HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980 08-13 Future looks 'unsure' for McKnight Road plans THE REVIEW Future looks 'unsure ' for McKnight Road plans
dag /4 By MARY LEE HAGERT tracks near Ivy and have McKnight more traffic on the improved road and crease on the road,making it harder to feared someone might drown in it when it The current plans to upgrade McKnight
following the roadway on the east side of that concerns me.I'm looking out for the get out of their property and posing was filled with water runoff. are smaller due to changing driving
After meetings with property owners Beaver Lake. safety of my family," she said. She danger to children, pedestrians and Kirkwold said,sanitary sewers would habits.
along McKnight Road, Paul Kirkwold suggested the county merely improve the property. be installed along the road,which would Peter Fischer,1812 N.Furness St.,told
says he is"uncertain"about the future of THE COUNTY IS HOPING to let bids road surface by"filling in the potholes." They also object to the proposed take care of the runoff problem and the the crowd,"In 1959 I was interested in
the county's plans to upgrade the street. on the first phase of the construction in widening of the road,which they fear will ditch would be filled in. buying some vacant property along
Kirkwold, a planning and traffic July 1981. The roadway will be built SHORTLY AFTER this dialogue,Ray "put the traffic on their doorsteps." Several members of the audience ex- McKnight Road.I did some nosing around
engineer for Ramsey County Public within the existing 66-foot right-of-way for Horwath,1540 McKnight Road, said he Kirkwold said,research has shown that pressed concern about the cost of the at that time and was told by many people
Works,says he is trying to remain op- the most part,with the present ditches was distressed to hear so many people traffic usually does not increase project and the size of their assessments. that McKnight was eventually going to be
timistic that the estimated $5 million and ravines to be removed and replaced voice negative opinions about the im- significantly when a road is upgraded.He widened.This is nothing new."
project to improve 4.3 miles of McKnight with storm sewer and curb and gutter. provement project. anticipates the new roadway will handle IT IS ESTIMATED the$5 million cost In addition to basic road widening,the
will move forward.But this optimism is At the Aug.6 informational meeting, "I think there are a lot of people who "approximately the same amount of will be divided up with the federal proposal calls for the construction of turn
"guarded," after hearing the often one unhappy property owner gave Kirk- don't know what they are talking about traffic,but will be wider and have a freer government paying 75 percent,Ramsey lanes and medians at key intersections,
negative reactions to the plans by land wold a petition signed by a long list of here," Horwath said. "There is a flow of traffic, be safer and less County paying 20 percent and the cities of including Minnehaha Avenue,Stillwater
owners along McKnight. McKnight Road residents, who are tremendous problem with traffic on the congested."' Maplewood,North St.Paul and St.Paul Road and Larpenteur Avenue. Traffic
Maplewood residents filled the North displeased with the project. hill near Stillwater Road.It is extremely paying the remainder. lights will probably be installed at Lar-
St. Paul courtroom at the last of four Kirkwold asked the woman submitting dangerous there. WITH THE WIDENING of the road, Kirkwold pointed out that the benefiting penteur.
informational meetings on Aug.6.They the petition to include with it suggestions some homes will be"severely affected," residents will have drastically smaller Kirkwold encouraged the residents to
all owned property along McKnight about what the signers think should be "I wouldn't sign that petition.I'm not and probably will be bought by the assessments than if the project were attend another public hearing in Sep-
between Holloway and Ivy Avenues. done to improve McKnight Road. against it(the proposed project).When county. The persons owning these funded solely by the cities. tember so their ideas, concerns and
Ramsey County is planning to upgrade "Well, I'm not an engineer," she Hillcrest Development is built, that is severely affected homes did not appear to Several residents said they wished they comments could become part of the of-
McKnight Road between Highway 36 and snapped."That's not fair to ask me to tell going to increase the traffic near Lar- be the ones objecting to the plans.Rather, had known about the project sooner, ficial record, which will be used in
Interstate 94.Preliminary designs call for you how to improve the road." penteur and McKnight significantly.We it seemed the persons who will be staying because they might not have bought their deciding whether the project should be
the roadway to be widened to 48 feet with Kirkwold responded,"If you don't like need to have this road improved." in their homes were the one objecting the homes along the road. pursued.
four lanes all of which could be used for what we(Ramsey County)are proposing, Among the concerns raised by the most to the road improvement project. Kirkwold explained the county had He and Kathy Spiegalaere, Ramsey
traffic or could continue as two lanes and you should make an alternative plan.Tell residents was poor access from their Mrs.George Murray,1898 N.McKnight planned to improve the road in 1976.Due County Public Works Department
with parking in the outer lanes.The plans us what you think we should do." driveways onto the road. They are Road,said the ditch along the road in to funding problems the project entered a transportation planner,can be reached at
also include a bridge over the railroad "All I know is that there is going to be worried truck and auto traffic will in- front of her home was very deep and she "deep sleep"which lasted three years. 484-9104.