Title
Requesting a variance from Minnesota Municipal State Aid Rules for the Concordia Mill & Overlay Project from Snelling Avenue to Marion Street.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul plans to repave portions of Concordia Avenue and construct pedestrian curb ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act using Municipal State Aid funds; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota State Aid Rules apply for all streets designated as Municipal State Aid Streets (including Concordia Avenue from Snelling Avenue to Marion Street), for which the City of St. Paul receives formula funding for the maintenance and operation of these streets; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota State Aid Rule 8820.9946 Minimum Design Standards, Urban; Reconditioning Projects and Municipal State Aid Rule 8820.9951 Minimum Design Standards, On-Road Bicycle Facilities for Urban; Reconditioning Projects provide dimensional standards only for one-way streets with two or more through lanes; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota State Aid Rules 8820.9936 and 8820.9941 pertaining to reconstruction of Municipal State Aid streets clearly state that one-way streets must have at least two (2) through-traffic lanes; and
WHEREAS, Concordia Avenue is classified as a major collector street between Snelling Avenue and Marion Street with an average daily traffic volume ranging from 2,200 to 4,850 vehicles per day and the city’s Public Works Traffic Engineering Division Works has confirmed that one lane of traffic can accommodate this volume of vehicles; and
WHEREAS, historic speed data collected by the city at midblock locations have found that the average speeds on Concordia range from 31 to as high as 37 mph, despite a speed limit of 30mph (which dropped to 25mph in 2020 with citywide speed limit changes); and
WHEREAS, the city has received neighborhood and resident concerns about speeding and traffic safety on Concordia Avenue for many years; and
WHEREAS, the repaving of Concordia presents an opportunity for the city to re-thin...
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