HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 09:T;q7%kw!f1ttemg .
Memorandum
To:
Honorable Mayor and City Council /�
From:
Steven C Mielke, City Administrator ,�
Copy:
Date:
May 9, 2014
Subject:
School Road Safety Task Force Update
City of Lakeville
Administration
The School Road Safety Task Force has been working diligently to meets its charge of
providing recommendations to the City, County and School Districts on issues related to
student safety. The Task Force has met three times and has concluded a portion of its work by
making recommendations on Roadway and Traffic issues.
Charge
The City Council resolution establishing the taskforce included the following charge:
• Consider and provide recommendations on identified road and pedestrian projects
based upon determined needs. The recommendations shall be divided into road
projects and pedestrian/bicycle projects due to the nature of funding sources.
• Review existing City, County and School information on identified issues, processes
and enforcement impacting student safety.
On May 6 the Task Force concluded its discussion of Roadway and Traffic Issues. The attached
"Prioritization of Roadway & Traffic Issues" provides the Task Forces findings and
recommendations.
The Task Force reviewed 18 school related sites in Lakeville. Each Task Force member
personally reviewed two sites and reported out their findings. In most cases the Task Force
Members contacted the school principals to obtain further insight. The Members then
reported their finding and the group discussed and ultimately voted to establish their
prioritized list of project needs.
The Task Force also received information on the overall City needs and CIP projects currently
in place. The Task Force discussion focused on roadway needs identified with school sites and
did not discuss or attempt to prioritize other projects in the City.
The Task Force is currently reviewing and prioritizing pedestrian and bicycle needs near
school sites. The Task Force will conclude their discussion of these areas of concern at their
May 20 meeting. At the May 20 meeting the Task Force will also address policy and
enforcement topics and may be able to conclude its work at that meeting. If not, a final
meeting is scheduled for June 17.
Next Steps
The roadway prioritization is intended to provide the City, County and School Districts with
information relating to student safety on City and County roads. It is proposed that as City
and County Staffs prepare draft CIP's for the coming budget season that these
recommendations be reviewed and possibly incorporated into the documents. Ultimately the
prioritization of County and City road projects rests with the respective elected bodies at the
time of CIP adoption.
Additionally, it seems appropriate to consider forming a staff -based working group to look at
the work of the task force and to seek solutions to the issues raised in the task force's work.
Conclusion
The Task Force has not yet concluded it charge. Staff looks forward to the City Council's
reactions and guidance to the work thus far.
School Road Safety Task Force April/May 2014
Prioritization of Roadway & Traffic Issues
Members of the School Road Safety Task Force were each assigned school buildings to
observe traffic and pedestrian movements during the morning student drop-off and
afternoon pick-up times and to collect recommendations from principals and/or the
appropriate building manager. Task force members then shared their results and
observations at the April 15 meeting and used a prioritization process to provide a clarity
for decision makers who are involved with addressing these concerns.
At the May 6th meeting, the Task Force recommended the City of Lakeville, Dakota County and
School Districts collaborate as needed to develop and implement solutions to address the
identified issues. The following is the final list as prioritized by the task force at the May 6th
meeting:
1. Lakeville North High School - Dodd Boulevard (CSAH 9) from 185th Street to 194th
Street should be improved and include turn lanes at major intersections as needed. (11
votes)
Comment. The task force recommends Dakota County, the City of Lakeville and School
District 194 consider interim safety measures along Dodd Boulevard to improve traffic flow
and access restrictions to Lakeville North High School student parking lot prior to Winter
2014-2015 or until Dodd Boulevard is fully improved.
2. Orchard Lake Elementary - traffic stacks out onto Klamath Trail for north and south
bound traffic during drop-off and pick-up. (7 votes)
3. Oak Hills Elementary - No crosswalk at Holbrook and 165th Street (long walk to get to
crosswalk); Horizon Avenue does not have sidewalks and the street gets very narrow in
the winter time which causes issues with two way traffic and students walking in the
street; parents park along Horizon Boulevard to drop-off and pick-up kids. (6 votes)
4. Lakeville South High School - needs trails/shoulder along 210th Street and an improved
pedestrian crossing at 210th Street and Jacquard Avenue. (5 votes)
5. All Saints Catholic School - traffic stacks out onto Holyoke Avenue during afternoon
pick-up. (5 votes)
6. Kenwood Trail Middle School - needs traffic control at 192nd Street. (4 votes)
7. McGuire Middle School - improvements are needed to Holyoke Avenue and a left turn
lanes at Holyoke and 210th Street. (3 votes)
8. JFK Elementary- flashing red signal at 210th Street and Holyoke. (3 votes)
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School Road Safety Task Force April./May 2014
9. North Trail Elementary - traffic stacks back into parking lot when trying to turn left out
of the parking lot onto 170th Street. (2 votes)
10. All school sites in general should improve internal parking lot traffic flow in an effort to
separate bus and car traffic as much as possible. (2 votes)
11. Cherry View Elementary - The school has a single entry and exit point off 175th Street
that requires the mixing of bus and car traffic; consider adding a second access point
onto Highview Avenue to provide one way traffic flow through the site. (2 votes)
12. Parkview Elementary - traffic volumes and speed at the intersection of Gerdine Path
and Foliage Avenue is an issue. (1 vote)
13. Christina Huddleston Elementary - It is difficult due to traffic volume and proximity to
the intersection for parents to take a left turn out of the east driveway onto 175th Street.
(1 vote)
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