Cost Estimate for Pedestrian Crosswalk at Alpine Dr and Zirconium St

At the July 21, 2009 Public Works Committee received a request for providing cross walks that would offer access to Alpine Park to the residential neighborhoods to the north.  This proposal was revisited at the 9/18/2012 Public Works Committee.  The chief concern is the ability to access the park safely across Alpine Drive which has a 45 mile per hour speed limit and a daily traffic count of 2400 vehicles per day. The Alpine Acres subdivision neighborhood includes 22 single family units fronting on 153rd Way that accesses Alpine Drive via Zirconium Street, and 16 single family units fronting on 153rd Court which accesses the west end of the park.

A crosswalk providing access to the western portion of the neighborhood was installed at the intersection of Alpine Drive and 153 Court at a relatively modest cost of $2,200. However, a crossing location for the eastern neighborhood was found to be more problematic and no action was taken by the Committee. A possible location having an adequate, but not ideal sight distance had been identified at a point approximately 200 feet west of the intersection with Zirconium Street. This location has the advantage of requiring a minimal distance of "extra travel" for pedestrians from the eastern neighborhood that wish to go to the playground area which is east of Zirconium Street. A crossing at this location would require; a) 200 feet of trail, b) cross walks with signage, c) concrete steps down the grade, and
pedestrian ramps. The estimated cost for these improvements is $38,000. There is also a question of compliance with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) since steps would not make this access usable to wheelchair users. Staff contacted the Department of Justice, which administers the act, and was advised that a facility (the park) required only one accessible point. However, if an access were to be considered the main entrance, then a handicap access should be seriously considered. This would not be the case since there are two other access points on both the east and west sides of the park.

Staff would like to propose a different scenario for the crosswalk and trail leading to the main park entrance. A crosswalk would still be installed at the point 200' west of Zirconium St and connected by a 10' crushed aggregate trail. Once pedestrians crossed the road to the south side of Alpine Dr they would take a 10' crushed aggregate trail east to the main entrance that would connect them to the parks internal trail system. The reasoning behind the crushed aggregate trail is twofold. First this will be a limited use trail, which in reality is only serving the one neighborhood to the north Alpine Estates.  Second is cost. Public works has a stock pile of reclaimed asphalt at the shop that would be suitable for this project, so there would be no additional cost for the material. The crosswalk proposed by staff would be a standard fluorescent yellow/ green design, with advance warning signs included. A LED lighted crosswalk was explored for this location as an option, but remains cost prohibitive. Two LED lighted crosswalk signs are approximately $5,000.00. A LED crosswalk, similar to the one used on Main St. in Anoka, with in-pavement lighting is approximately $28,000.00, plus installation. Cost for the basic crosswalk and trail are as follows:
Standard crosswalk signage w/striping- $1,500.00
4 ADA approved pedestrian ramps /curb cuts at $2,000.00 or $8,000.00 total (estimated)
150 tons of recycled material (con-bit)–no cost
Labor/equipment to install trail component-$6,000.00
Total cost of project-$15,500.00

General fund - PW operating budgets cost centers 0311,0260,0452

Staff recommends installing standard pedestrian crosswalk signage, striping with connecting trails to provide access to Alpine Park for residents of Alpine Estates 

Motion to accept staff recommendation to install standard crosswalk signage 200' west of Zirconium St to include 200' of aggregate trail on the north side of Alpine Dr and 900' of aggregate trail on south side of Alpine Dr. Cost -$15,500.00
or
Motion to reject staff recommendation and choose an alternative based on committee discussion