by Dennis Dalman
Some Sartell residents, worried about safety, have been requesting controlled pedestrian crossings in the city, both across Pinecone Road.
One is 15th Street S. with Pinecone Market Place and the other is Pinecone Central Boulevard by the entrance to Pinecone Central Park.
Sartell City Engineer Jon Halter outlined the citizen requests at the last city council meeting. Halter asked the council for directions to proceed or not to proceed with fixes for both those areas.
As for 15th Street S., Halter said that traffic volume and speed on that portion of Pinecone Road would likely call for a substantial construction project, including perhaps even an overhead flashing device. Such major changes could cost a rough estimate of anywhere from $150,00 to $250,000, depending on which solution is preferred, according to Halter’s written agenda comments to the council.
At the crossing at Pinecone Central Boulevard, there is a striped and signed crosswalk. A push-button activated flash warning light could be installed at a cost of between $30,000 to $40,000, or a sidewalk could be added to the west side of Pinecone Road stretching to Seventh Street. That crossing on Pinecone currently has a yellow flashing light that is activated during school hours, but Halter said a push-button activated flasher could be installed there, too, as well as at Pinecone Central Boulevard. Installation of a sidewalk with the two push-button activated flashers might cost between $80,000 and $100,000, Halter noted in his memo.
After further discussion, the council authorized Halter and city staff to do further study and cost estimates for improvements at the two crossings.