Is it really as simple as a "slipped through the cracks" detail?
(updates listed below video player.)
7:58 AM, June 16, 2009
E-Mail to Senator Dick Day and MNDOT Project Engineer Chad Casey. E-mail was also sent to all members of the Faribault City Council.
UPDATES (scroll down to content after original e-mail)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 8:14 AM
From: Kymn Anderson, President Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 9:17 AM
From: Senator Dick Day
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 10:16 AM
From: Paul Knutson, Rice County Assessor
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 9:21 AM
From: Brian Bauer, Carriage House Liquor
Wednesday, Jun 17, 2009 at 10:49 PM
NEW E-MAIL To: Senator Dick Day and MNDOT Project Engineer Chad Casey. E-mail was also sent to all members of the Faribault City Council.
ORIGINAL E-MAIL
Good morning State Senator Dick Day and MNDOT Project Engineer Chad Casey,
I write this email to you as I see serious regretful road construction problems today and into the future. This HWY 60 road construction shift should still be done. GO back to the drawing board. Yesterday I spoke with Chad Casey MNDOT Project Engineer and he said that he would forward my safety concerns to the appropriate officials at MNDOT. I need to know who is going to be held responsible for this poorly designed road work, or better yet, just remedy the problem and shift HWY 60. I address you Senator Dick Day as you are a wise man that can realize the jeopardy that NOT shifting HWY 60 would have.
Please view a video tape that Brad and I have developed after 30 minutes of taping yesterday 6/15/09 from 12:30-to 1:00m. Please view this video tape of some obvious pedestrian and vehicle safety issues.
Visit www.blueprintformainstreet.com and click on the HWY 60 Shift tab or http://blueprintformainstreet.com/hwy60shift.aspx
Besides safety issues this will distract from commerce and depreciate property values. Plus leave a 6 foot parcel of land that will leave property owners, guests, and motorists scratching their heads, why?
Municipal Lot 13 has the convenience of turning right or left on exiting. To come back later and say right in, right out of Municipal Lot 13 will again depreciate property values.
MNDOT Officials and Faribault City Officials mediated by our Senator Dick Day need to resolve this problem. It’s simple, shift HWY 60 from Division to Ravine like planned. Our elected City officials have allocated 5-6 foot of parcel to accommodate the shift . . . you have to do it. It’s safety first.
One hundred years ago a group of Faribaultians moved the Straight River a block east; MNDOT should be able to accommodate a HWY 60 safety Shift.
Chad Casey I look forward hearing back from you.
Thank you,
Thanks!
Your Friend,
Frank Marzario
Blueprint For Main Street
507.413.3331
Making a Difference; One Merchant, One Block, One Town at a Time on Main Street, USA!
From: Kymn Anderson
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 8:14 AM
To: 'Frank Marzario'
Subject: RE: safety concerns on HWY 60 (no shift)
This is awesome Frank - thanks for taking the lead on this important oversight from MNDot
Kymn
334-4381
kymn@faribaultmn.org
From: Sen.Dick.Day@senate.mn
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 9:17 AM
To: Frank Marzario
Subject: Re: safety concerns on HWY 60 (no shift)
The day I saw you at Monte's I was meeting with Council Member Kay Duchene, who has been working on this matter. I feel bad that I was somehow out of the loop, but I did contact MnDOT and will let you know as soon as I hear back from them.
Dick Day
State Senator
District 26
From: Paul Knutson
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 10:16 AM
To: Frank Marzario
Subject: RE: safety concerns on HWY 60 (no shift)
Frank,
This is the first I have heard about this situation. You know, every noon that I walk from the county building and cut through Parking lot 13 and walk on that narrow sidewalk. I have been absolutely petrified at the closeness of traffic to my personal body. It is especially scary in the winter months when there is ice and snow on that narrow sidewalk.
Good job on pursuing this. I am a pedestrian that walks that sidewalk five days a week for almost two years now. This is a serious dangerous situation.
Paul Knutson
Rice County Assessor
From: Carriage House Liquor
Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 9:21 AM
To: Frank Marzario
Subject: Re: safety concerns on HWY 60 (no shift)
Frank,Great job on the video, it paints a true picture of how hard it is to see at these intersections and the safety issues. It's unbeleivable that something so important can some how inconceivably be overlooked. I cannot count the number of times we've heard screeching tires or crashes from people trying to nose out thier vehicles to see on coming traffic.
Respectfully,
Brian Bauer
Carriage House Liquor
NEW E-MAIL To: Senator Dick Day and MNDOT Project Engineer Chad Casey. E-mail was also sent to all members of the Faribault City Council.
Sent: Wednesday, Jun 17, 2009 at 10:49 PM
MNDOT Project Engineer Chad Casey and Senator Dick Day,
I met you Chad Casey for the first time on Tuesday 6/16/09 as HWY 60 roadwork started. I also emailed you on the morning of June 16 a video of some serious vehicle and pedestrian issue taken a day earlier 6/15. I asked for your attention on this HWY 60 shift safety issue. I have not heard back from you and that’s concerning as time is of the essence. This is a serious safety issue that needs to be rectified and it’s easily done. The forefathers of Faribault moved the Straight River a block east; MNDOT can accommodate a couple/three foot gradual shift on Hwy 60 Shift.
I spoke with a Faribault City Council Member tonight and they mentioned that the original safety design which included using the 6 foot parcel sliver allocated by the Faribault City Council on the east side was designed for safety issues like so; to accommodate a safer pedestrian walkway on the west side of HWY 60 and create a safer intersection on Second Street and Hwy 60. Naturally this would create a safer ingress and egress from Municipal Lot 13 onto HWY 60. Safety First.
So the design was like so and relatively simple and needs to be implemented or I want to know a name of who’s going to be accountable for a fatal accident. Besides this design deficiency, will deteriorate property values and hurt Faribault’s downtown commerce. Whose side are you on MNDOT? We’re in this together.
The design: On the southwest corner of Ravine and Third Street, it was to have a couple/few inch increase (gradual veering offset from the United States Post Office northwest corner) where the current sidewalk is and funnel wider as you proceed south towards Second Street south on HWY 60. What’s so hard to do? The City Of Faribault left you a 6 foot parcel on the east side of Hwy 60.
I ask to have a meeting of the minds with the concerned parties. As time lapses, it will become more of a problem.
If you need to reflect on the safety issues, check out the video again on www.blueprintformainstreet.com and click on the HWY 60 Shift tab or http://blueprintformainstreet.com/hwy60shift.aspx.
The video was taken from 12:30-1:00pm on June 15, the day before construction commenced. That little girl in the video; my neighbor, your neighbor, our neighbor . . . is what it’s about. I’ve held that little baby in my hands, cradled in my arms and I don’t want anything to happen to our neighbor. I think you can agree with me.
Remember, the new bituminous will give motorist a false feeling of safety as they reach greater acceleration but safety issues will still be prevalent.
Thank you for your attention on this matter.
Thanks!
Your Friend,
Frank Marzario
Blueprint For Main Street
507.413.3331
Making a Difference; One Merchant, One Block, One Town at a Time on Main Street, USA!