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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980 10-08 McKnight plan draws fire THE REVIEW Minnesota Single Copy 30° WED.,OCT.8, 1980 plan McKni ht draws fire g By MARY LEE HAGERT across the street.The gaining of two or (Highway 120)is a straight shot.It con- three minutes(of commuting time)for a sects two freeways and is a logical way to Neighborhood opposition to widening person going to 3M is not worth the life of carry traffic." and improving McKnight Road does not one of our children." After much finger pointing at 3M appear to be softening. Malley is treasurer of the Maple Woods Corporation as being the"culprit"who Opponents of the county's plans to Townhouses Association.The houses are initially asked for the road upgrading, upgrade the street seemed to outnumber located on the northeast corner of the Mayor John Greavu of Maplewood at- persons favoring the proposal at a public Larpenteur Avenue and McKnight Road tempted"to set the record straight. hearing last week at Maplewood Junior intersection. "I'm getting irritated with people High School. County engineers and planners have saying 3M asked for this project.The city About 150 persons attended the modified their plans after receiving the of Maplewood asked for this in the sixties. preliminary hearing conducted by the public comments about the original "We have problems with McKnight at Ramsey County Engineering staff on the proposal during the summer. Minnehaha Avenue, Stillwater Road, proposal.Residents living along or near Some of the major changes include MaryiandAl-venue at the railroad tracks McKnight Road and officials from modifying the intersection of McKnight and Larpenteur Avenue. Maplewood and North St.Paul expressed Road and North St. Paul Road to ac- "The Highway 120 project is off.There their opinions about improving the street. commodate a soccer field on vacant land is no money at the state level to pay for The hearing was the second step in in North St.Paul.Adjustments have been this project.And,the city of Maplewood gathering public input on the project. made so the home on the northeast corner does not have the money to take care of Information meetings were conducted of this intersection will not have to be McKnight Road,"Greavu stated. during the summer.A final hearing on the demolished. A few persons at thehearing inquired $5 million project to improve 4.3 miles of about assessments for utility services McKnight will be staged next spring. THE CURVE at the intersection of that might be installed along with the new Ramsey County is planning to upgrade Stillwater Road and Lakewood Drive has roadway. McKnight Road between Highway 36 and been modified so the road will be farther If the cities decide to improve the Interstate 94.The present design calls for away from the homes along Cale Avenue utilities, such as storm sewers or the roadway to be widened to 48 feet with and Lakewood in Maplewood. watermains, separate hearings will be four lanes,all of which could be used for The new plans call for moving the conducted by each municipality, said traffic or couldcontinue as two lanes with roadway further away from the houses on Paul Kirkwold, a county planning and parking in the outer lanes.The plans also the west side of McKnight between Third traffic engineer. include a bridge over the railroad tracks Street and Minnehaha Avenue.However, In answer to inquiries about increasing near Ivy and have McKnight following the these modifications did not appear to traffic causing a rise in noise levels Kirk- east side of Beaver Lake in Maplewood. dampen the negative attitudes of some of wold explained,"Our design will attempt the residents toward the project,which is to diminish traffic noises wherever THE POSSIBILITY of traffic in- primarily being funded with federal and possible and it is economically feasible." creasing substantially on McKnight once county monies. Citizens wanting to have their com- the road is improved was one of the major Jean Myers,1829 N.McKnight Road, ments about the road improvement concerns of the residents. Maplewood,said,she wanted to know who project placed on the public record may James G.Malley,1722 McKnight Lane, originally asked to have the road im- write to:Ramsey County Department of Maplewood,stated,"I shudder to think proved. Public Works,3377 N.Rice St.,St.Paul, about our kids crossing five lanes of She suggested Highway 120 be im- Minn.55112.Persons with questions about heavy traffic to get to the 7-Eleven Store proved instead of McKnight Road. "It the project should call 984-9104.