07-20-2020-WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – JULY 20, 2020 7 Mayor Grant asked how many left hand turns are taken from southbound Snelling onto Hamline. Ms. Barnes stated that in April, 2018 there were approximately 1,760 people that took a left over the course of the day. The highest number per hour was 245. Mayor Grant said he had not seen traffic back up from the left turn lane onto Snelling. He wondered if they had evidence of that happening. Ms. Simer said they do not have photos. Mayor Grant commented that if they are proposing a cable median barrier he didn’t know how they could allow pedestrians and bicyclists to cross something that is no longer an intersection. He felt it would no longer be a legal intersection with a cable median barrier in place. And if they make a pedestrian crossing they would have to stripe it. Ms. Simer responded that Minnesota statute defines a pedestrian crossing as the intersection of two roadways so whether they add a marked cross walk is an additional choice that MnDOT can make. Councilmember McClung asked what were MnDOT’s next steps. Ms. Simer said this summer they will move into the design phase of the median barrier project. The decisions of allowing turns or leaving it open to bicycles and pedestrians have not been made yet. Councilmember Holmes asked for explanation of what would happen at Glenhill Road. Ms. Simer replied that vehicles going northbound on Snelling could turn left onto Glenhill but from Glenhill they could only turn right (southbound). Councilmember Holmes was concerned about traveling south on Hamline and make a U-turn at Lydia, especially because Lydia is such an odd intersection to begin with. Ms. Simer said Lydia is a signalized intersection and would be phased to make the U-turns safer, also there is less traffic on the west side of Snelling. Mayor Grant noted that going northbound on Snelling making a left going into Glenhill would still be an option and so that will be a legal place to for pedestrians and bicycles to cross. Ms. Simer replied that movement would still be possible. Also, the regional bike trail network identifies Hamline and Old Snelling as part of the planned network and so that movement is more to be expected at Hamline than Glenhill. Mayor Grant felt that if the cable median barrier closes the intersections drivers won’t be looking for pedestrians and bicyclists.