2011 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN - Laserfiche WebLink

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6.0 Transportation Plan Most Gem Lake residents work, shop, and obtain entertainment and educational services outside Gem Lake city limits. Therefore, the quality of the transportation system is key to the quality of life for residents. It will be especially important as the City grows, and will require close cooperation with other governmental bodies. With this in mind, the City of Gem Lake recognizes the importance of the I-35E corridor, and remains active as part of the I-35E "Unweave the Weave" Management Team. The Transportation Plan of Gem Lake is also intended to enhance the natural and man-made environments within, and bordering, the City limits. The Existing Roadway System The most important component of the transportation system within Gem Lake for the foreseeable future will be the street and highway network. This network accommodates both private and public motor vehicles. The functional classification and jurisdictional responsibility for maintaining this system is summarized in Tables 6 and 6.1. The existing roadway system is shown in Figure 5. Arterials The most heavily traveled arterial route through the community is U.S. Highway 61 which serves as a major artery connecting the Cities Gem Lake with White Bear Lake and the more intensively developed portions of the metropolitan area to the south. The highway connects with the Interstate beltway loop (I-494, I-694) around the Twin Cities at a point approximately one mile south of City limits. The next most traveled arterial within the community is County Road E, which forms part of Gem Lake's southern boundary. County Road E intersects with U.S. Highway 61 in the southeast portion of Gem Lake, serves the southern portion of White Bear Lake to the east, and connects with I-35E approximately one mile west of the western boundary of Gem Lake. This interstate highway is the only "principle" arterial near the City. Other arterials include Labore Road on the western boundary, Goose Lake Road, located in a southwestern -northeastern orientation near the northern boundary of the community, and Otter Lake Road located in the northeastern portion of the community. Collectors Collector streets include Scheueneman Road N., which provides access to Gem Lake Golf Course and the residential area of Gem Lake, and Scheueneman Road S., which provides access to the commercial/business area. Local Streets The remaining roads within the community can be classified as local, serving principally adjacent land users. These local streets comprise approximately 50 percent of the total roadway mileage within the community. l SEH6.0 transportation plan I page 33