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Memorandum Date: January 11, 1999 Too Steve Sarkozy,City Manager From: Karl Keel,Public Works Director Re; SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ON COUNTY ROAD B In 1991,the City identified a number of intersections along County Road B with higher than typical accident rates.To remedy this,it was recommended that County Road B be restriped to a 34ane road to provide protected left-tern lanes at all major intersections. Based on the Gig's report,Ramsey County programmed a signal and restriping project to change the existing 4- lane road to a 34ane road. In 1995, following concern raised by the City Council regarding traffic capacity,the County abandoned this restriping project in favor of a project to widen the intersections at Hamline Avenue and Lexington Avenue to provide the needed left-turn lane while maintaining two thru lanes in each direction. In 1998,the Council felt that the impacts to adjoining properties outweighed the benefits of the project and referred the project back to staff. Recently,you and I met with Paul Kirkwold and Dan Soler from Ramsey County to discuss traffic remedies along County Road B.The county is committed to resolving the left-turn difficulties of the roadway and is seeking City guidance regarding future projects. Currently, the following options exist to improve safety on County Road B; 1) Restriye County Road B at Lexington Avenue This option would modify County Road B in the vicinity of Lexington Avenue from 4- lane road to a lane road.This project would include modifications to the existing signals to accommodate the center left-turn lane but would leave the existing 4 lane roadway between Lexington Avenue and Hamline Avenue as it is today.This project would be very similar to the installation at Hamline Avenue and would require merging from the 44ane section between Hamline Avenue and Lexington Avenue to the new 3- lane section.. 2) Restri a County Road B to a 34ane roadwa, This project,very similar to the project originally proposed in 1991,would re-stripe County Road B from Dale Street to Hamline Avenue as a 3-1ane roadway and male modifications to the existing signals to accommodate the center left-turn lane.This project could be enhanced by providing right-turn lanes at major intersections.This project needs council approval to proceed.