In 2005, Hennepin County will begin Lake Street reconstruction, a process that occurs
just once every 50 years.
A Project Advisory Committee has been meeting since January 2003. At their June 15
meeting, the PAC voted to request more information from staff on how the proposed
layout conforms to nationally recognized pedestrian design guidelines. A staff report
is expected at the PAC's next monthly meeting.
On June 22, the City Council's Transportation and Public Works Committee was asked to
vote on a newly proposed layout for the section of Lake Street between 5th Avenue S
and 21st Avenue S. The plan differs from the one that had been discussed by the PAC
and circulated to T&PW committee members before the meeting. Several Council Members
raised concerns about the proposal's emphasis on through and turn traffic lanes at the
expense of on-street parking, the pedestrian environment, cyclists, and transit.
To get more information about this important decision, Council Members sent the
following letter to City and County Engineers.
June 23, 2004
Klara Fabry Jim Grube
Director, Minneapolis Public Works Hennepin County Transportation
350 South 5th Street, Room 203 1600 Prairie Drive
Minneapolis, MN 55415 Medina Minnesota� 55340
Ms. Fabry and Mr. Grube:
Thank you for your presentation to the Transportation and Public Works Committee
regarding the layout for Lake Street from 5th Avenue South to 21st Avenue South. We
need some additional information to help us make a decision on the layout approval.
Please provide us with the following information prior to the special Transportation
and Public Works Committee meeting on July 1, 2004:
* Provide a map of current conditions on Lake Street showing the same design elements
as on the Preliminary Layout Recommended Concept 6/10/2004 produced by SRF Consulting
Group.
* What is the net loss of on-street parking spaces between the current conditions and
the proposed layout?
* Produce a table comparing current walking distances across Lake Street to proposed
walking distances. The table will measure crosswalk distances from North curb to
South curb at the following intersections: Portland, Park, Chicago, Elliott, 10th,
11th, and Cedar. Distances will be measured in feet of travel lanes. In this table
"travel lanes" will include turn lanes, but not lanes that are used for parking within
a block of the measured intersection.
* How will reducing the curb area/parking lane will affect snow removal efforts and
cost?
* How does the trip pattern on Lake Street (75% of the trips being � of a mile or
less) impact the final design?
* How would enhanced transit on Lake or the Greenway impact the projected vehicle trip
numbers? What is the projected change in transit ridership?
* Does the 1B level of streetscape require a special service district? If not, will
this level of streetscape increase (more than the city is currently assuming with
streetscapes) the risk for the city?
In addition, we have the following questions about turn lanes:
* How was Lake Street able to function without turn lanes in the 70s when there were
ADTs of 24,000+?
* Are state aid standards driving the dedicated center turn lane?
* What are the ramifications of not adding a dedicated turn lane at Lake and Chicago?
* What are the outcomes of a restricted left during rush hour instead of a dedicated
turn lane?
* How can we understand the functioning of the intersections at Chicago, Elliot and
10th when a decision has not been made about the future status of Elliot and 10th
(i.e. will they continue to be cul de sacs or not?)
Thank you. We look forward to your responses.
Sincerely,
Dean Zimmermann, 6th Ward Council Member
Robert Lilligren, 8th Ward Council Member
Dan Niziolek, 10th Ward Council Member
Don Samuels, 3rd Ward Council Member
Natalie Johnson Lee, 5th Ward Council Member
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