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<br />Member Fischer said that he felt Mn/DOT was not going to reconsider <br />their decision to close the median and since they didn't have a better plan <br />that they should just let the matter drop. <br /> <br />Member Neprash agreed. <br /> <br />Member DeBenedet said he doesn't feel the accident data Mn/DOT <br />provided supports their decision to close the median. He thinks a <br />recommendation should be sent to Council to negotiate with Mn/DOT <br />about moving the Oakcrest opening 30 feet south and adding a median <br />between the two lanes. He said agencies like Mn/DOT have policies, but <br />sometimes they don't know how to evaluate individual situations. <br /> <br />Member DeBenedet moved that a recommendation be sent to the City <br />Council as follows: Communicate to Mn/DOT that the median will be <br />kept open only for left turns off Snelling onto Oakcrest and that the city <br />will participate in paying for the cost of reconstructing Oakcrest by <br />moving the eastbound lane of Oak crest 30' to 50' south with a median <br />between the two lanes. Member Neprash seconded. <br /> <br />Member Willenbring said he would speak against the motion because <br />having driven that route many times he doesn't feel there are enough <br />openings to give people opportunity to make turns there. He said that <br />Snelling has become a heavily trafficked suburban road and that it is <br />unsafe to have this left turn movement. <br /> <br />Member DeBenedet said he doesn't feel comfortable turning his <br />community over to high speed highways. <br /> <br />Member Fischer said he agreed with Member DeBenedet, but he was sure <br />that staff and the City Council had gone through these exact same <br />arguments with Mn/DOT in the past and came to the conclusion of the <br />current deal with Mn/DOT. He said he may not have gone the same route <br />then but doesn't want to change directions at this point. <br /> <br />A vote was taken on the motion. <br /> <br />Ayes: 2 <br />Nays: 2 <br /> <br />Member DeBenedet suggested tabling the motion until a fifth member is <br />added to the commission. Duane Schwartz advised the commission that <br />their charge from the City Council was to meet with residents and study <br />alternative accesses to this area not to make determinations on the <br />Snelling/Oakcrest median closure. <br /> <br />Page 3 of6 <br />