Caledonia Argus

Completion of streets near school concerns citizens, city council

Posted: 3/12/02

by Jane Palen
Managing editor

Members of the law enforcement community, school board and administration, and concerned citizens attended the city council meeting Monday evening to discuss plans for controlling traffic at the West Main, Highway 44 intersection.

Mayor Bob Burns led off the discussion by noting that two separate issues are involved. First is the issue of West Main and Highway 44, and second is the issue of whether a second access road would be viable.

Burns said that the Department of Transportation has indicated that it is probably not going to lower the speed limit at that part of the highway based on the speed of the current traffic.

ìWe are making a request for a review of that decision and asking that traffic be slowed down,î said Burns. He added, however, that the prospect of getting a lower speed limit there does not look good.

Sgt. Darryl Peterson of the Minnesota State Patrol said that officials from MnDot have said that they canít authorize a stoplight at the intersection based on predictions of what the traffic might be like. The traffic patterns need to be established before changes can be made. He said he believes that the current speed limit of 45 is too fast for that area.

Robert Standish, who researched solutions for the school board, presented the council with a sample agreement for crossing guards at the intersection. Crossing guards have been successfully used in other communities and could work here, he said.

Busses will take students from the current high school to the new middle/high school, but there is still a concern for the safety of students who must go to school early or stay late and will walk or ride bikes to the school.

Another concern voiced at the meeting was that there is currently only one access road, Gjere Avenue, in and out of the school. Gjere Avenue winds past the West Main townhome development and a mobile home park.

Several at the meeting expressed the thought that Esch Drive should be completed. Esch Drive is the road between Dairy Queen and Alco that ends next to the S&S Car Wash. Representatives of the school told the council that it was their understanding when the land for the school was purchased, Esch Drive would be going in. No representatives of Ma Cal Developers were present at Mondayís meeting.

Forty of the 65 acres purchased for the school were purchased from Gerald Loeffler. At the time of the sale, options on the land were held by Ma Cal Developers. Ma Cal Developers own the land east of the school property to Esch Drive.

Mayor Burns suggested that instead of Esch Drive being extended, Kruckow Avenue, which runs in front of the cityís new well and electrical substation, be finished. That street would meet the current Gjere Avenue. Burns said that the street should have been put in already. About 300 ft. of street would have to be put in to connect Kruckow Avenue with Gjere Avenue.

Also brought up was building a street north to connect to Highway 76. That may be accomplished in the future , but land would have to be obtained so that turning lanes from the highway could be built.

School board member Chuck Schulte told the council that he believes kids will take the most direct route, which would be Esch Drive, and that they will take that route whether there is a road there or not.

ìIf you donít have Esch Drive complete, youíll have to put up a fence to control foot traffic,î said Burns.

Another participant at the meeting, Pete Congdon, pointed out that having only one access road could create problems for emergency vehicles.

Mayor Burns said that he is against the city having to pay for the extension of Esch Drive.

ìTypically, the developer puts in the streets and includes it in the price when he sells the land,î said Burns. ìI donít want to buy the land and then have to put in the street too.î According to figures presented at the meeting, it would cost about $100,000 for the land to finish Esch Drive and Kruckow Avenue and purchase a parcel of land on which a retention pond now sits.

ìItís going to get costly and the city is going to have to pay the bill,î said Burns.

The subject of obtaining the land through eminent domain was also discussed. According to City Attorney Tim Murphy, a ìquick takeî action can result in the city taking possession of the land before the matter is completely through the courts.

Another option is for the city to build the road and assess the cost back to property owners as the land is developed.

The council agreed to invite representatives of Ma Cal Developers to another meeting to try to reach an agreement.

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