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Harris addresses dead-end roadBy Danielle Strenke Developer Dennis Gustafson agreed to improve a turnaround in the Whispering Pines development, but told the Harris City Council last Thursday that he would not add blacktop to improve the road. Residents in the development on Ginger Ave. have recently brought complaints to the city council regarding the quality of the road and the insistence from the North Branch school bus garage that buses were unable to turnaround at the end of the road. The city was scheduled to take over the road as a city road, but tabled the issue last month because of residentís concerns. At its regular meeting Jan. 8, the council heard from those residents again, as well as Gustafson. City Engineer Chuck Schwartz, who was authorized by the council last month to have borings taken of the road, concluded that it contains no more than 2î of bituminous material. Original plans for the road indicate that a base of 3.5î bituminous was planned, Schwartz said. He recommended that the council require the additional material be added before taking it over as a city road. ìThe features of the turnaround are a challenge,î Schwartz said. He spoke with officials at the transportation facility in North Branch, who told him that the hammerhead turnaround at the end of the road is simply not safe for the school buses to turn around. Schwartz recommended a meeting with himself, Bill Burton, director of transportation and grounds for the North Branch schools transportation department and Harris city maintenance person Mike Kriz at the site, to ìsee what the problem is,î Schwartz said. As of Tuesday, the meeting date was not set. The overlying problem is that the city has not been able to determine whether a developerís agreement was ever signed by the city council or developer. City Attorney Kevin Shoeberg told the council that there is no record of a developerís agreement in the cityís files and he asked staff at the county recorderís office to look for one as well. ìThere isnít a developerís agreement in their files either,î he said. Shoeberg said it leaves the city in a difficult position, because it can only refer to the original plans that show specifications for the road. Gustafson said he doesnít believe there is a problem with the road quality, and if the city will not take over the road until another layer is put on, the road will remain private. Residents including Lisa Jorgenson, disagree. ìWe were told that another layer would be put on top by our realtors,î she said. Resident John Perron said it was ìunacceptableî that the road not be improved and would remain private, and that children will be forced to walk to the end of the 1/2-mile road to get on the bus. Gustafson said there isnít any problem with cracking in the road, and with so few residents on the road heavy traffic should not be an issue as far as deterioration of the road. ìThe problem isnít with traffic, itís the freeze and thaw,î Schwartz said. Gustafson said he is willing to meet with the transportation company and work on solving the issue. ìIíd be willing to do whatever to improve the hammerhead so the bus will go out there, but Iím not adding any blacktop to the road,î Gustafson said. In a telephone interview Tuesday, Burton said there is not just one deficiency causing safety concerns with the turnaround. ìItís not big enough to come in and turn around,î he said. ìThe other issue is safety of the 70 kids on board the bus.î Burton said the turnaround has abrupt edges that cause a safety concern, and that the east side of the turnaround slopes down considerably below the west side. ìIf we backed down there we wouldnít be able to get started again, especially when the road is slippery in the winter,î Burton said. He said the option of turning around in a studentís driveway on Ginger Ave. is not viable either, because none of the driveways are suited for a large school bus. ìI have to take all the factors into account and consider the safety of the students on that bus,î Burton said. Burton added that he has spoken at length with Gustafson about the issue, and is confident that Gustafson will work to improve the turnaround to make it suitable for school bus traffic. The council will revisit taking over the road at its February meeting. ©ECM Post Review |