04/04/2006 - City Council Regular (3)From~~Mira Pepper lj't~,Z
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 9:35 AM G'
To; 'VICKIE CARL CONSTABLE'
Subject: RE: Diffley Marketplace
Your message has been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council. Thank you for your comments.
From: VICKIE CARL CONSTABLE [mailto:cvconstable@msn.com]
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 9:30 AM
To: City Council
Subject: Diffley Marketplace
Importance: High
Hello! We wanted to send an email to voice our opinion of the Diffley Marketplace and the access onto Daniel
Drive. We do not want the access onto Daniel Drive. We live on Braddock trail, in that neighborhood and
actually recently moved here. We have small children who are out and about as other children are in the
neighborhood. We also use a daycare that is located on Daniel Drive. We are concerned with the impact that an
Access on Daniel Drive to this marketplace will have on the traffic flow on Daniel and therefore we are concerned
about the safety of us and our children.
People already drive too fast on Daniel Drive when they come off of Diffley. Increasing traffic and therefore the
number of cars will put this neighborhood at higher risk of an accident or even death.
Honestly I don't understand why there needs to be access onto Daniel. The other marketplace on Lexington (the
other side of Walgreens) has two entrance/exit points and they are both onto Lexington, not into a
neighborhood. Why can't this new marketplace have entrance/exit points only onto Diffley? I don't see how tha~
is asking too much.
We ultimately are only concerned about the safety of the neighborhood and we can prevent someone from
getting hurt, then this is what we need to do. Please do not put access onto Daniel Drive. There is no need.
Carl and Vickie Constable
4410 Braddock Trail
From: Mira Pepper
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 8:31 AM
To: 'Gary Bosiacki'
Subject: 1ZE: Daniel Drive
Your message has been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council. Thank you for your comments.
From: Gary Bosiacki [mailto:garymbos@msn.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 7:29 PM
To: City Council
Subject: Daniel Drive
It is inconceivable how a grocery store development can go through with no controlled traffic access (I.E. a
stoplight)on the corner of Diffley Road and Lexington Avenue. I am a resident on Braddock Trail (4366), and am
quite confident that we will will see a significant increase in traffic by lost shoppers. My kids play in and around
our driveway and the potential consequences really frighten me.
It is nearly impossible now during peak traffic periods to cross Diffley from Daniel Drive. And, how can it be that
with Northview Elementary across the street that the busses will ever be able to leave the school?
This whole potential development has all the ingredients of disaster. I fully support NO ACCESS ON DANIEL
DRIVE. This would be a large mistake.
Gary Bosiacki
4366 Braddock Trail
651 686-8919
Chan, 4266 Daniel, 3-31
From: Mira Pepper
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 10:23 AM
To: 'Hate kevin'
Subject: RE: Diffley Marketplace
Your messages have been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council. Thank you for your
comments.
-----original Message-----
From: Hate kevin [mailto:kellysuetony@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 7:21 AM
To: Mike Ma uire; mikemaguire@visi.com
Subject: Diffley Marketplace
Hello and thank you for your time. we are concerned parents who live on Daniel
Drive. Daniel Drive is a high traffic street, with many who drive at speeds around
45 mph. Police patrols and electronic speed signs have not seemed to make a big
difference. If the traffic is allowed to increase due to the Marketplace Proposal
I'm afraid that one of our neighborhood children will be seriously injured or
killed.
This is a family neighborhood and allowing such a large-scale project does not fit
with our needs. our children must walk on Daniel Drive to get to the bus stop, walk
to school and fetch the occasional ball that rolls into the street. Crossing Daniel
Drive to Northview Elementary is already dangerous enough for the parents who are
driving vehicles. Please do not forget about the young people who walk across the
Daniel Drive/Diffley intersection daily from Dakota Hills Middle and the Eagan High
School to get to their homes. These children do not go to the stoplights to cross
the street. They most definitely take the short cut by Daniel Drive; and do not
have the foresight to see the dangers.
The proposed project will increase our street's traffic to enormous proportions.
Please do not al~ow this to happen. we have faith that as our elected officials you
will use this privilege for the good of our community.
Thank you again,
The Chan Family
4266 Daniel Drive
DO YOU Yah00!?
Tired of seam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://maip.yahoo.com
Page 1
From: Mira Pepper
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 2:19 PM
To: 'Kristi Hassett'
Subject: RE: Diffley Marketplace
Your message has been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council as well as the Public Works Director. Thank you for your
comments.
From: Kristi Hassett [mailto:kristihassett@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 2:11 PM
To: City Council
Subject: Diffley Marketplace
Hello - I am writing to once again voice my opposition to a two way access to Daniel Drive from Diffley Marketplace.
Daniel drive is a quiet residential street with many small children and three schools within a two block radius. The increased traffi
brought on by Diffley Marketplace customers cutting through our neighborhood would not be a desirable outcome. Please suppo
our neighborhood in the upcoming council meeting by denying access to Daniel Drive!
Sincerely,
Kristi Hassett
4237 Daniel Drive
From: Mira Pepper
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 10:51 AM
To: 'Bree Kerrick'
Subject: RE: Diffley Marketplace - No Access to Daniel Drive
Your message has been forwarded to the Mayor and Council. Thank you for your comments.
From: Bree Kerrick lmailto:bree.kerrick@exactsoftware.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 10:49 AM
Subject: Diffley Marketplace - No Access to Daniel Drive
As a Citizen of Eagan residing on Lexington Pointe Parkway, I want to thank you for your proposal to limit traffic access to Daniel
Drive from the proposed Diffley Marketplace, and I want to encourage you to continue to fight on our behalf and not allow this
project to continue until the advised 3/4 access at Diffley Road and cone-way "entrance only" access from Daniel Drive is
approved.
With estimates that the new marketplace will have a citywide draw of 15,000 customer trips per week, and 30 truck deliveries per
day. This will jeopardize the character and safety of the surrounding residential area, adding a significant amount of additional
traffic, particularly routing people down Daniel Drive and the surrounding residential streets.
If In/Out access is allowed to Daniel Drive, there will be cut through traffic that will travel through Braddock Trail, Trenton Trail anc
Lexington Pointe Way to/from the Diffley Marketplace. Not to mention the "stacking" of vehicles attempting to access Diffley. Ther
already is an issue with speed on this road and additional traffic will only worsen the problem. The Plat Commission "concurs that
concentrating traffic at Daniel Drive for the commercial access is not a reasonable alternative". This traffic will endanger the safety of
ALL; children, adults and pets.
Please continue to support our community and keep our neighborhood streets safe.
Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Sincerely,
Bree Kerrick
4332 Lexington Pointe Pkwy
Eagan, MN 55123
From: Mira Pepper
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 8:05 AM
To: Cyndee Fields; Meg Tilley; Mike Maguire; Pat Geagan; Peggy Carlson
Cc: Tom Hedges; Tom Colbert
Subject: FW: One Way Access ONLY from Daniel Drive to Diffley Marketplace
From: Glenn Lindgren [mailto:glenn@glennlindgren.com]
Sent: Monday, March 27, 2006 8:31 PM
To: City Council
Subject: One Way Access ONLY from Daniel Drive to DifFley Marketplace
Please stand firm against the County on this issue!
Glenn Lindgren
933 Curry Trail
Eagan, MN 55123
From: Tom Colbert
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 12:37 PM
To: 'mad4249@comcast.net'
Cc: Mira Pepper; Tim Plath
Subject: FW: Diffley Marketplace -impact on Braddock Trail
Richard and Peggy Madison,
Your message to the City Council expressing your concerns about potential traffic impacts from
the proposed Diffley Market Place development was forwarded to my attention as well.
City staff have evaluated and analyzed various traffic generation and distribution scenarios and
we are confident that there will be no adverse traffic impacts to Braddock Trail from the proposed
development.
Please let us know if we can address any other concerns.
Thomas A. Colbert, P.E.
Director of Public Works
City of Eagan, MN 55122-1897
(651) 675-5635 (Ph)
(651) 675-5694 (fax)
tco Ibert@cityo feagan.com
From: Mira Pepper
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 10:51 AM
To: 'Richard Madison'
Subject: RE: Diffley Marketplace
Your message has been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council as well as the Public Works
Director. Thank you for your comments.
From: Richard Madison [mailto:mad4249@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 10:51 AM
To: City Council
Cc: John and Dawn Lyons; nocaaessondaniel@yahoo.com
Subject: Diffley Marketplace
My home is at 4249 Braddock trail and we have lived here for 20 years. Braddock trail has it own
set of problems with poor site lines, Eagan High School traffic, and a high speed limit that can not
be lowered or enforced. What ever you do on the Diffley Market place issue, Please keep in mind
our street, and its problems. We do not need any more traffic sent down Braddock trail.
Good luck with this matter.
Richard and Peggy Madison
4249 Braddock Trail
Spencer, 830 Curry Trail, 3-31
From: Mira Pepper
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 8:17 AM
To: 'Kathy_Spencer@Thermoking.com'
Subject: RE: NO ACCESS from DANIEL DRIVE!!!
Your message has been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council. Thank you for your
comments.
-----Original Message-----
From: Kathy_Spencer@Thermoking.com [mailto:Kathy_Spencer@Thermoking.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 1:24 PM
To: City Council
cc: noaccessondaniel@yahoo.com
Subject: NO ACCESS from DANIEL DRIVE!!!
Dear Mayor and City Council Members,
Thank you for allowing me to express my concerns about the proposed Diffley
Marketplace access from Daniel Drive.
I live at 830 Curry Trail, which is on the south corner of Curry Trail and Daniel
Drive. My lot is a bus stop for the elementary children, and each morning there are
approximately 8-10 children who walk down Daniel Drive to get to our corner. There
they play until the bus arrives around 9:00 am.
Each afternoon they are dropped off at the same corner, and must walk down Daniel
Drive to get to their homes.
In addition, I have a middle school student, my daughter, who has to walk down
Daniel Drive to get to her bus stop at the north end of Curry and Daniel--only one
block away from the proposed intersection for Diffley Marketplace.
These same children ride their bikes and roller blade on Daniel Drive when they are
not in school. it is their neighborhood, it is residential, and they should be
allowed to continue to enjoy these activities safely.
Increasing the traffic on Daniel Drive is surely a cause for concern.
In closing, I am extremely concerned for the safety of these and the other
neighborhood children if the access from Daniel Drive is allowed. There
is currently a significant amount of traffic on Daniel Drive, and increasing the
traffic for the sake of access to the retail stores (when there is already access on
Diffley and Lexington) seems irresponsible to me. I do not understand why the
County Commissioners do not give the safety of the residents the utmost
consideration when making decisions.
Hopefully the City of Eagan will.
Thank you again for your consideration.
Kathy Spencer
Manager, Disbursements and Controls
Thermo King Corporation
Ingersoll Rand Climate Control Technologies
Phone: (952) 887-2660
Fax: (952) 885-3513
Email: Kathy_Spencer@Thermoking.com
-----------------------------------------
The information contained in this message is privileged and intended only for the
recipients named. If the reader is not a representative of the intended recipient,
any review, dissemination or copying of this message or the information it contains
is prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately notify
the sender, and delete the original message and attachments.
Page 1
Boyle, 4286 Daniel, 3-27-06
From: Mira Pepper
Sent: Monday, March 27, 2006 1:10 PM
To: '~eff Boyle'
subject: RE: Opposed to Daniel Drive Access/Diffley Marketplace
Your message has been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council. Thank you for your
comments.
-----Original Message-----
From: ~e f Boyle [mailto:jirish95@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, March 27, 2006 12:19 PM
To: City Council
Subject: Opposed to Daniel Drive Access/Diffley Marketplace
Dear City Council Members,
Hello
I was certainly disappointed and upset with the recent development regarding Dakota
County's decision to oppose the single access "only" onto Daniel Drive from the
proposed Diffley Marketplace Development. I've watched this process closely from
the beginning - starting with the City of Ea~an's Planning Commission which voted
the development down 5-2, to the City Council actions and comments, to Dakota
County's Platt Commission which recommended the compromise. All parties mentioned
have commented and agreed that such a large retail development directing cars onto a
residential street such as Daniel Drive is unacceptable. while I wasn't happy with
the "entry only" compromise, I begrudgingly thought it was "OK". I'm now
furious that the County is holding our residential area hostage. The
residents of Daniel Drive and the connecting streets are overwhelmingly against this
access.
It's my understanding that the area by the proposed access to Daniel Drive was
o n ginally zoned for 100 acres of commercial development, and was later altered to
include 80 acres of residential housing which now exists? why can't the County
realize this and act appropriately? I m already concerned about the level and speed
of traffic we currently have on Daniel Drive, not withstanding what would happen
should a full access be permitted. dust look at the existing large grocery stores
currently in Eagan (Cub, Rainbow & Byerly's), all of them are located in major
commercial developments and in no instance is any of the traffic exiting directly
onto a residential housing road.
I want to thank the City Council for your opposition to this access in the past and
in trying to work out a compromise with the County. It appears they won't work with
us. I trust that you will continue to fight for the residents of the Daniel Drive
area in your continued opposition to this access going forward.
Sincerely,
Jeff Boyle
4286 Daniel Drive
Page 1
From: Tom Colbert
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 1:00 PM
To: 'engmajor@comcast.net'
Cc: Mira Pepper; 'Sebastian, Kristi ;John Gorder
Subject: FW: Diffley Marketplace
Ms. Hansen,
Your comments to the City Council regarding the County's involvement in the
development's access to a city street was also forwarded to my attention for
possible comment.
The issue of the private driveway connection to a local city street (Daniel
Dr.) is directly related to the County's authority for access management
along County Roads. The current full movement access median break on Diffley
Rd. (walgreen's frontage road and Northview Elem School access) does not
meet the County's current access spacing guidelines. Any type of median
break at this location requires a variance approved by the County Board.
The County Board has stated that a variance approval will only be granted if
the existing full access median break is reduced to a "3/4" restricted
access (no left turns onto the Co. Rd.) and a full 2-way connection is
provided to Daniel Dr.
I am forwarding your inquiry to Kristi Sebastian, County Traffic Engineer,
to respond to the reasons why a one-way entrance only connection to Daniel
Dr. is not acceptable to the County.
If I can answer any additional questions, please feel free to contact me at
your convenience.
Thomas A. Colbert, P.E.
Director of Public works
City of Eagan, MN 55122-1897
(651) 675-5635 (Ph)
(651) 675-5694 (fax)
tcolbert@cityofeagan.com
-----original Message-----
From: Mira Pepper
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006.11:42 AM
To: 'Christine Hansen'
Subject: RE: Diffley Marketplace
Your message has been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council. Thank you
for your comments.
-----Original Message-----
From: Christine Hansen [mailto:engmajor@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 11:37 AM
To: City Council
Subject: Diffley Marketplace
Dear Mayor and Councilpersons:
First, my thanks for your willingness to go to the mat for our neighborhood
with the county concerning access to this development. It's great to feel
that our concerns are being taken seriously by our elected officials.
I know that this has been explained to me, but how the county can tell the
city that this CITY road cannot be a one way is a mystery. The proposal met
all their criteria, which really makes me wonder what their agenda truly is.
Anyway, please continue to help us fight for the safety and livablity of our
neighborhood, and thank you,
Christine Hansen
4221 Daniel Drive
From: Ivlira Pepper
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 11:17 AM
To: 'Trade Hughes'
Subject: RE: April 4th meeting/Diffley Marketplace and Daniel Drive
Your message has been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council. Thank you for your comments.
From: Trade Hughes [mailto:traciehughes@comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 11:15 AM
To: City Council
Subject: April 4th meeting/Diffley Marketplace and Daniel Drive
First of all I want to thank each one of you for supporting us, the residence of Eagan, and encourage you all to continue to do so!
I have been very frustrated with the way the County has handled this situation and how it's made it's decisions. We hope that yoi
continue to see the issues surrounding the proposed full access onto Daniel Drive and the safety concerns that we as a
neighborhood have.
No Access On Daniel Drive is where I stand. We need to remember some important facts. The land use plan that is out there for
this property was for use with 100 acres not the proposed 11 acres that currently stands. Has anyone looked into this? That ther
is a public document filed by the developer that states that there will be queing and stacking on Daniel Drive if there is to be a full
access. Remember also, that the Council can advise the developer to go "right in right out" on Diffley and have no access on
Daniel Drive and leave it up to the developer to deal with the County in the future. I've heard on several different occaissions that
the County was suprised by the fact that the residence were the ones dealing with the county and that the developers are usually
the ones having to fight for what they want. Are we allowing the developer to play the Residence, the City Council, and the
County? It's an interesting question to ask ourselves.
In closing, I would like to say that as a resident of Eagan, I say NO to County Bullying and YES to a commitment to a Safe and
Livable Neighborhood! That I expect the City to back-up their original plan of No Access On Daniel Drive and continue to remain
responsible to their constituents.
We will be there on Aprit 4th!!!!
Thank you for your time!
Trade Hughes
4225 Daniel Drive
Eagan MN
651-905-0943
From: Mira Pepper
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 9:08 AM
To: 'Tom Kukulski'
Subject: RE: No Access at Daniel Drive
Your message has been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council. Thank you for your
comments.
From: Tom Kukulski [mailto:s.kukulski@worldnet.att.net]
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 7:57 PM
To: City Council
Cc: skgiel@usfamily.net; 'Janet Westenberg'
Subject: No Access at Daniel Drive
March 29, 2006
City of Eagan
Mayor Geagan
Council Member Carlson
Council Member Fields
Council Member Maguire
Council Member Tilley
Re: Diffley Marketplace
Dear Mayor Geagan and Council Members,
At last Tuesday's City Council meeting the Council removed Diffley Marketplace from the
Consent Agenda and continued action on the item until the April 4th Council meeting. While
there was no opportunity for the public to speak in support of the action of Dakota
County, Council Members Fields and Maguire did take the opportunity to snipe at the County
and present a misleading picture of the County's action. 'Dumbfounding' is the
City's eagerness to champion compromise as the only solution to every issue related to the
proposed development...always "cutting the baby in half' is not responsible City management.
Dakota County and the County Plat Commission should not be labeled "the bad guys" here...like
the City Council, they are "disappointed in the development" and find their "hands tied".
Requiring full access at Daniel Drive is a reasonable condition of the County's 'compromise' to
good traffic management practice, allowing what should otherwise be a restricted, right in, right
out only access at the entrance of the proposed development at Diffley Road to be a three-
quarter movement intersection. Its a question asked and answered four times now. There
is no compelling reason to justify the County 'compromising' on
that expectation. The problem is a regional retail/commercial center, on an unsuitable site,
in a Neighborhood Business District, not Dakota County.
In my discussion with Council Member Maguire after the February 21st City Council meeting, I
indicated that during the Physical Development Committee meeting in January, the Committee
clearly indicated that full access at Daniel needed to be maintained in order for the County to
approve the variance for the three-quarter intersection at the entrance to the
proposed development. In response to our discussion, Mr. Maguire wrote me saying, "At any
rate, who knows if the County Plat Commission will acceptor reject the "one-way" access or not.
I think you thought they would not (i.e, would not accept), my gut says they will, but we'll see soon
enough". The rejection of the City's Plat by the Development Committee shouldn't have been
"dumbfounding" to anyone knowledgeable of the issues the County has raised about the access
plan for the proposed development since August...lt was equally disappointing to have Council
Member Fields jump on the "dumbfounded" bandwagon.
Apparently, Tom Colbert was not listening when the Plat Commission cautioned against
assuming the Physical Development Committee would rubber stamp the commission's
'recommendation'. In response to Kristi Sebastian's inquiry, meeting attendees were told that
the Development Committee could in fact deny the commission's recommendation and not
approve the Plat. I understand that the Physical Committee vote was again 6 to 1 to deny
approval of the Pfat.
So now comes the test of the City Council's integrity.
In early October, Council Members Fields and Carlson proclaimed that a connection to the site at
Daniel Drive, and the resulting increased traffic on Daniel, created an unacceptable risk to
the neighborhood and surrounding community. In embracing the 'no access at Daniel Drive'
option at the October 6, 2005 Council meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to make the
elimination of the site connection at Daniel Drive a condition of the'approved' PD.
Unaware of John Trautz' (Reliance Development) "discussions with coalition members" until
immediately prior to the February 21st Council meeting and unprepared to refute the misleading
statements made by Mr. Trautz during the meeting, specifically the developer's claim that
his "tradeoff', 'in-only' proposal had garnered coalition support, Janet Westenberg, spokesperson
for the "No Access on Daniel" coalition, has since written to the City to advise the Council that
the'125 family' coalition remains opposed to any connection to the site at Daniel Drive. With the
exception of a few area residents, many other residents in surrounding community are against a
connection to the site at Daniel Drive.
On numerous occassions, Mr. Trautz has told area residents that he does not need a connection
to the site at Daniel Drive and would agree to eliminate that connection if the 'community' spoke
in favor of the development at City and County meetings. I believe that Reliance Development is
of the opinion that the City cannot, or at least will not, deny the developer "access" at Daniel
Drive. Certainly, the City has the authority and must say NO TO ACCESS AT DANIEL DRIVE.
I'm asking the City Council to step up and "go the distance" for the community. The City of
Eagan promised community residents that there would be no access at Daniel Drive. Please
don't 'compromise' that promise.
Sincerely,
Tom Kukulski
997 Trillium Court
Eagan, MN 55123
651-905-0470
Barbara Linert
4282 Braddock Trail
I think I feel a little bit like Rosa Parks must have felt that moment she took her first
steps toward the front of the bus. But I trust all these neighbors of mine will be
tolerant of another point of view.
When we moved here in 1986, Daniel Drive was the edge of a cornfield and the
nearest grocery store was in West St. Paul - a seven-mile drive. We have been
looking forward to a neighborhood store like this going in for a long time. We want
the convenience and the easy accessibility. With full access from Daniel Drive, a
quick trip to the store will be fast and simple, avoiding the hassle of traversing a 4-
lane highway. I am looking forward to being able to swing in to the grocery store
for a gallon of milk on my way home from work, or pick up some drycleaning, or
whatever, and have a short little drive home, a block and a half on Daniel, turn onto
Braddock, and into my driveway. No stop signs or streetlights on the way.
I don't believe I know any of my neighbors here protesting today. I have seen their
website and read the flyers they put in my mailbox. I do not believe the safety and
traffic issues as they present them are objective. Yes, more care will have to be
taken with children and pets and anyone out for an early evening constitutional.
That is a small sacrifice for the improvement to our neighborhood and the added
quality of life we will all enjoy. Also, I would guess that most of the protestors
moved into the neighborhood well after a retail development was zoned for this site.
The existing access way on Daniel Drive has been there from the beginning. If
someone did not want to live near the entrance to a retail development, they could
have bought elsewhere. None of this is a surprise.
I have been anticipating this for 20 years, and I want it to happen.
From: Mira Pepper
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 2:10 PM
To: 'Leo Rickertsen'
Subject: RE: Vote Against County Commission
Your message has been forwarded to the Mayor and City Council. Thank you for your comments.
From: Leo Rickertsen [mailto:leoink@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday,' March 29, 2006 2:06 PM
To: City Council
Cc: 'NoAccess OnDaniel'
Subject: Vote Against County Commission
Council members and mayor,
I write this to express my deep disappointment in the unfolding of events regarding the proposed Diffley Marketplace developmen
and its access through Daniel Drive. It is my understanding that Dakota County Commissioners have denied the wishes of
everyone:
^ They have dictated their decision over the unanimous vote of you at the Eagan City Council to maintain NO ACCESS TO
DANIEL DRIVE.
^ They have bullied 155+ families who surround the proposed development and have signed a petition for NO ACCESS TO
DANIEL DRIVE.
^ They have tossed aside the generous offer of the Diffley Marketplace developer to pay for three-quarters of the cost
(estimated at $300,000) of a signalized intersection into the development and NO ACCESS TO DANIEL DRIVE
In my opinion, this is horribly misguided. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 - 14 walking
and biking. Nearly 40% of these fatalities occur between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.~
As cuts in bussing budgets and federal programs such as "Safe Routes To School" turn school bus passengers into walkers,
pedestrian traffic will greatly increase along Daniel Drive as kids walk to the elementary, middle and high schools across Diffley.
Risk to pedestrians and bicyclists increases with traffic speed. Every mile-per-hour faster increases vehicle collisions by 5% and
fatalities by even morez.
For Daniel Drive, the Commission's decision means much more traffic and greater risk of accidents, injuries and fatalities. Yet
Dakota County Commissioners choose to encourage traffic by offering new access the residential street of Daniel Drive and
restrict it by changing the traffic access on the county Diffley Road. The developer's own traffic study estimates that traffic will
increase four-fold, part of it along Daniel Drive where hundreds of children walk to and from school. County Commissioners made
this draconian decision at a time when the federal government is so concerned about the safety of children walking and biking to
school that it has made available more than $600 million to state agencies through its Safe Routes To School initiative. This is
money available to those same commissioners to make walking on our streets safer. Instead, Dakota County Commissioners are
thumbing their bureaucratic nose at neighborhood residents and their children, you as Eagan City Council, the developer and
even the federal government.
STOP THEM!
Continue to vote against Dakota County Commissioners and stand up for what is right, what is safe and what is desired by
everybody, even Eagan's own County Commissioner!
Thank you for your continued support and engagement. As an Eagan resident, I rely on you to stand up for us and be our voice
for NO ACCESS TO DANIEL DRIVE.
Leo Rickertsen
4221 Daniel Drive
Eagan, MN 55123
~ National Center for Statistics and Analysis, Traffic Safety Facts, 2004
2 D.J. Finch, et.al, Speed, Speed Limits and Accidents, Transport Research Laboratory, Report 58, 1994 cited in T. Litman,
Traffic Calming Benefits, Costs and Equity Impacts, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Dec. 1999
No virus found in this outgoing message.