HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Information Memorandum 05-27-1998Y
JOINT MEETING OF PLYMOUTH AND ORONO CITY COUNCILS
MAY 27,1998; 5:30 P.M.
PLYMOUTH PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING
PROPOSED AGENDA
1. Introductions of council members and staff
2. Background report -Fred Moore
3. Road width design
a. 28 feet with turn lanes
b. 32 feet with on -street bike lanes
c. 28 feet
4. Curb design
a. Vertical curb
b. Surmountable curb
5. Cost sharing agreement
a. 50-50 split of all costs
b. Costs allocated according to amount of roadway in each City
(Plymouth paying for trail costs)
6. Other issues
7. Adjourn
Agenda Number:
DATE: May 27, 1998 for the City Council Meeting of May 27, 1998
TO: Dwight D. Johnson, City Manager
FROM: Fred G. Moore, Director of Public Works
SUBJECT: FERNDALE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
COUNTY ROAD 6 TO HIGHWAY 12
CITY PROJECT NO. 6007
ACTION REQUESTED: After discussion with the Orono City Council give staff
direction on road width, cost sharing and curb design for the Ferndale Road Improvement
Project.
BACKGROUND: On April 15, 1998, the City Council received the preliminary
engineering report for the Ferndale Road Improvement Project. This will be a joint project
between the cities of Orono and Plymouth since the city limit line is on the center of the
road between the two cities. For the northerly 0.82 miles each city abuts the roadway. For
the southerly 0.25 miles all of the roadway is within the City of Orono and part of the
abutting property is within Orono and the other part is within Wayzata. On this southerly
portion, none of the abutting property is within the City of Plymouth.
The preliminary engineering report reviewed three options for the width of the street:
Option 1 - 28 foot wide with turn lanes.
Option 2 - 32 foot wide with no turn lanes and a marked bike lane on the street.
Option 3 - 28 foot wide with no turn lanes and no marked bike lane.
Attached is a summary of the advantages/disadvantages of each option from the report.
All options included a ten foot wide bituminous trail along the east side of the street for
pedestrians and bicyclists. Also, all options are for an urban roadway with concrete curb
and gutter and storm sewer since this will cause the least disruption to the adjacent
properties.
Road Width - Throughout the public involvement process, with two public information
meetings for residents of all three cities, the residents have stated that they are in favor of
SUBJECT: FERNDALE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
COUNTY ROAD 6 TO HIGHWAY 12
CITY PROJECT NO. 6007
Page 2
the narrowest road possible for the improvement of Ferndale Road and for the least
disruption to the adjacent properties. A majority of the comments received state the need
for an off road trail along Ferndale Road.
Ferndale Road is designated as a collector street in the Plymouth Transportation Plan. The
current traffic volumes are about 3,500 vehicles per day with the traffic expected to
increase to about 5,000 vehicles per day during the 20 year road design (2017). Based
upon the projected traffic volumes, the roadway does not require separate turn lanes in
accordance with engineering standards.
Hennepin County has designed a bikeway along County Road 6 at the northerly end of the
project. This bikeway exists as an eight foot wide striped shoulder along the existing
county road. Close to the southerly end of this project is the Luce Line trail which is a
major east/west pedestrian/bicyclist corridor in the area. Ferndale Road provides a
connection between these two pedestrian/bicyclist corridors.
Since Ferndale Road will be providing a link between these corridors, it would be my
recommendation that the roadway be improved to a 32 foot width which would provide
four foot wide marked bike lanes on the roadway. This would provide for safety for the
higher speed bicyclist which will be using the roadway not the off road trail.
The Orono City Council has adopted a recommendation for a 28 foot wide MSA road with
an urban curb.
Curb Design - The proposed curb design is for a vertical curb along the road. Mayor
Tierney has stated she would like consideration for the surmountable curb so that any
bicyclist riding on the road surface could "bail out" quickly if a large truck or similar
traffic hazard threatens a bicyclist on a possible 28 foot street. Surmountable curbs are
designed so that they can be drove over easily. This invites motorists to drive on the
boulevard when making turns at intersections or to pass a vehicle stopped or slowed to
make a left turn on the street. In order to reduce the impact to the adjacent properties, it is
very likely that the trail will be immediately adjacent to the curb along the east side of the
street. The surmountable curbs will also invite motorists to use a part of the trail as a
roadway which will provide an additional safety hazard to the pedestrians.
Because of the hazards that the surmountable curb create for pedestrians adjacent to the
roadway, I believe this out -weights the benefit for a surmountable curb. The same benefit
can be provided with the additional width of the roadway for the marked bike lane. A 28
foot wide road with surmountable curb is 30 foot wide including curb. A 32 foot wide
roadway with vertical curb is 33 foot wide including curb. The additional three foot width
would have no measurable impact on the adjacent properties. Also, since the road would
\\Ply_nt\ntdisk 1\pw\Engineering\PROJECTS\607\MEMOS\Ferndale.doc
SUBJECT: FERNDALE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
COUNTY ROAD 6 TO HIGHWAY 12
CITY PROJECT NO. 6007
Page 3
be marked for the bike lane there would be a narrower traffic lane marked for the vehicles
(12 foot wide) versus the traffic lane on a 28 foot wide street (14 foot wide).
The Orono City Council has taken no specific action on the type of curb on the roadway.
Cost Sharing - The two cities must agree on cost sharing. The roadway has been designed
on the state aid system based upon the mileage within each City. Funds received from
state aid are as follows:
Orono 60%
Plymouth 40%
The following would be cost sharing based on two options. There could be many
variances on these options. The first option is with each City paying for the cost of the
roadway within that City and Plymouth paying the cost of the trail. The second option is a
50/50 split of all project costs including the trail. Each option is shown for both the 28 foot
and 32 foot wide roadway.
Paying Within Each City/Plymouth Paying Trail
Plymouth Orono Total
Option 2 - 32 foot wide $596,843 (44%) $774,853 (56%) $1,371,696
Option 3 - 28 foot wide $569,215 (44%) $731,818 (56%) $1,301,033
50/50 Split
Plymouth Orono Total
Option 2 - 32 foot wide $685,848 $685,848 $1,371,696
Option 3 - 28 foot wide $650,517 $650,516 $1,301,033
Orono has adopted a recommendation that the cost be split 50/50 between the cities of
Orono and Plymouth including the trail.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: Both cities and the area residents all
agree that the roadway needs improvement. This improvement project has been
recognized for many years with both cities working to have the roadway placed on the state
aid system in order that funding would be available for its construction. I believe both
cities are in agreement on many parts of the proposed improvement.
• Urban Design
• Storm Sewer
• Separate Pedestrian Trail
N:\pw\Engineering\PROJECTS\607MAEMOS\Femdale.doc
SUBJECT: FERNDALE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
COUNTY ROAD 6 TO HIGHWAY 12
CITY PROJECT NO. 6007
Page 4
It appears that the main three items on which the cities need to reach an agreement are:
• Road Width
• Type of Curb
• Cost Sharing
The Plymouth City Council has taken no action on the Ferndale Road Improvement
Project. The Orono City Council has adopted a motion which states as follows:
The recommendation is for a 28 foot wide MSA road, with urban curb, and cost
being split 50/50 between the cities of Orono and Plymouth.
Fred G. Moore, P.E.
Director of Public Works
attachment: Report
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Using assumed peak hour percentage of 12 percent, the existi daily volume of 3500 VPD
and a di ctional split of 60/40, the peak hour flow onFe ale Road is 250 in the major
direction 170 in the off-peak direction. The Tutu volume projection of 5000 VPD
translates to a ak hour flow of 360 in the peak direct' and 240 in the off-peak direction.
Considering the le turn lane warrants cont ' ed in the State of Minnesota Road Design
Manual for rural inte ctions of roadwa with a 70 km/h (43 mph) design speed (the
minimum speed used in th anual), n of the intersections along Ferndale Road warrant a
left turn lane. 'These warran are ed on the volume estimates. If peak hour left turns
increased to 50 or greater for any the intersections, a left tum lane would be warranted at that
location based on the State of nnes Road Design Manual.
There are advantages t eft turn lanes that ed to be stated. The primary benefits are safety
oriented. The left lane allows for left to vehicles to move from the through lane thus
decreasing the tential for rear end accidents. left turning vehicle in a left turn lane
decreases th elay to through traffic and the intersecti capacity is increased. A 1976 traffic
analysis or
Ferndale Road conducted by Barton-Asc an Associates recommended that
left lanes be constructed at 6" Avenue North, Chevy Chase Drive and the north and south
legs of Brockton Lane North.
Street Width Options
Three width options for the reconstruction of Ferndale Road are presented in this report.
The proposed street width options for Ferndale Road are as follows:
8.4 meters (28 feet) with turn lanes,
' . 9.8 meters (32 feet) with no turn lanes
8.4 meters (28 feet) with no turn lanes
Typical sections and striping layouts for all three options are shown on Figures 3 through 8
in this report. A summary of the advantages and disadvantages for the three options is
presented below.
Option 1: 8.4 meters (28 feet) face to face where no turn lanes are present
I 11 meters (36 feet) face to face where turn lanes are present
1 Advantages:
Provides landscaped traffic islands
Provides room for turn lanes, improving safety
Decreases delays to through traffic
Turn lanes will increase roadway capacity
IPlymouth Feasibility Report — Ferndale Road Reconstruction 6
. Turn lanes will increase traffic safety
Provides greatest flexibility for curvilinear alignment
Disadvantages:
i. Has the potential for increasing speeds (1-2 mph)
Provides no room for bicycle / pedestrian lane
Option 2: 9.8 meters (32 feet) face to face
Advantages:
Allows operation flexibility with lane striping, either 2-12 foot traffic lanes and 2-4 foot
bicycle lanes or 2-11 foot driving lanes and 1-8 foot parking lane
• Lane width provides for safer traffic movement, allows for increased reaction time
Provides some room for bicyclists
Disadvantages:
Does not provide tum lanes for traffic safety
Will not have the potential for decreasing speeds (1-2 mph)
IOption 3: 8.4 meters (28 feet) face to face
Advantages:
Minimum width as recommended by state aid standards, least expensive option
Provides an adequate through lane for traffic in each direction
• Has the potential of increasing traffic delays which may reduce speeds
Disadvantages:
Does not provide room for turn lanes, decreases safety of turning and through traffic
Winter snow and ice accumulation may narrow roadway
Does not provide room for on street pedestrian and bicycle traffic
Has the potential of increasing traffic delays
In an effort to help promote slower traffic speeds, a curvilinear horizontal alignment
for all street options will be encouraged to the extents possible in the design phase of
this project.
Plymouth Feasibility Report — Ferndale Road Reconstruction
7