ':1 (Interlachen Road) makes the
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most sense to handle the traffic for these two facilities. In
addition, Interlachen Road is conSiderably wider than Homedale
Road, and thus can better handle the tr3.ffic volume. It is also
the status quo.
I understand that Interlachen Road residents are pleased at the
chance to reduce the traffic on their street, I would be also.
Please consider that those of us on Homedale Road purchased our
homes under the current traffic patterns and do not wish to see a
change. Most of those on Interlachen Road also purchased their
homes under the current traffic patterns, apparently the traffic
patterns were acceptable.
Depending where traffic entering Interlachen Park turns from
Homedale Road, traffic level.; will increase on Homedale Road,
Preston Road, and Boyce Road. There are a myriad of possible
. routes, but more home s are ,OlE fected by making Homedale the access
road. Interlachen only h.3.S one home 'J il each .side between County
Road 3 and Preston (both of which face Prest0n) . Between Preston
and Boyce, ('.L J..)h;1' .3 i." on 0ne side, and .30 ..) nly t~e E i ve or .3 i:<
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homes on the OpPoslte side ",re affected by the traffic on that
block. Using Homedale Road 3.3 th-:: () nly full 3CCe$.5 intersection
raises the traffic level for more homeowners.
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I understand the stacking issue for trucks turning into P'')h'ell
Road. I have (honestly) never seen trucks backed up, but I do
see how it could happen. Since the re3idents of Interlachen Park
live and pay personal taxes here, I hope you consider our wishes
at least as much as those of the businesses on the north side of
County Rt) ad ') One solution is to send left-turning truck
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traffic to Meadowbrook Road to enter P ,) ..e 11 Road near Minnehah3.
Creek. It wo u 1 d be an inconvenience for the businesses, but no
more. so than the Homedale R'').1d a .~ full access is to the residents
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of that road.
If the problem with stacking is that 't- cuts off the access to
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Interlachen Road for traffic turniEg left from westbound County
Road 3 , consider prohibiting left turns from C0unty Road 3 to
In':erlachen Road during the hours the :problem is most likely to
occur. It seems that the mo.st left-tu.cning traffic into
Interlachen Road wo u 1 d be during the afternoon rush hour--when
residents of Interlachen Park a l' e returning home. My five years
of wo rk experience in the distribution business taught me that
most trucks have picked up their loads and are on the road beEore
that rush hour.
. If the stacking problem is that it cuts off acceS3 to westbound
County Road 3 from Interlachen Road, consider prohibiting left
turns from Interlachen Road to C0unty Road 3 during the hours the
problem is mos t likely to occur. It seems that the most left-
turning traffic From Interlachen Road would be during the morning
rush hour--when residents of Interlachen Park are leaving for
work. Also, . J: this is the problem, I doubt that it will be
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improved by making Homedale Road the only left-turning accesS to
westbound County Road 3 . More cars turning left onto County Road
3 will cause traffic to back up inside Interlachen Park.
If the full access at Int-erlachen Road alternative is
unacceptable I please make Homedale Road a right-in, right-out
intersection I like Interlachen Road. T commute to the ea$-t on
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County Road 3 and so my commute ho me i- affected by this
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alternative--but I see it far superior to the current plan. This
would increase traffic on Blake and Meadowbrook Roads, however
both of those roads have homes on only one side and their
intersections with County Road 3 are regulated with traffic
signals.
A- a final note, no matter what altern.J.tive is selected, please
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consider steps to manage traffic in Interlachen Park. I had the
unfortunate e;,:perience 0E being laid -up wi th back trouble in l.3te
1993. I spent all of my time in a recliner in front of the
. picture window, watching ca:c aft e r." car dri'/e ':~rJ'.lgh the .stop
sign at Homedale and Boyce Roads. If the traffic volume
increase;;, someone (like one o f my children) ~~ likely to be
hurt. H'Jmedale R03.d was not designed for this much traffic.
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My a"j)ologies for rambling, but I need to have my family's
thoughts known. If you have a.ny questions, plea.se call me at
962-5115 (work) or 939-9924 Cho;neL
Sincerely,
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HOISINGTON KOEGLER 924 P06 NOU 04 '94 10:51
512-835-3160
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November 4, 1994
william D. Gullickson, Jr.
109 Interlachen Road
Hopkins, MN 55343
Re. County Road 3 Corridor Study
Dear Mr. GUllickson:
As you know the city of Hopkins is in the process of completing a
corridor study of County Road 3. In recent months, you and
others in the Interlachen Road/Homedale area were kind enough to
take the time to express your thoughts and concerns in letters
either to me or to our consultant on the project. All of the
correspondence received focused on the intersections at
Interlachen Road and Homedale Road and, specifically, which of
these intersections should continue to allow full movement and
which may be modified to a right-in, right-out access.
During the month of November, the City is soliciting comments on
. the study draft including the roadway configuration. I have
enclosed a copy of the draft version of the plan for Area 4 which
abuts your residential neighborhood. As you can see, the plan at
this time still identifies Blake Road, Homedale Road and
Meadowbrook Road as the full movement access and Interlachen Road
and Hawthorn Road as a right-in and right-out access. According
to our traffic consultant for the study, the rationale behind
this configuration is as follows:
Access along County Road 3 at Interlachen Road and Powell Road
was identified in the context of overall transportation needs.
Access to/from Powell Road is needed to accommodate the
commercial traffic, especially trucks, for the areas north of
County Road 3. Access to/from Interlachen Road is needed for the
residential, church, and church school needs south of County Road
3.
The spacing between Powell and Interlachen Roads is approximately
320 feet. Back-to-back left turn lanes would be needed to
accommodate full access at both Powell and Interlachen Roads
within the proposed right-of-way. To accomodate back-to-back
left turn movements from County Road 3 to both Powell and
Interlachen Roads, these intersections would need to be spaced
apart a minimum of 500 feet. This 500 foot spacing is needed to
accommodate storage for left . turning vehicles plus a transition
. taper between the left turn lanes. Therefore, left turn access
to both Powell and Interlachen Roads does not appear feasible.
1010 First Street So uth Hopkins, Minnesota 55343
Phone: 612-935-8474 Fax: 612-935-1834
An Equal Opportunily Employer
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. It is possible to provide full left turn access to one
intersection, either Powell Road or Interlachen Road, and right
turn in/out access for the other. Full access to/from Powell
Road and right turn in/out access to Interlachen Road is
recommended for the following reasons:
0 Full access is needed for trucks to/from County Road 3
at the Powell Road intersection. The alternative of
routing trucks to Meadowbrook Road is a circuitous
route and is expected to increase delays at the County
Road 3 and Meadowbrook intersection.
0 The left turn access is available at other
intersections to replace the Interlachen Road left turn
access. A left turn to the west on County Road 3 can
be accommodated at three other locations: Blake Road,
Hornedale Road, and Meadowbrook Road. The left turns in
from the east on county Road 3 can be accommodated at
two locations: Homedale Road and Meadowbrook Road.
These alternative access locations provide reasonable
opportunity for access to/from the area south of County
Road 3.
On November 16, 1994 at 7:00 p.m. in the council chambers at City
Hall, the City will host a general public meeting to receive
comments on the plan. I invite you and your neighbors to attend
. this session which will provide you with the opportunity to
elaborate on your concerns. Copies of the complete study draft
are available at City Hall for your review.
If you need any additional information or if I can answer any
questions prior to the public meeting, please feel free to
contact me.
Sincerely,
Thomas K. Harmening
community Development Director
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