HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975 03-05 Maplewood council okays Hwy. 61 intersection plans REVIEW Maplewoodcouncil oka s
y
HwY. 61 intersection plans' c ` 'by Scott Carlson
The Maplewood city council last traffic noise for the homeowners "while
Thursday night gave unanimous approval the apartments will have it nice and
to a Ramsey county plan for improving quiet."
the existing intersection at Highway 61 But Leonard said, "We're anticipating
and Parkway dr. that traffic will go down on East Shore
But in a related matter the council held dr.,,
up approval for a county plan to construct Virginia Davis,1050 Frost ave.,told the
a road between Frost ave.and East Shore council that in the effort to build the new
dr.,south of an apartment complex.Local "Frost ave. connection", which will
citizens who protested the "Frost ave. connect west of Adele st., much wildlife
connection," said they doubt the con- will be destroyed. "Those are beautiful
nection is needed. woods we have," she said.
The "Frost ave. connection" was But already 30 trees,some seven inches
referred back to the Planning Corn- in diameter, have been removed while
mission for further study. stakes for the new road have been
Wayne Leonard, a design engineer for pounded in the ground, Mrs. Davis said.
Ramsey county,said it was necessary to Councilman Donald Wiegert said he
establish a new connection between East understood the citizens'concerns. But he
Shore dr. and Frost ave. since plans for added, in pointing out why the road
altering Phalen Lake Park will now close connection may be needed, that the city
off an access provided from Keller Park- has to consider the police and fire
way to get on Parkway dr.
East Shore dr. will cul-de-sac past the departe ment's
s neeon,portion the county
plans
apartment complex,he said.He indicated s
were l
that the closing off of the present access ess controversial,
Park-
road may be a good idea since it was the The intersection improvement at way dr.and Highway 61 calls for squaring
scene of eight car accidents last
year. up the intersection by moving it slightly
Drivers at the access point have trouble south. For people turning left on to High-
turning left on to Parkway dr. The curve way 61 from Parkway there would be left
in the road as it slopes downhill makes turn lanes. A left turn lane will be
vehicle vision difficult. provided for motorists traveling south on
Parts of the park alterations are Highway 61 at Parkway dr. Currently a
designed to develop a bike and hike trail left turn on to Parkway dr. is illegal for
system,Leonard said.But local residents traffic coming from the north on Highway
do not want the alterations to include the 61.
"Frost ave. connection." Motorists traveling west on Parkway
Norman Williams, 1874 East Shore dr., dr. and wishing to turn north onto High-
whose house would be to the right of the way 61 would be able to bypass the con-
new road connection, said, "I haven't trolled intersection.
heard why it is necessary to put the road This coming August dirt fill should be
in. I thought the idea was to eliminate brought in to build the foundation for
traffic from the park. Instead we'll be moving the intersection slightly south.
adding more traffic." The intersection will not be ready until
Williams suggested that the new con- 1976, Leonard said.
nection be made on the west side of the No assessments for either road project
are anticipated, Leonard said. The
apartments on East Shore dr. But
Leonard said that the fill necessary to construction will be paid out of the county
build up a connection road in that area bridge fund and state aid road funds.
would destroy the low swamp area which Plans for a road which would intersect
acts -as a filtering agent to help keep Highway 61 south of the Highway 61-
Phalen Lake clean. Parkway dr. intersection, coming from
Another citizen said that the proposed the Phalen Lake golf course, have yet to
"Frost ave. connection" would increase be reviewed by the Maplewood council.