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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 01-27 Need for median doubtful: county says THE REVIEW Need for median 14 111g doubtful : county says .. ,.., ,_, .. , ... ._, ..,.., Traffic accident history does not appear In other business related to roads, the to justify the installation of a median council: along White Bear avenue from Cope to County Rd. B, according to Ramsey County Engineer Deane Anklan. —HAS ASKED THE Public Service - Anklan's comments were addressed to Commission to remove existing stop signs the Maplewood city council after Ramsey at the Soo Line Railroad crossing at -` county had been contacted about the Hazelwood avenue. feasibility of continuing the existing City Manager Michael Miller stated White Bear avenue median from Cope to that the Public Service Commission has County Rd. B. Anklan noted that design done little to maintain the signs and they - engineers Wayne Leonard and Paul Kirk- "are defaced to the point where en- wold felt that the median would be forcement would be questionable. beneficial. "Accidents and near accidents do But he added,"Our report to the county happen at that intersection due to the stop _ board of Oct. 30, 1974 stated the median signs," Miller stated. He added, "If the construction could be accomplished, Public Service Commission feels that however at that time we understood that traffic control is required, then it is the proposal had not been evaluated or requested that the Soo Line install a , discussed with the adjacent residents and semaphore control at their expense at the businesses that would be affected. location." "On Nov. 18, 1974 the county board delayed action on the matter until the Maplewood Engineering Dept. could —HAS REQUESTED THAT Ramsey evaluate the proposal and hold public county install four-way stop signs at the informational meetings to learn whether intersection of Larpenteur and ....- there __there was support for the proposed Prosperity. construction," Anklan continued in his Ramsey county's engineering depart- Dec. 3, 1975 letter to Maplewood Public ment has studied the intersection for the Works Director Bobby D. Collier. past year at the request of the Home- School Association of Presentation of the "BECAUSE OF THE recent public Blessed Virgin Mary Church. opposition to median installations con- Although traffic accident history and ;' structed by Ramsey county and the lack vehicle volumes are marginal,the county of supporting data for the immediate believes there may be some benefits in construction for this installation, I installing the signs. strongly suggest that if Maplewood feels "Normal experience with the in- the median is necessary, you supply us stallation of the four-way stop sign con- with the information you have gathered so figuration at this type of location is a we can support the request," Anklan decrease in right-angle accidents and a concluded. decrease in the severity of accidents with Leonard,in his report to Anklan,stated an increase to rear-end accidents,"Miller that a three foot wide median would tend observed. to narrow the inside left lane and force But the city staff agreed that the signs drivers to prefer the outside lane. That would be beneficial. would reduce the hazardous problem of left turns. But Leonard noted that these results —HAS REQUESTED RAMSEY county would be offsetting in trying to ease safety to remove parking for a distance of 75 feet problems. either side of McMenemy on Larpenteur. The Maplewood city council, at its According to Miller,the Ramsey county meeting last Thursday night,stated it was traffic engineer has received complaints inclined to agree with the county report from citizens that large numbers of cars and is now asking if "they (the county) parked on Larpenteur obstruct the vision have any alternatives to improve the of drivers attempting to enter Larpenteur situation." from McMenemy. 1 1 4?.. vwcw.4 N}ei.rni • i,y,-1,r1.•,. 1. k.4111 N. "It0111kb4r., ��, �' .,' THIS SHARP CURVE on White Bear Avenue, which is just south of Cope avenue would not particularly be benefitted by installation of a three foot median to County Rd.B,the Ramsey County Engineer has informed the city of Maplewood.