Forum members may be interested in this meeting as recent posts have
debated the speed limit on Hwy 55 along the Hiawatha light rail
corridor.
Hiawatha LRT Community Advisory Committee
E M E R G E N C Y M E E T I N G
Traffic engineers will respond to the CAC's recommendations of 9-25-02
(see letter posted below). They have also been invited to offer other
suggestions to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety along TH 55 in the
Hiawatha Corridor.
Wednesday, November 20, 2002
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Nokomis Community Center, Multi-Purpose Room
2401 East Minnehaha Parkway, Minneapolis
AGENDA
6:30 - 6:35 Welcome, Meeting Overview (Carol Kummer, Chair)
6:35 - 6:45 Communications Update (Jennifer Lovaasen, Met Council)
6:45 - 8:15 Pedestrian/Bus/Auto Circulation along Hiawatha Corridor
(Amr Jabr, MnDOT Traffic Engineer; John Hotvet, Minneapolis Public
Works; Arlene McCarthy, Metro Transit)
8:15 - 8:25 Public Invitation to Speak (issues not on agenda)
8:25 - 8:30 Next Agenda / January 22, 2003
8:30 Adjourn
The park is fully accessible and can be reached on #19 buses. For
Metro Transit schedule information, call (612) 373-3333 or try the
online trip planner at www.metrotransit.org. For additional information
or directions, call
Jennifer Lovaasen
Outreach Coordinator
Metropolitan Council
651-602-1493
***********************************************************************
LETTER FROM CAC TO MnDOT.
October 7, 2002
Acting Commissioner Douglas Weiszhaar
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Transportation Building
395 John Ireland Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155-1899
Dear Acting Commissioner Weiszhaar:
The Hiawatha Light Rail Community Advisory Committee (CAC) discussed
pedestrian safety and bus circulation at its September 25th meeting.
Originally the issue centered on the 38th Street and 46th Street
crossings, but quickly evolved into a general discussion of the
excessive speed and dangerous conditions that exist along the light rail
line where it parallels Highway 55. Highway 55 is also a serious
impediment to potential development identified in the Lake Street and
46th Street master plans.
Experience around the country shows that the pedestrian friendliness of
areas along a light rail corridor, especially stations, is critical for
the success of a light rail line. It enhances foot and bike traffic,
encourages greater ridership and transit-oriented development. Traffic
traveling 50+ mph just yards from light rail stations poses danger for
pedestrians, bicyclists and bus riders who want to cross Hiawatha to any
of the stations south of Lake Street. Developers will view the highway
as severing half of their potential markets; only auto-oriented
developers will see the highway as bringing potential customers to their
businesses.
In 1976, the Hiawatha Avenue Design Advisory Committee recommended
building Hiawatha as a four-lane boulevard. That recommendation has
been stretched to the limit with the current design speed of 50 mph.
Using the 85th percentile may be appropriate when a corridor is designed
exclusively for cars. But to maximize our investment in LRT the corridor
itself must safely accommodate multiple modes, not just cars as it does
today. Thus, various features must be redesigned to bring about more
reasonable speeds. Engineers who successfully design roads for 50+ mph
can also design roads for lower speeds and we challenge them to do so on
Highway 55.
To promote transit-oriented development and pedestrian safety, the CAC
has in the past made recommendations to MnDOT - most of which have been
ignored. Free right turns that pose significant hazards to pedestrians
and bicyclists, median strips that are too narrow to protect pedestrians
in winter from the spray of passing cars and trucks and inadequate
marking of crosswalks have all been issues raised previously.
The CAC again requests that MnDOT end free-right turns, widen the
medians and enhance the marking of the crosswalks.
New recommendations include:
- maintain a speed limit of 35 mph,
- strict enforcement of that 35 mph speed limit,
- rumble strips before a car arrives at an intersection,
- speed bumps attuned to a car going 35 mph (but no more) just before
reaching a crosswalk,
- bump outs at crosswalks, and
- longer crosswalk times.
Without these changes on Highway 55, much of the potential of our
investment in light rail will be lost. The station area plan for 46th
Street calls for 500 units of new housing. These families, children and
seniors will have to cross 46th Street and Highway 55 to access the
light rail station. An auto throughput chart must not jeopardize their
safety.
Highway 55 should not be a transportation benefit for cars alone at the
expense of light rail and those who live near it.
Minnesota's first light rail corridor presents an opportunity for MnDOT
to think outside the auto-oriented box. Please ask your engineers to
consider and report back on the CAC's recommendations. We welcome other
suggestions to slow traffic and increase pedestrian safety along TH 55
in the Hiawatha Corridor.
A response would be greatly appreciated at or before the November 20th
CAC meeting. To secure time on the agenda, please contact Jennifer
Lovaasen at 651-602-1493.
Sincerely,
Carol Kummer
Chair of the Hiawatha Light Rail CAC
cc: Hiawatha Light Rail Community Advisory Committee
Hiawatha Light Rail Corridor Management Committee
Bob Winter, MnDOT
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