by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
An engineering corridor study for Pinecone Road improvements was authorized by the Sartell City Council at its last meeting.
The council approved spending $79,000 for the study, which will result in detailed plans for construction next year. The money is available from the city’s public improvements revolving fund.
The study will determine appropriate traffics controls, improvements for pedestrian safety and the feasibility of constructing roundabouts at several intersections. Such redesign projects along the Pinecone corridor have long been a high priority of the city council, especially as traffic has increased dramatically along Pinecone in recent years.
The study will closely examine three segments of the roadway.
- 15th Street to 40th Street N., including 27th Street N. from Pinecone to Riverside Avenue.
- 2nd Street S. to 15th St. N.
- CR 120 to 2nd St. S.
Sartell City Engineer Mike Nielson outlined the problems within each of those segments.
The study of Segment 1 will consider widening Pinecone and on 27th Street N. to Riverside Avenue. Those roadways are extremely busy mainly due to schools in that area.
The study of Segment 2 will determine how best to replace badly deteriorated pavement surfaces along Pinecone, including intersection reconstructions, with possibly the addition of some roundabouts.
The study of Segment 3 will examine existing traffic control at all intersections and make recommendations for improvements.
The study will also determine where best to place right- and left-turn lanes.
Council member Amy Braig-Lindstrom requested that 1st Street S. – the place where it meets with Pinecone Road – be included in the engineering study. That roadway, which leads to the Bernick’s Pepsi Arena and the Grandview Estates apartments, is mistaken by some residents as just a driveway, Braig-Lindstrom told the council.
After the study, construction will begin in spring 2015, with the first phase being Segment 1, Nielson noted.
