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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday,August 08, 2011 <br /> Page 19 <br /> cern, along with others, was one of safety; and opined that by opening County <br /> Road C-2, it would at least create a straight run. Mr. LoCascio addressed align- <br /> ment and sight issues on Merrill; and provided several anecdotal stories related to <br /> those safety concerns, while none had involved pedestrians and vehicle accidents <br /> to-date. Mr. LoCasco noted further concern with additional cars from the Jose- <br /> phine Woods development also using these shortcuts. Mr. LoCascio opined that, <br /> in speaking or neighbors on Merrill Street, it would be sadly inappropriate if addi- <br /> tional cars from that development area were allowed to go through residential <br /> streets when an east/west collector road was available. <br /> Lars Eber, 1241 County Road C-2 <br /> Ms. Eber suggested a possible reason why County Road C-2 had not been origi- <br /> nally connected; and provided pictorial evidence of eastbound traffic on Josephine <br /> Road at Lexington Avenue and the same view from the south from County Road <br /> C-2 and Lexington Avenue, identifying significant viewing differences and sight <br /> lines. <br /> Jeff Strobeck, 1297 County Road C-2 <br /> With a brief exception, Mr. Strobeck advised that he and the previous generation <br /> of his family had lived in the same residence since 1957. Mr. Strobeck advocated <br /> for keeping County Road C-2 closed. Mr. Strobeck advised that, when his father <br /> had originally offered the family home for sale, his first criteria was that County <br /> Road C-2 was not going to be connected, which he'd been assured at that time by <br /> his father as a fact. Mr. Strobeck questioned if keeping it closed had not been a <br /> stipulation for the construction of Lexington Apartments on the south side of <br /> County Road C-2, a promise made by a previous City Council. <br /> Regarding the traffic study, if County Road C-2 were connected, Mr. Strobeck <br /> opined that Josephine Road would realize a 25% reduction in traffic, while Coun- <br /> ty Road C-2 would receive a 400% increase in traffic. Mr. Strobeck noted that <br /> this would impact County Road C-2 between Hamline and Lexington Avenues, <br /> but also Snelling and Victory; and opined that it would create additional liability <br /> with declining property values as well as creating safety issues. Mr. Strobeck <br /> opined that it would be a bad decision to open up County Road C-2. <br /> Allen Carrier, 1040 W County Road C-2 <br /> Mr. Carrier spoke in support of keeping County Road C-2 closed. Mr. Carrier re- <br /> ferenced his discussions with Fire Chief Tim O'Neill related to access for emer- <br /> gency vehicles to the neighborhood, and his assurance that there would be no dif- <br /> ference in emergency vehicle responses to this area, whether County Road C-2 <br /> was open or closed; and the concurrence of Police Chief Rick Mathwig as well. <br /> Derek Luhm, 1190 Josephine road <br /> Mr. Luhm advised that he'd been asked to speak by his 13-year old son on his <br /> safety concerns in not being able to ride his bike. Mr. Luhm expressed assurance <br />