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Home My WebLink About20071203 - VI-05VI-5 MEMO To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Tom Montgomery Date: November 28, 2007 Re: Resolution -Supporting Continued South Pines Area Development and Hwy 316 and Tuttle Drive Roundabout The Operations Committee of the City Council met on November 19 to discuss development issues with the South Pines development on the west side of Hwy 316 and MnDOT conditions for construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Hwy 316 and Tuttle Drive. The South Pines development agreement has restricted further development of the property until traffic issues are resolved. In particular, the developer would be required to extend Tuttle Drive west to Hwy 61 or install traffic control on Hwy 316 at the Tuttle Drive intersection to allow residential traffic from the South Pines development to more easily access Hwy 316. Earlier this year, the developer hired a traffic engineering consultant, Wenck & Associates to evaluate the Hwy 316 and Tuttle Drive intersection. The Wenck study determined that warrants for a roundabout at the intersection would be met upon full development of the South Pines addition, plus the development of an additional thirty homes within the Finnegan/Conzemius property directly to the west of the South Pines addition. Normally, MnDOT does not allow construction of intersection traffic control devices (signals, roundabouts, STOP signs) based on projected or estimated traffic volumes. The City's development restrictions will not allow development until the intersection traffic control devices are installed, creating a chicken and egg type conundrum. MnDOT has informally agreed to allow the construction of a roundabout at Tuttle and Hwy 316, recognizing that the roundabout will also address problems with speed limit compliance as vehicles transition from highway speeds to the lower 35 mph posted speed limit north of the South Pines addition. However, MnDOT has attached conditions to its approval for construction of a roundabout: 1. MnDOT will not contribute to the roundabout construction cost. 2. The City must provide a strong justification that full development will occur within 5 years. 3. The developer commits to construct the street and utilities needed for development of the area identified in the traffic study that would generate the need for the roundabout. The developer has expressed concerns about conditions two and three above. Given the current housing climate, a buildout in five years may be quite optimistic. In addition, requiring construction of all of the street and utilities at this time also places an unrealistic fmancial burden on the developer. The developer is requesting that Council indicate its support for continued development of the South Pines addition and to direct staff to negotiate with MnDOT along with the developer, to lessen the roundabout conditions. OPERATIONS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Operations Committee unanimously approved support for future South Pines area development and directed staffto prepare a resolution for Council adopting indicating the City's strong support for continued development in the South Pines area and directing staff to work with the developer and MnDOT to develop less restrictive criteria for the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Hwy 316 and Tuttle Drive. COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED Council is requested to adopt the enclosed resolution indicating the City's strong support for continued development in the South Pines area and directing staff to work with the developer and MnDOT to develop less restrictive criteria for the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Hwy 316 and Tuttle Drive. J ~;- ,,, .r ~, ~ 't CITY OF IiASTIN6S CITY O~ HASTINGS DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA Resolution No. RESOLUTION SUPPORTING CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH PINES AREA AND DIRECTING CITY STAFF TO NEGOTIATE MNDOT HWY 316/TUTTLE DRIVE INTERSECTION ROUNDABOUT APPROVAL CONDITIONS WHEREAS, the City of Hastings has restricted further development of the South Pines Addition west of Hwy 316 due to concerns about access and traffic safety at the intersection of Tuttle Drive and Hwy 316, and WHEREAS, the City of Hastings strongly supports continued development of the South Pines Addition and adjacent area between Hwy 316 and Hwy 61 provided concerns about access and safety are properly addressed, and WHEREAS, the City of Hastings supports the proposed construction of a roundabout for the intersection of Hwy 316 and Tuttle Drive as a means to address access and safety concerns for continued development of the South Pines Addition area, and WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Transportation has proposed conditions for approval of the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Hwy 316 and Tuttle Drive that may not be realistic with the current housing market and may impose too heavy a financial burden on the developer for advance construction of infrastructure. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HASTINGS AS FOLLOWS; 1. The City Council of the City of Hastings strongly supports continued development on the south side of Hastings between Hwy 316 and Hwy 61, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Hwy 316 and Tuttle Drive. 2. The City Council of the City of Hastings is concerned that the Minnesota Department of Transportation's conditions for construction of a roundabout may be too restrictive for development of this area. 3. City of Hastings staff is hereby directed to work with the South Pines developer and the Minnesota Department of Transportation to develop less restrictive conditions for the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Hwy 316 and Tuttle Drive. ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF HASTINGS, MINNESOTA, THIS 3rd DAY OF DECEMBER, 2007. Ayes: Nays: Absent: ATTEST: Melanie Mesko Lee, Assistant City Administrator/City Clerk Paul J. Hicks, Mayor (Seal) B ~ ~I ~I 8. 8 Q 0 ~tib ~ Q ~ H e~~ ~ N Z ~ D eee ~ ~ W LL ~ m ~m m ~ ~ Y ~m a LJ I B m~ m . ~ Z Q B ~ m O i LL J B m ' W > r ~ W LJ Q' > j' O " ~ fn e ~ Q. Q O ~ Q '^ L \/' ~ ° ° ~- ~O } 3 ~ ~ ~ w A ~ = J ~ ~ ~ mm ~ N Q D a Q 3/~I?Ja 'JNI~I ~ r 1 w ~/ > w ~ o ~ i ° ! r M a ' ~ O ~ a _ v6 S 2~ / /\ ' <~i a ap o ~~ Z ~ \ ! ~ `~ f / \ Page 1 of 1 Thomas Montgomery From: Ken Johnson [Ken.Johnson@dot.state.mn.usj Sent: Friday, November 02, 2007 9:49 AM To: Thomas Montgomery Cc: Clarkowski, Lynn; Impola, Lars; Johnson, Ken; Kauppi, Sheila Subject: TH 316 and Tuttle Drive Proposed Intersection Control Attachments: Hwy 316-Tuttle Drive Intersection Traffic Study Tom, Mn/DOT staff have met and discussed the possibility of a higher level of traffic control that the existing 2-way stop at TH 316 and Tuttle Drive. We have reviewed the traffic study provided by the city of Hastings and written by Wenck Associates. The city has raised the possibility of a roundabout at this location, and we've previously discussed that Mn/DOT would allow a roundabout to be constructed if warrants are met for either a signal or an all-way stop control. As you note in the attached email, when the area is fully developed Stop Control warrants would reach the level that Mn/DOT would allow an all-way stop controlled (AWSC) intersection. We've also discussed the "catch-22" that we are in at this point. The city has decided not to allow development until some higher level of traffic control is placed at this location (currently 2-way stop controlled), but Mn/DOT does not allow signals or all-way stops until warrants are met, which will not occur if development is not there. This is a unique case as development seems very likely, the developer may be able to provide funds for a higher level of traffic control, and this is right at a transition point between speed limit zones. Mn/DOT Metro has decided that we would be willing to accept the "future" warrants so that the city could install a roundabout if the following would occur: - there is strong justification given by the city that the predicted "future" warrants that meet AWSC would be met in 5 years - there is a commitment to continue development adjacent to the existing development demonstrated by the construction of infrastructure (which would result in the future volumes for the warrants) - an ICE report is submitted to and approved by Mn/DOT Metro Traffic - it is understood that Mn/DOT has no funds identified to wntribute to intersection improvements at this location Please let me know if you have any additional comments or questions about this issue. Take care, Ken Ken E. Johnson, P.E. South Metro Area Engineer, Dakota and Scott Counties Mn/DOT Metropolitan District -Program Delivery 1500 West County Road B-2 Roseville, MN 55113 Office: 651-234-7718 Fax: 651-234-7608 ken~ohnson dot.sta..te.mn.us 11/5/2007