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Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes January 19, 2021 <br />Page 3 <br /> <br /> <br />Public Works Director/City Engineer Blomstrom said you could get up to a 12-foot shoulder on <br />the west side but that it would be better to keep it at 10 feet and have an eight-foot shoulder on the <br />east side, in part due to bicyclists moving with traffic. <br /> <br />Committee Member Poelzer felt they could make the travel lanes narrower, lower the speed limit, <br />widen the shoulders on both sides and put in traffic calming measures and flashing beacon cross <br />walks. Her concern was being able to cross the street safely. <br /> <br />Committee Member Finlay commented that the kids need to be off the street and onto a trail <br />because there is very little visibility in some areas. <br /> <br />Committee Member Nelson asked if there would be a pedestrian study done. <br /> <br />Public Works Director/City Engineer Blomstrom said they do not have pedestrian counts at this <br />time. <br /> <br />Acting Chair Van Valkenburg asked if staff would include committee members when the public <br />discussion is scheduled. <br /> <br />B. Mounds View High School Trail Update <br /> <br />Staff Liaison Vaughan said the City Council had recently expressed the desire to focus on the <br />Mounds View High School trail, which is and extension of the existing trail on Snelling Avenue <br />North. The trail would extend from County Road E2 to Lake Valentine Road, continuing on to the <br />east parking lot of Mounds View High School. The Council requested that staff continue to look <br />for funding opportunities. <br /> <br />Public Works Director/City Engineer Blomstrom noted that cities opportunities to tap into the <br />Safe Routes to School funding comes from the regional solicitation process through Met Council. <br />Staff has applied for grant funding for this trail section. Arden Hills scored well but there weren’t <br />enough funds to reach far enough down the list. <br /> <br />Public Works Director/City Engineer Blomstrom mentioned that the traffic volume on Snelling <br />Avenue south of County Road E is about 1600 vehicles a day. Traffic volume on Lake Johanna <br />Boulevard is over 5,000 vehicles a day. And Snelling Avenue north of County Road E leading to <br />Lake Valentine Road is about 5,600 vehicles a day. Estimated cost for the Mounds View High <br />School trail is about $1.6 million. <br /> <br />4. NEW BUSINESS <br /> <br />A. Park Benches Proposal <br /> <br /> Staff Liaison Vaughan said the City Council recently asked the Arden Hills Foundation for a <br />financial contribution to assist in acquiring additional park benches. They asked staff to identify <br />four potential locations. The Council supported the locations and the Arden Hills Foundation <br />agreed to donate the benches and plaques. <br /> <br />Discussion ensued regarding the bench locations.