CC 02-28-1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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thinking the 96 to Victoria area - that's all there really is realistically to talk about. I hope that I'm correct in presuming that. . I guess, because of traffic northbound that might be experienced in Roseville, Shoreview and Arden Hills - a three lane road coming through north, going through a commercial area with two lanes in each direction and retaining the center left turn lane and then entering at Victoria into one lane each direction, with the center left turn lane. We don't see any problem with the traffic flow in that kind of a set up. Probably the driver coming from the north - 96 - comes down - he may experience this three lane road and there will be some confusion for a period of time. Our experience tells us that it will work though, if that's the desire of the people. . I think what I'd like to say about the three lane and four lane design is simply this - that given a three lane design - that is, a center left turn and prohibited from passing in that area - you enter that area for turning move- ments - it is a protected turning area - you have then determined that all cars that are going south or all the cars that are going north are going to get into line to drive through this area. Now, the effect of that is no different than what you have out there right now - the two lane road. I'll grant you that - it's exactly the same. Essentially no one passes out there, you all get in line to drive through there. However, if we construct a road sufficiently wide for four lanes and allow two lanes in each direction and eliminate the left turn thing in the middle, we now have an opportunity for someone to slow down and make a right turn and you'll be able to go around or if someone makes a left turn you'll be able to go around. The end result of that activity essentially - as I will try to explain it briefly - is that there will be larger numbers of gaps in the traffic on a four lane road than there is - on two lanes going in one direction instead of one lane in each direction. What you are trading off then - you're getting more gaps but you have a little farther to go to cross two lanes and you have to make sure there's a gap coming from the other direction if you're going to make a left turn and get into the line of traffic, whereas you take your chances with everybody in one line, fewer gaps, but I can get through it and get into that center left turn area and then proceed. Either one of them work satisfactorily. I believe it's the choice of the Council - that we can stripe it in that manner and attempt to operate the road in that manner. There's no reason it shouldn't - it's operated to the south in that manner. I do think that you're going to see everybody lined up - which is what you're accustomed to now - I just think if you take that and put it into two lanes, you'd spread it out a little bit and it would seem - -15-