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<br /> . Ard!=n Hills Council 7 March 29, 1993 <br /> is OK. Convenience is the leas t of my concerns, Safety is <br /> of the utmost importance; the speed of T.H. 51 needs to be <br /> lowered or at least enforced. <br /> Steve Lambros, 1373 Skiles Lane: I am new to the community <br /> and was interested in hearing all the angles of this issue <br /> before commenting, MNDOT's goal is supposedly mobility, yet <br /> they have reduced mobility be closing the Snelling/51 <br /> intersection. I wonder where the 1,200 vehicles per day <br /> that previously used the Snelling/51 intersection have gone <br /> since MNDOT claims that County Road E is not more highly <br /> traveled than before. Have those vehicles just vanished? <br /> The added miles to access our homes does not seem <br /> significant until you consider the number of people <br /> affected, times the number of trips, times the number of <br /> mil es, When you consider the grand total of all additional <br /> mil es traveled, the additional fuel used, and the additional <br /> pollution, it is very significant. I would like to see the <br /> Snelling/51 intersection reopened in a safer design and also <br /> the speed limit of T,H, 51 reduced. I understand the <br /> complexity of this issue and the emotions that are involved, <br /> but it is time that a position is taken and something is <br /> . actually done to bring the entire matter to a close. <br /> Mayor Sather invited comments from anyone who had not yet <br /> spoken; no further speakers came forward, <br /> In response to comments from citizens to the effect that the <br /> Council has not been responsive in this issue, Mayor Sather <br /> explained that the Counci 1 did take action to suggest that <br /> MNDOT evaluate the Snelling/51 intersection, then Counci 1 <br /> accepted the closure of the intersection, and now Council is <br /> responding to the request of citizens to revisit the issue. <br /> Regarding the idea of keeping the intersection closed except <br /> to emergency vehicles, he questioned whether it would be <br /> possible to monitor and enforce that type of arrangement. <br /> counci1member Ap1ikowski stated that she is very disturbed <br /> that MNDOT has now taken the position that a redesigned, <br /> signalized intersection is not a viable alternative. She <br /> recalled that in the late 1970 s or early 1980s, the City <br /> apparently had the option of a signal at Snelling/51, but <br /> that option .was turned down and a signal was located at <br /> Lydia/51 instead, She stated that her concern is safety, <br /> not convenience, and one large factor to the safety issue is <br /> the matter of the high rate of speed on T.H. 51. <br /> . <br /> _.._~- <br />