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03/09/2010
THE FAIRMONT CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 2010 STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TURNED INTO ANOTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT A PROPOSED ROUNDABOUT AT THE HIGHWAY 15 - JOHNSON STREET INTERSECTION. THE ROUNDABOUT IS SUGGESTED BY MN DOT TO HELP SLOW DOWN AND CONTROL TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA SINCE TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE NOT WARRANTED BY TRAFFIC COUNTS ACCORDING TO THE STATE. ONE MAJOR FACTOR IS AGAINST THE ROUNDABOUT IS THE COST - 600,000 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE CITY SHARE OF THE PROJECT WHICH WILL BE MATCHED BY STATE FUNDS IF DONE THIS YEAR AS PART OF THE JOHNSON STREET RECONSTRUCTION. COUNCILOR JOE KALLEMEYEN WAS NOT CONVINCED THAT THE ROUNDABOUT IS THE WAY TO GO.
MR. KALLEMEYN SUGGESTED DESIGNATING THE AREA AS A SCHOOL ZONE WITH FLASHING WARNING SIGNS TO SLOW TRAFFIC DURING PEAK ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIMES FOR SCHOOL TRAFFIC AND NOT SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC 24/7 WITH A ROUNDABOUT. ONE COMMENT FROM THE AGREED WITH THE COST PROBLEM BECAUSE OF OTHER FACTORS REQUIRING ADDED COST GOING ON IN TOWN RIGHT NOW. TWO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC WERE IN FAVOR OF THE ROUNDABOUT SAYING THE DRIVING PUBLIC WOULD GET USED TO IT AND THAT IT WOULD REDUCE 64 POINTS OF CONFLICT FOR MOTORISTS AND PEDESTRIANS DOWN TO 16-THUS THE SAFETY FACTOR.
COUNCILOR HARLAN GORATH THOUGHT THE MONEY COULD BE BETTER SPENT ON OTHER STREETS IN TOWN.
COUNCILORS GORATH AND KALLEMEYEN WERE THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT AT MONDAY'S MEETING SO MORE DISCUSSION AND A FINAL GO OR NO GO DECISION ON THE ROUNDABOUT WILL BE MADE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
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ROD HALVORSEN
© 2009 KSUM.
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