AGENDA MAY 24, 2021 Meetings of the St. Louis Park City Council Will

AGENDA MAY 24, 2021

Meetings of the St. Louis Park City Council will be conducted in person starting May 17, 2021. The city will follow COVID-19 protocols set forth by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Members of the public may attend the meeting in person at 5005 Minnetonka Blvd.

Some members of the St. Louis Park City Council will participate in the May 24, 2021 city council study session by electronic device or telephone rather than by being personally present at the city council's regular meeting place at 5005 Minnetonka Blvd. Cisco Webex will be used to conduct videoconference of this meeting. Visit bit.ly/slpccagendas to view the agenda and reports.

Members of the public can monitor the meeting by video and audio at bit.ly/watchslpcouncil or by calling +1.312.535.8110 and using access code 372 106 61 for audio only.

6:30 p.m. – STUDY SESSION

Discussion items

1. 6:30 p.m. Citywide speed limit evaluation update

2. 7:30 p.m. Semi-trailer truck parking

3. 8:00 p.m. Future study session agenda planning and prioritization 8:05 p.m. Communications/updates (verbal)

8:10 p.m. Adjourn

Written reports

4. Update on SWLRT Community Works PLACES art initiative 5. April 2021 monthly financial report

The agenda is posted on Fridays on the official city bulletin board in the lobby of city hall and on the text display on civic TV cable channel 17. The agenda and full packet are available by noon on Friday on the city’s website. If you need special accommodations or have questions about the meeting, please call 952-924-2525.

Meeting: Study session Meeting date: May 24, 2021 Discussion item: 1

Executive summary

Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update

Recommended action: None at this time. This report is to inform council on the feedback received and updated staff recommendations for speed limits.

Policy consideration: Does the council wish to implement speed limit changes on city streets at this time as allowed by state statute?

Summary: In May 2019, provisions passed by the Minnesota legislature gave cities increased authority to set speed limits. In March 2020, council directed staff to continue to investigate the feasibility and impacts of changing speed limits within the city. In August 2020, staff presented a draft speed limit evaluation to council. In January 2021, staff presented an updated speed limit evaluation to council, including recommendations for implementation.

Starting in April 2021, the city began to inform community members on the recommended changes to speed limits. Many community members, in response to these communications, emailed and called staff to provide feedback and ask questions. In response to feedback, supported by a closer look at the data, staff has updated speed limit recommendations on Cedar Lake Rd, Louisiana Ave, 36th St, and Utica Ave.

Some council members and many residents provided feedback that speed limit changes should be accompanied by additional police speed enforcement. Existing research suggests that physical police enforcement is not a sustainable method to decrease vehicle speeds through an equity, finance, or resources lens. For these reasons, no additional police staffing, or resources are recommended around the implementation of new speed limits.

Under the current schedule, if council wishes to move forward with speed limit changes, implementation can still occur in 2021. If the council requests additional study, public engagement or other information that requires further study session or regular meeting discussions, implementation will be pushed to 2022.

Financial or budget considerations: Financial impacts relating to changing speed limits are currently estimated at $200,000. Costs include new signs, signal timing, and public outreach. The funding source is general obligation (GO) bonds.

Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably.

Supporting documents: Discussion Existing and recommended speed limit maps Speed limit received feedback Study session report, Jan. 25, 2021 (pgs. 2 – 42) Study session report, Aug 24, 2020 (pgs. 2 – 32)

Prepared by: Ben Manibog, transportation engineer Reviewed by: Debra Heiser, engineering director; Mike Harcey, police chief Approved by: Tom Harmening, city manager Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Page 2 Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update

Discussion

Background: In May 2019, the Minnesota legislature passed a provision that gave cities authority to set speed limits. They went into effect on Aug. 1, 2019. The full language of this provision is provided below:

Minnesota Statues, Section 169.14, Subd. 5h. Speed limits on city streets. A city may establish speed limits for city streets under the city's jurisdiction other than the limits provided in subdivision 2 without conducting an engineering and traffic investigation. This subdivision does not apply to town roads, county highways, or trunk highways in the city. A city that establishes speed limits pursuant to this section must implement speed limit changes in a consistent and understandable manner. The city must erect appropriate signs to display the speed limit. A city that uses the authority under this subdivision must develop procedures to set speed limits based on the city's safety, engineering, and traffic analysis. At a minimum, the safety, engineering, and traffic analysis must consider national urban speed limit guidance and studies, local traffic crashes, and methods to effectively communicate the change to the public.

Staff last updated council at the Jan. 25, 2021 study session (report attached). The update included the speed limit evaluation report, speed limit recommendations and discussion of next steps. Staff presented new sections of the evaluation including updated national guidance and race equity and inclusion (REI). The overall speed recommendation was a category approach where 20 mph were generally on lower traffic roads, 25 mph on medium traffic roads, and 30+ mph on high traffic roads.

The council generally supported the speed limit recommendations and had questions regarding specific street segments. It was the consensus of the council that staff should inform the public of the recommended changes, review council’s comments and bring the subject back for discussion prior to implementation.

What we’ve heard: Starting in April, the city began a campaign to inform community members on the recommended changes to speed limits. Staff has been using an “inform” approach from the International Association for Public Participation’s (IAP2) spectrum of public participation. With this approach, the goal is to provide the public with information to assist them in understanding what is being proposed and why.

As a part of these efforts, a postcard was sent to every address in the city (25,000 postcards). Weekly posts were made to the city’s social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and NextDoor). Email updates were also provided through the city’s GovDelivery. In addition, the initiative was covered in articles in both the Star Tribune and the Sun Sailor. All the outreach directed the public to the speed limit webpage which included maps, the evaluation report and answers to frequently asked questions. It also provided an email address and phone number for specific questions/ comments.

Many community members, in response to these communications, emailed and called staff to provide feedback and ask questions. In total, feedback from 81 people were received through email and phone calls. In addition, comments from 140 people were received through Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Page 3 Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update

Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor. All comments received from these methods are attached to the report.

To distill the many comments, the following were the most common topics brought forward by respondents. Note that one email/interaction may have had more than one topic included in it. So, the totals do not add up to the total interactions discussed above. Common topics were ones that were mentioned at least six times.

Number of comments received (as of 5/18/21) Comment Email/phone Social media TOTAL I DONT support changing speed limits 29 24 53 We should focus on and have more speed enforcement 15 30 45 I DO support changing speed limits 28 10 38 People drive too fast on my street 22 13 35 We should focus on and have more stop sign enforcement 12 5 17 There is no valid safety issue to address 3 11 14 Recommended changes are government overreach 4 10 14 20 mph is okay on local neighborhood streets 5 8 13 Don't be like Minneapolis or other cities 7 4 11 Speed limits costs too much/waste of money 6 4 10 I feel this is only to raise funds via ticketing 4 4 8 Lower speed limits will make people safer 4 4 8 20 mph is too slow 7 0 7 I will choose to drive/move/shop away from SLP with lower speed limits 4 3 7 Pedestrians don't walk on the sidewalk 3 3 6 Pedestrians/Cyclists don't follow traffic rules 2 4 6 We should instead focus on street design (vehicle, ped, bike) 0 6 6

In addition to these common topics, we also were provided comments on specific streets. Nearly all of these were on Cedar Lake Rd and Louisiana Ave. This resulted in staff taking a closer look at the recommendations provided to council on Jan. 25. Further discussion on this review is included later in the report.

We also heard the following topics from at least one council member at the Jan 25 council meeting:

• Wanting lower speed limits around future SWLRT stations • Enforcement for all road users, including bicycles • The speed limit of Cedar Lake Rd • The speed limit of Utica Ave south of 23rd St • The speed limit of Walker Ave and Lake St through the Historic Walker Lake District • The speed limit of 36th St between Wooddale Ave and Belt Line Blvd

How feedback has affected speed limit recommendations: As referenced in the statute above, a city that establishes speed limits must implement speed limit changes in a consistent and Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Page 4 Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update

understandable manner, taking into consideration national urban speed limit guidance and studies. In addition, we must develop procedures to set speed limits based on the city's safety, engineering, and traffic analysis. These are laid out in the speed limit evaluation report.

National guidance indicates that setting a speed limit much lower than what drivers actually travel leads to drivers not complying with the limit. That works against the goals of increasing safety and decreasing vehicle speeds. The recommended speed limits should be understandable, consistent and reasonable.

Staff did an in-depth review of the speed limit changes recommended for the specific street segments brought up by the public. A summary of the analysis is included below. In all the following tables, bolded speed limit recommendations have changed since the Jan. 25 study session.

Cedar Lake Rd • Existing speed limit: 35 mph from west city boundary to Highway 100. 30 mph from Highway 100 to east dead end. • Original recommendation: 25 mph from west city boundary to Zarthan Ave. 35 mph from Zarthan Ave to Quentin Ave. 20 mph from Quentin Ave to east dead end. • Revised recommendation: 30 mph from west city boundary to Louisiana Ave. 25 mph from Louisiana Ave to Zarthan Ave. 30 mph from Zarthan Ave to Quentin Ave. 20 mph from Quentin Ave to east dead end.

Extents of Cedar Average speed Median speed Recommended Lake Rd speed limit W city boundary to 30.2 mph 30.5 mph 30 mph Louisiana Ave Louisiana Ave to 25.1 mph 25.2 mph 25 mph Zarthan Ave Zarthan Ave to 34 mph N/A 30 mph Quentin Ave Quentin Ave to east 22.1 mph 22.4 mph 20 mph dead end

A closer look at data on Cedar Lake Rd showed differing speed conditions along the corridor. The segment that was narrowed and improved in 2019, Louisiana Ave to Zarthan Ave, had slower speeds than the rest of the corridor. The segment west of Louisiana Ave, which has not been reconstructed, more resembles 30 mph conditions. This segment is programmed for construction in 2024. At that time, the speed limit can be revisited. For these reasons, Cedar Lake Rd from the west city boundary to Louisiana Ave is recommended at 30 mph.

Near the West End, while the driver speeds are faster, the segment does not meet the criteria for a 35-mph speed limit. 35 mph streets in our recommendations represent areas that have limited driver access (little to no intersections or driveways) and limited pedestrian and bicyclist access. Cedar Lake Rd has dedicated bikeways, sidewalks, and frequent driveways. For these reasons, Cedar Lake Rd from Zarthan Ave to Quentin Ave is recommended at 30 mph. East of Quentin Ave more resembles 20 mph conditions. Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Page 5 Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update

Louisiana Ave

• Existing speed limit: 30 mph from north city boundary to Excelsior Blvd. • Original recommendation: 25 mph from north city boundary to 32nd St. 30 mph from 32nd St to Excelsior Blvd • Revised recommendation: 30 mph from north city boundary to Excelsior Blvd.

Extents of Louisiana Average speed Median speed Recommended Ave speed limit North city boundary 28.5 mph 29.8 mph 30 mph to Cedar Lake Rd Cedar Lake Rd to 29 mph 29.5 mph 30 mph 32nd St 32nd St to Hwy 7 30.9 mph 31.3 mph 30 mph Hwy 7 to Excelsior 32.3 mph 32.3 mph 30 mph Blvd

A closer look at data on Louisiana Avenue showed more consistent driver speeds across the corridor. Average and median speeds ranged between 28 and 32 mph from the north city boundary to Excelsior Blvd. Louisiana Ave from the north city boundary to 27th St is scheduled for reconstruction in 2023. Closer to Hwy 7 at Oxford St, Metro Transit’s Southwest Light Rail (SWLRT) will begin service in 2024. These changes may change traffic conditions in the area. The speed limit can be revisited along with any of these changes. For these reasons, Louisiana Ave in its entirety is recommended at 30 mph.

36th St (Elmwood/Wolfe Park)

• Existing speed limit: 30 mph from Alabama Ave to Beltline Blvd • Original recommendation: 30 mph from Alabama Ave to Beltline Blvd • Revised recommendation: 25 mph from Alabama Ave to Beltline Blvd

Extents of 36th St Average speed Median speed Recommended speed limit Wooddale to Hwy 25.7 mph 26.2 mph 25 mph 100 Hwy 100 to Beltline 31.6 mph 34.4 mph 25 mph Blvd

Phase two of the Monterey-Beltline-36th improvements began May 17. The construction includes 36th St from the Hwy 100 ramps to Beltline Blvd. In the short term, construction site conditions will cause drivers to travel slower than average. Post-construction, 36th St will become a three-lane section (two lanes westbound and one lane eastbound). West of Hwy 100, vehicle speeds more resemble a 25 mph speed limit. In addition, 36th St west of Hwy 100 is scheduled for reconstruction in 2022. Finally, near Wooddale Avenue, Metro Transit’s SWLRT will begin service in 2024. Due to these infrastructure changes, staff recommends the speed on 36th Street to be set at 25 mph.

Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Page 6 Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update

Utica Ave south of Westside Dr

• Existing speed limit: 30 mph from Westside Dr to 27th St • Original recommendation: 25 mph from Westside Dr to 27th St • Revised recommendation: 30 mph from Westside Dr to 27th St

A closer look at data on Utica Ave shows an extreme range of observed speeds. Data with asterisks occurred outside of the evaluation’s study period but are included in this report to provide more recent counts.

SB data collection Average speed Median speed date 2017 – 2019 avg 35.1 mph 35.3 mph Sept 2018 37.6 mph 38.2 mph Oct 2018 39.7 mph 39.7 mph May 2019 28.6 mph 29.4 mph Aug 2019 40 mph 40.4 mph May 2020* 45.5 mph* 45.4 mph* July 2020* 20 mph* 24 mph*

A speed limit higher than 35 mph is not recommended for any city street based on national guidance. 35 mph streets in our recommendations represent areas that have limited driver access (little to no intersections or driveways) and limited pedestrian and bicyclist access. This segment has many driveways and adjacent trail use, so the speed limit should be lower than 35 mph.

In our recommendations, 30 mph streets have four or more drive lanes or at least 12,000 vehicles a day. Utica Ave has about 5,000 vehicles a day and has two total drive lanes. However, 30 mph is also the existing posted speed limit. Utica Ave can be recommended at 30 mph with an understanding that further infrastructure improvements are necessary to lower it further.

Utica Ave resembles other 25 mph streets in that it has similar traffic volumes, is mostly high- density residential, and has a multi-use trail. It does not resemble other 25 mph streets because of its driver speeds. For instance, 36th St by Wooddale Ave (15,000 vehicles a day) has an average and median speed of 26 mph. 36th St also has adjacent sidewalks, many driveways, and is entirely mixed-use or high-density residential. Utica Ave was originally recommended at 25 mph in recognition of the higher concentration of people living adjacent and that there are no alternative routes.

Utica Ave does not resemble a local residential street set with a 20-mph speed limit. Low volume streets (less than 2,000 vehicles a day) had a median and average speed of 21 mph. Utica Ave’s existing driving speeds far outpace that number. Part of the main goals of setting speed limits is for them to be reasonable and contextually appropriate. Drivers will not follow speed limits that don’t make sense. Because the existing vehicle speeds are so far above 20 mph, Utica Ave is not recommended at 20 mph.

Staff recommends Utica Ave to be set at 30 mph. Two of the four vehicle speed counts are closer to 25 mph speeds. However, the other two are much higher. It is clear that vehicle Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Page 7 Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update

speeds are higher in this segment than most others in the city. This segment of road is not scheduled for reconstruction, however, once it is, the speed limit can be reviewed at that time.

Responding to other feedback:

Walker Ave and Lake St (Historic Walker Lake District)

• Existing speed limit: 30 mph from Louisiana Ave to Wooddale Ave • Original and current recommendation: 25 mph from Louisiana Ave to Wooddale Ave

Street Avg speed Median speed Recommended speed limit Walker Ave 27 mph 26.8 mph 25 mph Lake St 27.5 mph 27.7 mph 25 mph

For the street segments through the Historic Walker Lake district, the previously recommended speed limit resembles both the average and median speeds. The construction on Lake St west of Dakota Ave occurred after the traffic data was taken. Even with lower speeds, the Lake St segment is less than a half mile long. National guidance recommends that speed limits remain constant for at least half a mile. For these reasons, Walker Ave and Lake St near the Historic Walker Lake District are recommended at 25 mph.

County roads

Many comments were received regarding county roads within the city’s boundaries (Minnetonka Blvd, Excelsior Blvd, France Ave south of Excelsior Blvd, and County Rd 25). The 2019 legislation only allows cities to change speed limits on local streets. This authority was not granted to the counties and the city cannot change speed limits on streets owned by Hennepin County.

Border or shared roads with other cities

A number of the city’s roads either share or have segments in adjacent cities. Minneapolis completed its speed limit change implementation in 2020. Edina has made recommendations but has not yet approved possible changes. Golden Valley conducted a speed limit evaluation and will not move forward with any changes. Our other neighbors (Plymouth, Hopkins and Minnetonka) have not discussed speed limits at this time.

With this in mind, if a city has not yet made recommendations, St. Louis Park will leave border or shared roads untouched. Minneapolis and Edina staff have agreed to St. Louis Park’s recommendations for their respective shared streets.

Shared streets left unchanged:

• Texas Ave south of Hwy 7 (Hopkins) • Ford Rd south of Wayzata Blvd (Minnetonka) • Wayzata Blvd west of Shelard Pkwy (Minnetonka) • Wayzata Blvd west of 14th St (Golden Valley) • Quentin Ave north of Cedar Lake Rd (Golden Valley) • Wayzata Blvd east of Park Place Blvd (Golden Valley) Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Page 8 Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update

Shared streets recommended for new speed limits:

• France Ave from Minnetonka Blvd to north city border – 25 mph (Minneapolis) • 44th St from Glen Pl to east of Wooddale Ave – 25 mph (Edina)

Enforcement

Currently, speed limits are enforced in St. Louis Park through education, verbal warnings, and citations. The police department uses movable speed boards that provide immediate feedback to drivers. The boards warn drivers of their speed and the current speed limit. The police also use traffic stops that result in education of speed limits, verbal warnings for violations and citations when appropriate. The city also uses social media advisements of police enforcement actions.

At times, the police use multi-officer enforcement in a general area. The targeted enforcement is focused to specific problem locations and time frames during the day. The department also uses directed patrol of areas that have been identified by community members or by officers as being problem locations.

Some council members and many residents provided feedback that speed limit changes should be accompanied by additional police speed enforcement. Existing research suggests that physical police enforcement is not a sustainable method to decrease vehicle speeds through an equity, finance, or resources lens. Automated speed enforcement is currently not legal in Minnesota and not an option at this time. For these reasons, no additional police staffing or resources are proposed around the implementation of new speed limits.

A study of conspicuous police enforcement on Interstate 96 in Michigan found that police presence in the highway was effective in reducing average speeds in the surrounding area. However, upon passing the police car, drivers accelerated back to their original speed or higher. In addition, there was no overall change in driver behavior 1, 2, or 3 hours after police action. Meaning, there was not a lasting effect of police presence on vehicle speeds.

A study of inconspicuous police enforcement on Interstate 26 in Asheville, North Carolina found that drivers slow down more when they are surprised by police’s presence on the roadway. The study compared enforcement with different “levels of presence” on or adjacent to the roadway. Police concealed in the median decreased driver speeds by at least 5 mph compared to a marked car on the side of the road at less than 1 mph. The study did not analyze the lasting effect of police presence on vehicle speeds.

A study of an aggressive traffic violation enforcement program in Fresno, California found a decrease in vehicle crashes by over 8 percent (366 crashes). This decrease was achieved by a 330 percent increase in moving violation citations (85,947 total citations), as much as 17% of Fresno’s population. Speed-related citations and vehicle speed data was not included.

Studies in Lafayette, Louisiana, Detroit, and North Carolina have found that Black drivers are more likely to receive a speed warning stop, receive a speeding ticket, be arrested for speeding. A review of police stops in San Diego found that Black drivers were almost 20 percent more likely to be stopped during daylight hours when their race was more visible. The San Diego Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Page 9 Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update

study also found further disparities in enforcement in the Northeast district where Black drivers were 60 percent more likely to be stopped.

Effective ways to decrease vehicle speeds are either through implementing infrastructure changes and/or lowering the existing speed limits. If the council wishes to move forward with heightened police enforcement, staff does not recommend moving forward with changing speed limits.

Effectiveness of lowering speed limits alone

In 2018, The City of Boston studied the effects of lowering their overall speed limit from 30 to 25 mph. Average vehicle speeds did not change. However, the proportion of drivers traveling over 30 mph decreased by 0.5 percent and drivers traveling over 35 mph decreased by 22 percent.

In 2020, Portland, OR studied the effects of lowering their overall speed limit from 25 to 20 mph. Median and 85th percentile speeds did not change. However, the proportion of drivers traveling over 30 mph decreased by 1.7 percent and drivers traveling over 35 mph decreased by 0.5 percent.

In 2020, Seattle studied the effects of lowering their overall speed limit from 30 to 25 mph. Median speeds decreased by 2.5 mph (almost 10 percent). 85th percentile speeds decreased by 2.2 mph (7 percent). The proportion of drivers traveling over 40 mph decreased by 54 percent.

Timeline: Under the current schedule, if council wishes to move forward with speed limit changes, implementation can still occur in 2021. If the council requests additional study, community engagement or other information that requires further study session discussions, implementation will be pushed to 2022. The tentative schedule is below:

Study session report/discussion May 24, 2021 1st reading of ordinance June 7 2nd reading of ordinance June 21 Implementation Fall 2021

Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 10

Existing speed limits

Y PKW D

E H

S W AY ZA TA BL VD SERVIC E DR HW

Y 394

S S PARK PLACE BLVD

E V

WESTMORELAND LN A

FORD RD

T 16TH ST W

LAKE RD AR ZARTHAN AVE S ED C

QUEBEC AVE S P M A FOREST 22ND ST W R RD

S FLAG FLAG AVE S

C E E CEDAR LAKE RD D V AR RD A EDGEWOOD AVE S W D OO E VIRGINIAAVE S

N A

BARRY ST R

CEDAR LAKE RD SERVICE DR HIGHWAY 100 S F 26TH ST W

28TH ST W

LOUISIANA LOUISIANA AVE S

S E

UTICA AVE S

A X

AQUILAAVE S

S LAKE ST W

N OTTAWA AVE S

L B DAKOTA AVE S A E L L I 34TH ST W T U 33RD ST W L Q I A WOODDALE AVE N

V D S TH T W 36TH ST W WALKER ST 35 36TH ST W

MONTEREY DR LAKE ST W D 37 V TH ST W L SERVICE DR HIGHWAY 7 B 38TH ST W

R CAMBRIDGE ST ALABAMASAVE

L T O N

U E I C U S

E I K

N R WOODDALE AVE

A T OXFORD ST A P I N

A A

V E

B E

R S

O K

MEADOWBROOK RD

Existing speed limit E YOSEMITE AVE S YOSEMITE S 25 mph 30 mph

35 mph BROWNDALE BROWNDALE AVE S 40 mph 0 0.5 1 2 Miles Non-city or private streets Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 11

Recommended speed limits 5/19/21

W 9

PKWY 6 D 1 R

A Y

L D E W

H H S RD O R F D E IC SERV SE RVICE PARK PLACE BLVD DR HWY 394 S

16TH ST W

LOUISIANA AVE S A C

FORD RD E S DA A R

X LA K QUENTIN AVE S E E

T RD

RD 23RD ST W AKE R L DA CE

VIRGINIAAVE S

CEDAR LAKE RD SERVICE DR HIGHWAY 100 S

28TH ST W

LOUISIANA LOUISIANA AVE S FRANCE AVEFRANCE S

LAKE ST W

U D

DAKOTA AVE S V I L

A B

TEXAS TEXAS AVE S WOODDALE AVE A E

A N I V L E 36TH ST W T S L LAKE ST W E 36TH ST W WALKER ST B 36TH ST W AAV M L E O

I W N U S

Q T E A S D SERVICE DR HIGHWAY 7 V R SERVICE DR HIGHWAY37 7TH L E B Y D R R E

CAMBRIDGE ST T

L E

O C

U K

TEXAS TEXAS AVE S I

S R I A

A P

OXFORD ST A WOODDALE AVE

ALABAMA AVE S

E S

Recommended speed limit MEADOWBROOK RD 20 mph 25 mph 30 mph 44TH ST W 35 mph 0 0.5 1 2 Miles Non-city or private street Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 12 Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

Emailed responses (respondent bolded): 1. And what is needed is some monitoring of Dakota. Multiple times a day, cars are going too fast. Can we get at least on of those sign that tell you what the speed limit is and what car are active going? - Amy Mitchell 2. I have lived in St. Louis park on Dakota Ave for 12 years. It great a bike lane has been added. One of the great things of living on the street is seeing all the kids walking, biking and skateboarding to school. I have alway been worried about them, cause of the speed of the traffic. Also, people use Dakota walking to/ from work from the bus stop. And many bike riders, dog walkers etc. Since the bike lane has been added. I have seen an increase in bike riders. Which is great. A pain for parking but I believe safer and I support it. Lower speed on Dakota avenue is something that is needed. I have been worried about the speedy car while people are biking and walking. Thank you for this, it will make it so much safer. - Amy Mitchell 3. When/how can you get bicyclists to stop at stop signs and yield to pedestrians at intersections? Solving/enforcing that would make our street far safer then reducing speed limits by 5 mph. – Tom Johnson 4. In addition to lower some speed limits, I am curious to know what, if anything, will be done to enforce speed limits, new ones and existing ones? I live on France Ave. near 39th. I know that this lower speed limit plan doesn’t cover this road and see that it’s considered "a non-city or private road," however I would like to take this opportunity to bring it your attention how busy of an intersection it is and how it could benefit from simply enforcement of speed limits. I have lived in my house for less than one year. Right after I moved in, I noticed that I heard cars honking at one another or at pedestrians; or brakes screeching at that intersection daily – many times more than once a day. For a while I kept a log. From the way I see it, four busy routes end up at this intersection • Traffic is coming to this intersection westbound from Richfield Rd (between Bde Maka Ska and Lake Harriet) • Traffic going north on France to Excelsior • Traffic going south on France to 62 • Traffic headed eastbound on 38th (from Excelsior) turning briefly onto France southbound, and then turning onto 39th eastbound towards Richfield Rd (between Bde Maka Ska and Lake Harriet).

1 Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 13

Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

I think this intersection is busier than the 38th and France — which has a crosswalk and a flashing light. In addition, there are two bus stops at 39th and France. (None at 38th and France). Speaking of the bus stop, my new neighbor literally suggested I ‘jaywalk’ to cross the street if I saw the bus coming…. Because if I actually went to the intersection that so many cars would be turning or crossing over, or coming down the hill too quickly that I would miss the bus because I wouldn’t be able to cross for 5 minutes. I have not had to take the bus to work due to the pandemic, but I have seen people get off the bus and wait and wait and wait to cross France. After moving in, I remember telling my family there was bound to be an accident at this intersection… and one night last year there was. A car flipped on it’s side. I don’t know the aftermath, if someone was seriously injured or not. But all the neighbors were outside that night and several I spoke with also said they weren’t surprised with how fast cars drove up and down France and how many cars turned at that intersection. People also use it as a walking route to cross from Linden Hills to walk to Minnekahda Park. With kids. And strollers. Cars fly down the hill southbound at 40 or 50, easy. I’ve even seen a Police officer fly by – at like 60mph - WITHOUT his sirens/lights on. Going so fast I could tell if it was a Minneapolis, SLP or Edina officer. I have only lived here during the pandemic and have worked from home like many people I know in the area, and I often wonder -- how busy will the intersection be in the future when we are able to interact safely and go back to work, etc... and there are more people get back on the road again? I would say a comparable road is Xerxes. France has about 5 stop signs/lights/crosswalks from south of the lakes to Hwy 62 and I think that Xerxes has maybe 10? I realize that it’s a main thoroughfare, and that altering the speed limit, installing a stop sign or flashing light is unlikely as SLP would have to work with the City of Minneapolis and probably Hennepin county to do any of these things, but I think the speed limit is 30… is there a way to at least control the speed? Thanks for listening! It's been on my mind for 9 months, and I never knew who I could tell. :) – Carol “Tiger” Porter – 3920 France Ave 5. Are you nuts???!*/%&*!! Many cars already drive at least 40 MPH on Oxford Street, Cedar Lake Road, and Louisiana Ave (south of 32nd). Cedar Lake Road should still be 35. Texas and Louisiana should still be 30 to match Minnetonka Boulevard’s similar road conditions - (and RAISED to 35 on Louisiana south of 32nd !, due to a more open road and what drivers naturally do there. That way,

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Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

people would be driving at more similar speeds.). The frontage road, south of I 394 could also be raised to 35. I am already tail-gated quite often, by the slow speeds you have now. If I drive the new proposed speeds, I will be rear-ended several times! Don’t do it! Don’t be like Minneapolis! Don’t defund the police! Don’t burn the city down! Don’t be like the pod people! – Matt Adams – 1445 Louisiana Ave 6. Yes pls lower the speed limits. Vernon ave cars go by at 40 and up to 50 mph just take a walk and you will see. I've complained for yrs. Lets also get some enforcement. - Rick Thies 7. A resounding booooo to lower speed limits in SLP, regardless of what other communities are doing in the metro, across the country and the world. Enforce current speed limits and controls at intersections. Do not pass an ordinance you don't intend to enforce! This opinion is widely held! - Julia Fredrickson 8. Please keep the speed limits at 30mph or higher on the main roads in our city. I get the little neighborhood streets could be dropped to 25mph, but 20 is TOO SLOW. Cedar Lake Rd, Louisiana and Texas can easily be safely driven at 35mph. They were built for those speeds. Louisiana is already ridiculously slow at 30mph. I hear the argument it's safer to go slower, but how many people have been hit on Louisiana and Cedar Lake Road? It's not the cars that are being dangerous, but often the cyclists not following the rules of the road. Please don't handicap the majority, for the minority. Leave the speed limits alone. We are not Minneapolis. - Maja Salmon 9. I suspect that St. Louis Park has already decided to move forward with lower speed limits in its seeming need to not be outdone by Minneapolis when it comes to knee-jerk solutions. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to respond. We live on a corner with a 4-way stop (Inglewood & 28th Street), and since Joppa does not go through at 28th Street, we see our fair share of traffic. Additionally, we are regular walkers due to having two dogs, and so we have a fairly good sense of traffic in a residential neighborhood. Since your initial email regarding “Twenty is Plenty”, I have paid more attention to my own driving and that of other drivers. My conclusion is that sometimes Twenty is Plenty, but more often than not, twenty is not necessary to maintain safety in a neighborhood. What is concerning is the number of people going well over thirty and/or who regard the stop signs as less than even a yield. “Twenty is Plenty” is a cute slogan. Kudos to whoever coined it, but if SLP wants to be honest about addressing safety in neighborhoods, then do something about the egregious driving habits of those who regularly disregard stop signs in neighborhoods and who drive far in excess of 30 mph. Yes, that entails more policing, and I recognize that is politically unpopular with some, but take it from

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this lifelong Democrat, we are all kidding ourselves—and abdicating civic responsibility—when we allow slogans to be chosen over common sense in a quest to keep up with the Minneapolis Joneses. - Miriam Gustafson 10. This seems to be a solution in search of a problem. There have been no serious traffic accidents, much less a rash of such incidents, related to current 30 MPH speed limits in SLP. In fact, other than the fact that this has spread from over-crowded European cities and has been adopted by Minneapolis, I really see no justification for this change in SLP. If there are specific problem areas, those can be dealt with on an individual basis, with signs and speed bumps. There is virtually no pedestrian crossing traffic in town, except in the Fern Hill neighborhood where people going to temple refuse to walk on the sidewalks. There has never been any enforcement around this, and even on these streets, there has been no safety issues. The cost of changing the signs, the cost of enforcement and the disruption to the normal flow of traffic in and around neighborhoods are all solid reasons not to change the speed limit. According to the website: “What are the goals of the recommended speed limits? • To eliminate fatalities and serious injuries that are a result of crashes on city streets. No history of this happening in SLP. The last fatal traffic accident was when an elderly man failed to stop for a stop sign while riding his scooter and drove in front of a car going under 30 miles per hour. Speed had nothing to do with it. • To create a mobility system that prioritizes walking first, then bicycling and transit, and then motor vehicle use. SLP is not an urbanized area. It was designed for automobile travel. There is virtually no way for normal people to walk to a grocery store, a job or even to school. Nice idea, but not realistic. Bicycling is not a year around option. Transit is not easy to access for anyone not living in multifamily housing, and even then, it is hard to get to where you want to go, unless that is downtown Minneapolis. • To ensure the quality and function of the transportation system contributes to equitable outcomes for all people. This is nonsense. There is no evidence that slowing traffic to 20 mph will increase equity. • To support the movement of people and goods. Again, nonsense. Slowing traffic by definition slows the movement of people and goods. • To be understandable, consistent, replicable, reasonable and contextually appropriate in setting speed limits. The current system has been in use and has been understood by

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drivers in SLP and from other areas of Minnesota for at least 70 years. The new system will not be understood unless you happen to catch a little sign coming into the city streets. • To clearly communicate the new speed limits and to educate about their connection to safety, especially as people enter the city. Again, unless you are going to put up huge signs at every entrance to the city, this won’t work. I am hopeful that this proposal is actually being carefully considered, but based on prior interactions with the Mayor and council members on this issue, and based on the language on the website that sounds like this is a done deal, I am concerned that this comment process is nothing more than lipstick on a pig. – Mark Fredrickson 11. I regularly walk my dog around the neighborhood and have plenty of opportunity to observe traffic problems. What I see is primarily a failure to observe stop signs (of which there are probably too many, but that’s another topic), and speeding in certain areas at certain times, which calls for targeted enforcement. A blanket lower speed limit is an unenforceable feel-good solution to a problem which is much narrower in scope, and will just lead to more scoff-law behavior (see stop signs). – Henry Solmer, 4717 28th Street 12. I stongly disagree with the proposal to lower the speed limit on city streets. 20 mph is too slow and is not necessary for safe driving in SLP. Please do NOT do this. – Betty Shaw, 2649 Huntington Ave 13. I am very much IN FAVOR of the proposed reduction in speed limits for St. Louis Park. Slower IS safer. I hope this is put into effect. – Michael Hennen, 8200 33rd St #117 14. I have lived in St Louis Park for over 60 years. I have owned a home here for 35 years. I can not see what ACTUAL problems we're going to solve with the proposed speed limit changes. Rather I think it's more likely that you'll see road rage and larger differences in speeds between vehicles if these changes are implemented, thus causing REAL issues. Just because the legislature makes something possible doesn't mean it's a good idea to do. Just because Minneapolis and St Paul do something does not mean it's a good idea. – Phil Martinson, 2565 Quebec Ave 15. This is the dumbest thing I’ve read in a long time. There is no need for this - unless the City is just looking to collect more fees for all the speeding tickets the police will be issuing. We are NOT Minneapolis and we don’t want to be!!! The amount of accidents on SLP streets do not justify this. There is no way people will drive 25 mph on Cedar Lake Road or Minnetonka Blvd. I’m sorry but it’s ridiculous. I live on the western side of SLP and will choose to drive west rather than east into the city to run errands if this passes. I know there are those that want everyone to walk or ride bikes

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but that is just not a reality for most people. The city council is micromanaging this city and it’s going to drive everyone out. Stop wasting time on this. Please let me know how we can be a part of the vote on this matter. – Dan and Debby Schumacher 16. The 'Considered', 'Expected to be implemented', ordinance change in lowering speed limits in St. Louis Park is ridiculous and unnecessary. Its consideration and implementation is and has been a waste of money. It is, to be clear, another power grab and revenue snatch by local government. Despicable! While I greatly respect police officers and law and order, I have little respect for city council members who make these types of speculative decisions. Creating a mobility system that prioritizes walking first, then bicycling and transit, and then motor vehicle use. What a crock. – Richard Voshell 17. I got your postcard today, and I am very excited that you're considering lowering speedlimits throughout the city. I believe that 25mph is being considered for Dakota Ave, where I live. This is a wonderful start! It worries me how fast people drive through the neighborhoods, and i think 20mph on most streets is perfectly reasonable. Please put me in the "strong, strong supporter" column. I suppose I should write the councilpeople as well? – Jeremy Anderson, 3208 Dakota Ave 18. I support this. – Mike Robbins, 5623 Lake St. 19. Lowering the speed limit is the most ignorant thing I’ve ever seen! Does anyone live in the real world in city hall? After the phony lockdown people are on edge and already angry, now your going to fuel the fire and push people to the limit. This is just a money maker and you are going to turn the Police loose on the citizens, this will not be good and no one will obey! Just when I think I’ve seen it all, you come up with this! - Jeff Carlson 20. Saint Louis Park wants to reduce the speed limits. Sounds like Saint Louis Park. I live in SLP, and the city behaves that way.

I have noticed an ongoing metropolitan effort to restrict driving. An example is 26th street in Minneapolis. An entire lane is set off with plastic poles, reserved (I imagine) for bicycles. Another lane is available for parking. This leaves two somewhat-squeezed lanes for traffic, whose lanes shift from side to side at times, and occasionally are blocked by delivery trucks. Traffic is cramped, has to go from side-to-side, and is slowed. Now, I realize traffic managers want to slow traffic, but that is no way to treat a one-way street! 26th and 28th streets used to be convenient and efficient ways to travel. Nicollet avenue is missing from Lake street to 29th street -- and as soon as Nicollet was

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blocked by the construction of the K-Mart, the city was proposing to close one-way Blaisdell and 1st avenue S so the bridges over the railroad between Lake street and 29th street could be demolished and replaced.

Right. Let's shut down a major avenue of commerce, and the convenient one way streets running alongside it. People won't mind. That one didn't happen, thank heavens, but as a consolation prize, the city planners made a short section of 1st avenue into a two-way street.

Okay, automobiles are an unmitigated evil upon the earth, and must be discouraged. Okay, okay. I've heard it enough to think some governments actually believe it. But jammed-up traffic emits even more fumes than smooth traffic. Bicycle lanes? Sometimes they're good, but this is Minnesota. I've known a few people who ride bikes to work during winter, but I've seen very few out on the streets in January. So we should all take buses? I have a friend who rides buses, and she says the routes and schedules are slowly diminishing. Electric cars? This is Minnesota. Batteries don't work well in the cold, and we're running low on electricity generation. (Cf. California and Texas.) Where will we get the electricity to charge all those batteries?

And don't get me going on the way Saint Louis Park handles stop signs at T intersections. – Ellen R. Kuhfeld, PhD 21. I don’t see a place to register objections to reducing the speed limit to 20 on the majority of the streets in SLP. Please consider this my objection and pass it on to the deciders. I hope this hasn’t been decided yet and that signs haven’t been ordered. If this proposed change happens, it will drive people nuts and could lead to road rage. Has every single council member spent a week driving 20- miles per hour in the city? Or even a day? – Cindy Jurgensen, 4209 Browndale Ave 22. I would urge speed limits no lower than 25 miles/hour. – Marcos B 23. Bravo! – Chris & Peggy Klug, 8312 Virginia Circle N 24. Since this is all about safety and protecting pedestrians, why do half of the dog walkers/walkers/joggers on Goodrich Avenue do it in the street when there are sidewalks on either side??? The City just spent a lot of money and installed a huge sidewalk on my property last year, yet most people are walking in the middle of the street. Please answer me that. You'll have 0 fatalities if people use sidewalks and that is what this is all about - safety and preventing injuries. – Bradley Widseth

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25. I'm a Ward 4 resident and just wanted to provide some resident feedback on the plan to lower speed limits in St. Louis Park. First of all, I definitely agree with the overall goal to lower traffic speeds within the city and the other goals laid out in the draft Speed Limit Evaluation. I'm concerned, however, that the city will be unable to meet those goals by simply lowering the speed limit. Drivers tend to travel at the speed that a road is designed to support, the speed that drivers feel comfortable driving at. I worry that lowering speed limits without also adding significant traffic calming measures will not have a material impact on the speed that cars travel (Cedar Lake Rd., Texas Ave, Louisiana Ave in particular). It could also result in great speed differentials between vehicles traveling at either the speed limit or the speed that the road supports. Is there a plan to narrow or remove lanes of traffic or other traffic calming techniques to make these new speed limits more realistic? I don't think police enforcement of speed limits is sustainable (or ethical outside of truly reckless behavior). Cedar Lake Rd is a good example. It feels natural to drive at 35mph. East of Louisiana it feels dangerous to go greater than 35 due to the new width of the road and the bump-outs at intersections. West of Louisana (West of Texas really), it feels pretty natural to travel 40 or even 45 since there is no parking along that stretch and the perceived width of the road is much wider than the actual lane width. It makes crossing the road as a pedestrian or biking along the road feel extremely hazardous. Texas north of Cedar Lake Road and Louisana south of Minnetonka are other examples. The current layout of those roads gives a perceived width closer to a suburban county highway than a residential street and cars regularly travel at speeds that reflect that. I don't think changing the speed limit will change that since the existing speed limit is already significantly lower than the speed that people feel comfortable driving at. I hope there are bigger plans than just lowering the speed limit to actually address these issues. – Peter Robbins 26. I have seen some interesting things take place, but wow, this is some feel-good lawmaking. Tell people to use the sidewalks that are forced upon property owners. More cracking down and controlling citizens is never the answer. More white people shaming? Have we not learned anything over the last year? – mnm 27. While I see the reasoning for altering speed limits to a lower common rate of 20mph, this is a speed that is way too slow with regard to how wide roads or right of way traffic directions occur with stop signs/lights. Please consider leaving or raising limits where applicable to 40 or 35 mph, not lowering. – Patrick Gallo

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28. I think this is a truly terrible idea, unless the primary goal is to raise money through speeding tickets. Changing the speed limits on thoroughfares will not reduce traffic speeds; it will increase the number of scofflaws on the road. It is particularly ridiculous to drop the speed limit to 25 mph on Cedar Lake Road and Louisiana. – Sarah Porter, 9255 23rd Street 29. Got your postcard today about the proposed speed limit changes. Have not read through the whole package but what jumped out at me is you have your priorities totally backwards. "Slower speed limits promote a mobility system that prioritizes walking first, then bicycling and transit, and then motor vehicle use." Roads are for cars and transit. Quit ripping out car lanes and replacing them with bike lanes. And enough with the stupid round-a-bouts already. You are on the way to making this city a real mess. – Candace 30. As an 11 year resident of St Louis Park I strongly oppose the proposed speed limit changes. Reducing the speed limit does nothing to curb failure the yield, already pointed out as the number 1 reason for fatal accidents. This will be nothing more than an inconvenience for everyone and will save no one. This is an extremely poor use of tax payer dollars with no benefit. The idea that somehow a distracted, poorly instructed, or otherwise oblivious driver will somehow cause less damage with a lower speed limit is laughably off. I come at this as an engineer, cyclist, motorcycle rider, and avid car enthusiast. Please do not impose this poorly thought out policy! – Ben Halsten 31. I live on Utica Ave & 27th St. This is a dangerous corner as cars coming off Hwy 100 and cutting through the neighborhood are not stopping or just barely or just rolling through. Cars are going so fast down Utica Ave. What we need that I have seen in other area’s is a hexagon stop sign with flashing lights around the rim. You see it from a distance. It’s just a matter of time when there will be a bad situation. – Marilyn Holzer 32. I live on Wooddale Ave, South of Excelsior blvd., and while I appreciate the attempt at slowing down cars on this street, I know a speed limit drop will not phase them. The stop sign on 41st creates a drag strip to get the green light on Excelsior blvd with cars racing up daily. They won’t slow down in fear of a ticket. I believe that physical barriers will be far more effective (speed bumps, narrower street, chicanes). Has the city ever considered such options over tying up police resources to enforce lower speed limits that never work, especially in the absence of enforcement? – Nik Papazois 33. According to the suggested lower speed limits, Cedar Lake Road would be reduced to 25 mph. That's 10 mph slower than currently in effect. That's too slow! Reducing the speed by 5 mph would be acceptable, but 10 mph isn't a good idea. No one will go that speed!

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Edina did that on W. 70th St. east of Hwy 100, and I won't take that street again. It's ridiculously slow. 25 mph on local streets thru neighborhoods is great, but I'm opposed to this new reduction in speed. Please listen to the residents of SLP. Lowering speed limits so drastically will hurt our city not help it. – Barb Person 34. Your plan to reduce the speed limits on residential roads is welcome. You are being much too aggressive on Louisiana however. This is a major artery connecting the city with relatively little pedestrian traffic. If the goal is safety I believe you’re throwing the baby out with the bath water. Louisiana should be 35mph. 25 is completely outrageous. – Matthew Hartloff 35. I am against the proposed lowering of the speed limits in St. Louis Park. So are every neighbor that I have spoken to about this. How can we find out which City Council people supported the changes and which ones opposed it so that we can take action at the ballot boxes? – Bruce Kloehn 36. First of all, I am a biker just so you know that. But having said that I do not favor lowering the speed limits. We would all be safer if we all just walked! Obviously, that is not the solution and carried to an extreme. But reducing the speed limits as much as you are proposing in my opinion is an extreme as well. In todays world a few liberals seem to make all of us cater to their liking and this is no different. Until such time as vehicles are NOT the primary mode of transportation why in the world are we limiting them NOW? I do not understand. Bad drivers or bad people on foot or bike often are the ones that cause an accident, not careful drivers. Why penalize us? I have not had a moving violation or accident in about 20 years. Its been so long I cannot remember when and was told by a SLP police officer once who checked my driving record after stopping me for a burnt out license plate light “Boy, you were not kidding about your record! There is nothing on it!” Ok, if we must adjust our daily lives for the few liberals pounding the table constantly for change then here are several of my objections if we must live with lower speed limits. I will tell you that Edina reduced the speed on 70th Street to 20 mph about a year ago and friends of mine who live off that street and travel it often are really upset. I have travelled it as well often to get to France Avenue off Hwy 100. It is a wide street with sidewalks well away from the road. It does have a school there and clearly the speed limit while kids are in school should be 20 mph. So the question comes up, “Why are we paying taxes to widen our streets to protect better the ones on foot and bike and then penalize someone like me that drives?” I do not see the logic. The logic seems to be to protect the few that voice their concerns and are heard over the majority who would not favor this change! If you say not true, then where is the city vote that occurred to support this change by

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the city population? I cannot believe it would ever pass! So it does not exist I am sure. Side streets at 20 mph, of course it should be. Being against the entire thing to begin with, here are specifics that do not make sense to me. The city needs some main routes that are north and south or east and west to get across the city easier and faster. We live in a world that gets faster everyday, not one that is slowing down. Those routes should not be limited as much as you propose similar to 70th Street in Edina. I have no problem with 20 mph on the streets that are off the main roads because that is where there is often not a stop sign at every corner in both directions, etc. and that is where most likely an accident will occur. Cedar Lake Road is the main east and west road for the north side of SLP, Minnetonka Blvd in the middle and either highway 7 or Excelsior Blvd to the south. Those main arteries should not be limited further from what current speed limits and certainly not down to 25 mph from 35 mph on Cedar Lake Road (a -10 mph drop). This would never pass a popular vote and I would almost bet my life on it! Louisiana speed limit of 30 mph currently on the stretch starting at where the library is to highway 7 is unrealistic. Its two wide lanes! And the sidewalks and are far away from the street and you even built a footbridge over it for people to cross it with tax dollars by the library! The speed limit there should be more than 30 mph, that is why you are not proposing to reduce it now because it is already to slow. To summarize, we should keep a few key roads in the city at a faster speed to encourage their use over side streets and focus tax dollars on those streets to widen them if you are so concerned about people on feet or bike. And the most important of all is this. We are suppose to be a democratic society where I believe the majority should have a say. Put this whole thing to a vote or do a survey of all the residences to see what they really want, not YOUR vision of the future from other places. I doubt that a reduced speed limit campaign exists in all parts of our country (for instance South Dakota). I will go along with any changes that are driven by common sense and the support of the majority of the people. But I do not favor something being “driven” (pun intended) down our throats without a say. This is my say! Put it to a vote if you believe so much that this is the best for all concerned. PUT IT TO A VOTE! – Bruce Siegfried, Westwood Hills Curve 37. Is this to raise more funds for the city with tickets? Is it going to be all the police is doing is giving speeding tickets because these limits are ridiculous! Where I need to drive to is too far to ride bike and by the way I love biking. This is Minnesota, we don’t have 12 months of biking weather anyway.

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It’s not going to get any more people on their bike then are already biking. How came up with this brilliant idea anyway? – Lorna Pommrehn 38. Please do not lower speed limits to 20 mph! That’s just too slow! People might move because of this, then you will have a lower tax base, which won’t be good for the city’s development and growth. I urge the city to reconsider! – Ed Kashmarek 39. I LIVE ON CLUB ROAD & I FEEL THIS IS A WONDERFUL IDEA, PLEASE LOWER THE SPEED LIMITS AS I FEEL THE SMALL CHILDREN IN OUR AREA ARE AT GREAT RISK AS THEY RIDE THEIR BIKES & SCOOTERS ON CLUB RD, AS MANY CARS ARE GOING TOO FAST TO STOP FOR THEM!!! – Jean Louise Burns 40. I do NOT approve of the new speed limits! The money should be spent teaching people how to drive! – Thomas Sincheff 41. While there is clearly a different result from impact at 30 mph vs 20 mph (this is indeed intuitive), there is nothing here to indicate that the root cause of any of the accidents reported on was the result of persons obeying the current traffic laws. This study presents a false argument... 20 mph might be safer than 30 mph, but that does not imply that 30 mph is unsafe. One could argue that 15 mph or 10 mph are even safer. Why are we not considering these? If the answer to that question is that those speeds are just not practical, I would agree but hasten to add that the proposed changes are also not practical. There are many behaviors that can make being on the road unsafe, and we need to make sure that our laws prohibit these behaviors and that our police enforce these laws better. When people are paying attention, being respectful, and obeying traffic laws, there are no accidents. Let me repeat that. When people are paying attention, being respectful, and obeying traffic laws, there are no accidents. Reducing the speed limits to minimize the negative impact resulting from people opting to not pay attention or be respectful is wrongheaded. That inconveniences everybody to negate the behavior of a few. I do not think the City Council has done their due diligence on this issue. As this impacts every citizen of and every visitor to St Louis Park, it is vitally important that you get widespread feedback on this proposed change. I reached out to you because you did not reach out to me. I received a mailer the other day with information on the proposal, but no avenue to provide feedback. I have yet to talk with one citizen of this City that thinks this is a good idea, which leads me to believe that if you were to conduct an honest survey that truly represents a cross section of our population, you would find that this is not a wanted change.

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To pass this change, patting yourself on the back and claiming that you have made us all safer would be a lie, both to yourself and to your constituents. – Carl Robertson 42. I strongly support the change to 20 mph on single-lane two-way residential streets like mine (I live at 3730 Inglewood Ave S). We spend a lot of time outdoors with many young children playing in their yard and 30 mph seems too fast. I also think the proposed change to 25mph for residential arterioles like 38th is also a good idea. On the other hand, I think multi-lane two-way streets with few intersections such as Beltline should be higher than the current 30 mph and changed to 35 mph; the proposed change to 25 mph seems way too low. And I think multilane streets with many intersections like Wooddale are fine at the current 30 mph. – Dave Klein, 3730 Inglewood Ave 43. I have been following the speed limit review and I can’t say that it matters much to me, I drive slow and do not use my cell phone (much bigger issue), but I have a couple of observations and requests. We just sent out a postcard with “community outreach”, but it does not direct you to a place to provide feedback. I think if you survey the citizens, 80% of them would not support lower speed limits or the costs to do it. I think this gives police one more reason to pull over virtually anyone for any reason. (exceeding 20 miles per hour) I think it would be useful for the full council and city staff to commit to driving 20 miles per hour or less, or less than the proposed speed limits, until you make the final decision, just to feel the impact and see if you still think it is right. – Curt Rahman, Walker Lake Business Association 44. Imagine my surprise at receiving a post card from St. Louis Park informing me that "Adjusted Speed Limits Coming Soon" even though the City has not yet adopted an ordinance to this effect. Talk about not feeling valued! I now feel that there is no point in providing my input to the Mayor and Council on any issue because your minds are already made up. I deserve better. Having said that, I will comment on this issue because the proposed ordinance is such a bad idea. I agree that people speed on city streets, but the answer to this problem is not a new ordinance but to enforce the laws you already have. A new ordinance won't do any more good than the existing ordinance if it is not enforced. Perhaps you will increase enforcement, at least for a while, but that

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won't be permanent because the police force is already stretched thin and the city faces many more challenging issues. Furthermore, what will it cost for new signs for the reduced speed limits? $200,000? The city must have lots of extra money. If not, the money you do have could be put to much better use than new speed limit signs, there are so many needs in our community. Given the postcard I received, I realize that my comments are useless because the city is determined to adopt the ordinance. Even so, I hope you will reconsider this proposed (sort of) ordinance.

45. I was so relieved to get the postcard that SLP is looking at speed limits. I live just off of Minnetonka Blvd, and am stunned at how fast people drive, not to mention how many people honk at me because I am driving the speed limit. – Janet Pelto, 2920 Monterey Ave 46. I just got a notice in the mail that speed limits on most roads are dropping to an unreasonable 20MPH, which is even slower than a typical bicycle. I never heard anything about this during the supposed comment period, and as a voter and taxpayer am extremely unhappy with this change. – James VanDenBerg 47. I am writing tonight with comments on the proposed speed limit changes in SLP. I support most of the plan, but have some reservations on certain aspects. I support the following: • The switch to 20MPH on the side residential streets. Most streets you honestly can't (or shouldn't) get going faster than that anyway with the stop signs and it is just safer for all of us, especially younger residents and folks on bikes. • Slowing down Texas Ave to 25MPH. I am actually curious why it isn't being slowed to 25MPH south of Hwy 7. There's a lot of residential there, it would seem to make sense and be less confusing. I do not support the following: • Reduced speed on the more heavily traveled main streets of Louisiana Ave and Cedar Lake Road, at least not to the extent proposed. • Louisiana - I agree that Louisiana can and should probably be slower north of Cedar Lake Rd, partly because it is so much narrower, but I think it should remain at 30MPH south of there. • Cedar Lake Road - I would support a speed reduction to 30MPH to match Louisiana Ave from Texas Ave eastward, but not 25MPH. I do support a reduction to 25MPH west of

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Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

Texas Avenue as you approach the school, as there are so many more kids walking to and from home. Questions/other comments • I am curious about 36th St and why it is being kept at 30 MPH, especially with the Rec Center. I know there has been talk of a roundabout at Beltline, so maybe that would be addressed at that point. I think it is confusing to have such a short stretch at 30MPH, especially since that doesn't seem like a major street like Louisiana Ave and CLR, which would be slower than this stretch for much of their length. It seems like it would be safer and less confusing to have 36th match Monterey and Beltline. I realize it is more commercial, but there is still a lot of foot traffic. Also, the lack of a bike lane makes that stretch very precarious for cyclists. I remember doing a Bike the Park ride many years ago and that was the scariest stretch for many riders in the group. Slowing cars down would definitely help. Overall, I appreciate the work being done to keep streets safe and improve foot and bike travel in the city, but do hope you reconsider certain aspects of the proposed changes. – Emily Barker, Cobblecrest Neighborhood 48. I have lived in St. Louis Park all my life (Over 60 year). The speed limits seem reasonable. I totally disagree with the decision to change the speed limits. To change the speed limit it 20,25 makes no sense. From what I understand most of the accidents are with pedestrians. I think the real issue is that it is very confusing to know who has the right aways at the intersections and cross walks. Many pedestrians and bikers don’t look before they enter an intersection because they assume they always have the right away. Many bikers ride faster than 20 miles/hour. Will they be ticketed? The map shows that Mtka Blvd and Cedar Lake Road will be at 25 miles/hour. It is ridiculous that you think that it is motorist will abide by this as bikers cruise by them. I suggest education is the best approach. Teach pedestrians and motorist who has the right way. Just because other cities are doing this doesn’t mean it’s right for our city. – Andrea Chazin 49. just read the card sent out in regards to Adjusting Speed Limits in the area, this is great news, something was needed. Too bad all have to suffer for a few. We live at the end of the reduction on Louisiana Ave and from what I see the next block south it goes back to 30, why put that temptation back to the traffic, the people speeding north will not reduce till they get to Minnetonka lights and the people going south will just keep speeding up as they go through the neighborhood since they

15 Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 27

Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

know it increases, I can see this being a problem for this 2-3 block stretch. It really makes sense to run it all the way down to the roundabout, but you can't fight city hall right . If you can't change it all the way down, then is there any way you can change the start of the 25mph another block south, so that it starts just before Library Lane, and also put up a speed reduction notice sign just before that so they know to reduce? This extra block also might help keep people slower longer as they are coming south from Mtka Blvd. The normal local traffic is usually ok, it is the trucks and illicit activity that are the concerns for us. These fully loaded trucks fly through here, definitely over 30mph, 20 ft from our bed, it is pretty bad, our house shakes and items rattle on the shelf pretty much all day and occasionally at night, this activity has changed greatly since the roundabout, some of this might be the condition of the road but slowing them down might help. I have always wondered if this heavy vibration would affect our utility lines coming in off the street and our foundation, do you know? Then the illicit activity, been going on a couple of years, they are pretty bold in their business, and they love racing around here a lot, along with their friends that stop over, hoping this will calm them down some. They should know it is coming as a couple of them live in this neighborhood. Just want to thank everyone there that put this together!!! – Jeff Looft, 3120 Louisiana Ave 50. I'm not sure if this is the right email address so feel free to forward this if necessary. I'm a SLP and I wanted to express my support for the plan to reduce speed limits on residential streets. The increased safety is well worth the marginal increase in driving times. Thanks for all you do! – Mallory Manning, Meadowbrook Neighborhood 51. When is the city council meeting regarding this? I do not see a date published and this is not okay. This is a money grabbing ploy for the city to gain funds. Lower the speed on side streets for safety or whatever but the main roads like Texas, Louisiana and Cedar Lake do not need to be lowered. 30 is slow enough. Why not enforce those limits instead of lowering them? People are constantly speeding on them. It's going to cause traffic jams and St Louis Park will be avoided by people shopping. Remember you need young people to move here, spend money here and this is an absolute nightmare to have to creep along on those main roads. It will deter people from buying homes and settling down. Source, I am young and will absolutely avoid doing any business in St Louis Park.

16 Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 28 Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

I'd like to join the city meeting. I need the date, time and location. Will it be available online through Zoom? – Danielle Schmidt 52. Hi, I am all in favor of reducing speed limits in SLP. If there is someone else I should tell this to, please let me know. I bike. I dont have a car. I grew up in the Netherlands. I do not want a car. On the roadways in SLP, I weekly have a person (usually a man in a truck) purposefully drive into me / into the bike lane -- perhaps to "show me" that I should not be on the road. PS Right now, on NextDoor there is a massive heated debate about speed limits / bikers on the roadway in SLP. I cannot read it; cuz when I have in the past, the long dialogue was so hateful against BIKERS (like me) that I got sick.... In sum, I am 62. I live on Colorado Avenue. I often feel unsafe while biking - sometimes on Woodale I squoosh over onto the sidewalk. Squoosh is the operative word! – Patricia Jo Bungert 53. I have seen the maps that show the changes in speed limits. It follows what has been done in Minneapolis and St. Paul. I see a problem with compliance and enforcement. I have noticed in St. Paul that when I follow the speed limit on Cretin Avenue, I have a line of cars right behind me. Drivers don't follow the speed limit and get irritated with people who do. I live just off Texas Avenue and notice that too few follow the current limit. My suggestion is that instead of lowering the speed limits the police enforce the current limits. – Barb Divinski, 8015 34th 1/2 St 54. I do not appreciate this change regardless of whatever study was done. As a 55 year resident of ward 4 in St. Louis Park, this change makes no sense. What would make sense is throwing more money at enforcing the already posted speed limits. And jail time for repeat offenders or making them do community projects with the money they would have paid in fines. I live on Jersey Avenue South between 394 and Cedar Lake Road. It continues to be a racetrack, especially in the summer. Find ways to enforce the speed limits instead of buying new signs for unenforceable speed limits. Most cars these days do not even go 20 - 25 mph without riding the brakes. It is a ridiculous waste of money. Sort of like the round-a-bouts, but worse. At least traffic lights make people slow down and stop! Don't get me started on round-a-bouts.

17 Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 29

Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

Another and better idea is to study and build sidewalks to keep people off the roadways. Lets invest in sidewalks in neighborhoods! What a concept. I know this idea has been tossed around for many years. It was a good thing when sidewalks were finally installed on Cedar Lake Road! But where are the sidewalks for those safe walks to school for our children? I went to the Junior High School, and there continue to be sidewalks only half the way to that school building. Thank you Tim for questioning 25 mph on Cedar Lake Road. "Councilmember Tim Brausen had a different objection as he said a 25 mph limit would be too low and therefore would not be practical for Cedar Lake Road." I recall being amazed when it went from 30 mph to 35 mph. Since we had one communication from the city, and a post card today, and one article in the Sun Sailor, I think that there will be a lot of surprised citizens when this ridiculous idea becomes reality. Without combing through all of the council minutes, I would like to know exactly how many pedestrian incidents were cited in the study. What were the circumstances surrounding the incident. Were the drivers at fault or the pedestrian? What are the ages of the drivers and pedestrians in the incidents, and what season was it when the incidents occurred? Our sidewalks are not always walkable in snowy seasons even when there is a sidewalk! There is way too much speeding on all roadways in our community. Parents of young children do not supervise their little ones well while they are in the street on bicycles and other wheeled toys. As a retired pediatric nurse, I cringe at this lack of supervision. I am really concerned that this will just create more work for our police. When we lower the speed limits, will we be adding officers to enforce the lowered limits? They are not able to keep up with the limits where they are now! While you are at it, let's create communities with meeting places where ideas like this can be heard in person. In the past there were places like this in the community within walking distance. In my community, we lost Eliot School as one of those places. There is nothing that would accommodate a group of people anymore. Instead, we could watch the council meetings on cable TV, if you have, and can afford cable. I can just see all the little households tuning in ... Oh, hey honey, what should we watch tonight? The next episode of the Voice, xyz tv show, or the city council meeting? Get in the car with all the kids and go to a community meeting at the huge SLP community center to hear an idea ... Right.

18 Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 30

Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

Change is continuous. This change proposal makes no sense and is a waste of taxpayer dollars like the lovely trees that were planted, died and were dug up for sewer improvements on Cedar Lake Road. Why is the last published "Planning Study" from January 2008? It is 2021. Through the few communications it seems as though this decision has already been made. I do not envision that it will have much community support or compliance. – Wendy Sandstrom, 2013 Jersey Ave 55. I live near Oak Hill Park and have been hearing about the planned reduction in speed limit. I honestly didn't think anything of it...seemed harmless and in line with Mpls and St. Paul's new rules. But after the shooting of Daunte Wright I am more aware of the potential extreme negative consequences of traffic stops. Let's not add another reason for police to stop people of color in our community. It just doesn't seem necessary right now. No one is really going to drive 20 all the time around town, let's aim to reduce discretionary police traffic stops. – Jane Betchel 56. I've been a homeowner in St. Louis Park since 1993. We moved from Minneapoli and I was always surprised that the city allowed 30 mph on side streets. It's incredibly dangerous especially since there aren't sidewalks. You have parked cars on both sides of the street as well as pedestrian and car traffic. I know other suburbs have made reductions in speed limits as well. Don't be discouraged if you get some complaints, most of us would rather be safe on our walks. Since the pandemic there are more families, children, pets, old people and bikes utilizing the streets out on walks. – Sherry Quick 57. I think the proposals may be difficult for all St Louis Park residents/travelers, but I do support what researchers and experts say will reduce serious injury or fatalities. Therefore, I will support the new limits and reinforce the importance to my friends, family and co-workers at Methodist Hospital. It appears that the street I live on – Utica Ave (HiWay 100 frontage road) is not city owned and will not be impacted. That saddens me as we have many children in our neighborhood and I would like a 20 MPH speed. – Patti Betlach 58. I’m thinking you aren’t requesting opinions or having a public hearing. However, taking main traffic routes like Texas and Louisiana and reducing the speed limit to 25 is not what traffic needs. If you have speeders, enforce 30MPG. If you are after drag racers, let’s talk about HWY 7 and the increase in speed limit there. I sure would like to see that go back to 45MPG. – Connie Hessevick, 3625 Sumter Ave

19 Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 31

Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

59. Regarding residential speed limits, I am happy to hear of the City’s efforts to adjust the residential speed limits. I live along Wooddale Avenue and walk the neighborhood. The current 30-mile-an- hour speed limit is ignored by a good numbers of passers through. Particularly with the addition of the bicycle lane, reducing the speed of the traffic in this area is wise. – Ramona Johnson, 4280 Wooddale Ave 60. Lowering speed limits on the city streets of St. Louis Park is a great idea! Please consider lowering the speed limit on the stretch of road between 4900 Cedar Lake Road (the stop sign) and the Jewish Community Center. Cars being driven at 30 mph or more is dangerous to the many walkers and bikers in this very recreational area. Before the pandemic the traffic levels were very bad at certain times of the day. It is difficult to pull out on to the road from the parking lots of the condos and townhouses there. For years the neighborhood has been trying to get the speed limit lowered or speed bumps put in place. – Jann Nelson, South Cedar Trails Townhomes 61. I have been a resident of SLP since 1983. I recall that several decades ago the city also had the goal of slowing cars down on city streets. The solution was to install 4-way stop signs on many of the residential intersections. The idea was that drivers could only accelerate so much before they had to stop at the next intersection. For the most part that has worked. What has been happening more and more frequently in recent years is that drivers are not coming to a stop. Many of them glance in both directions and then blow through the intersection. I know because we live near the intersection of Sunset and Huntington and can see the intersection from our living room. The traffic laws are not being enforced very much now. Drivers who blow through stop signs will not keep their speed below 20 mph. Common sense and human nature tells us that. All the reduced speed limits will do is make normally law-abiding citizens break the law by driving at the natural speed of 25 or 30 mph when it is safe to do so. Anyway, this is my opinion, and I wish that you will convey this to the relevant decision makers. – Joseph Kapusta, 2855 Huntington Ave 62. Lowering the speed limits. This is the dumbest proposed use of tax payer dollars available. Don’t change the speed limits. Do something productive. Increase police spending to enforce traffic laws, don’t punish the people who follow them. “Hey I have an idea, instead of punishing the people who break the law, let’s just punish everyone in our city limits.” I’ll vote against every idiot who puts this dumb change in place. Do something else with your life, this certainly isn’t a good use of it. – Mark Madison

20 Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 32

Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

63. I want to voice my opposition to speed limit changes on major thoroughfares in SLP. I am all for safer streets and am ok reducing most side street speed limits to 20 mph. However, I do not think that streets like Cedar Lake Road and Louisiana Ave should be reduced to 25 mph. These are major thoroughfares that already have a lot of traffic at busy times of the day. A lower speed limit will increase traffic volumes and cause longer commutes. Additionally, it feels like Cedar Lake Road should match the Minnetonka Blvd county set speed limit. - David Winter, 8206 Westwood Hills Curve 64. I’m a resident of St Louis Park and am interested in your help to understand the status of adopting an ordinance to change (reduce) speed limits on SLP city streets. Per the page link below from the city website, Will you please share more information about how “the city is conducting public outreach...”? Where? How? Who? When? What feedback/input has been collected from this “public outreach”? When will the city council vote to adopt this speed limit ordinance? – Andrea Greene, 2720 Florida Ave 65. I am against this proposal. I am not a speeder. This is not necessary. – Sue Witt 66. As an avid biker, I appreciate safer drivers. But I doubt lowering the limits will be worth the expense and effort. I oppose the lowering of the limits. – Steven P. Kenny, 9200 28th St 67. I just wanted to write that I am very pleased with the recommended new lower speed limit of 25 mph for Belt Line Blvd and Monterey Drive. I also think that extending the 25 mph to 36th Street W would be a good idea, in that it would encourage drivers to shift to a slower speed as they approach Belt Line Blvd and Monterey Drive. In practice, to most drivers, Monterey Drive and 36th Street W are the same street. With new bicycle lanes and waking paths, I hope that the slower speeds will add to the safety of all. – Lee Kamel 68. As a resident of St Louis Park, I am totally in favor of speed limits being reduced on city streets. I want to comment on Cedar Lake Road, Louisiana Avenue and Texas Avenue. They are residential streets, except for a small stretch where Cedar Lake Road and Louisiana Avenue intersect. These roads have recommended speed limits as 25 mph. 20 mph is a good speed for residential streets. According to the map published on the SLP website the recommended speed limit for most streets is 20 mph. Cedar Lake Road, Louisiana Avenue and Texas Avenue are streets with more traffic, is this why the recommended speed limit is 25. I

21 Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 33

Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

sincerely hope that the city council goes along with the recommended speeds currently posted on the website today and you are not considering that the speed limit be anything faster than 25 mph on Cedar Lake Road, Louisiana and Texas. Thank you for what you are doing and taking time to read my comments. One last thing, it is disappointing that the speed limit change is being delayed. – Betty Carlson 69. If you're out there and not in a car, you see the same things I do when I'm out walking or running-- way too many cars either unaware or uncaring that they are going too fast. On all kinds of streets. This seems like a slam dunk, common sense thing to do so that people know that hey, doing 28 down a neighborhood street isn't ok. Doing 42 down Cedar Lake Road isn't ok. I hope that we keep building safer streets to really drive those speeds down but this can be part of the plan, too. Bring the limits and speed expectations in line with the rest of the world as a 1st step toward more sanity out there. I do worry the council will be afraid to take action on this in the current environment because I've seen some bad-faith (in my estimation) or at least misplaced arguments on NextDoor/Facebook claiming that this is going to be a police excuse to hassle people, with everything that entails. Ordinarily I'd be very sympathetic to that kind of argument but I just don't see pedestrian (and auto!) safety as a police matter at all. I don't see the existing speed limits being enforced by ticketing so I wouldn't expect the new ones to, either. I've actually seen people citing this as a reason to do nothing but I can think of all kinds of laws we follow to varying degrees without constant police intervention. Which isn't an argument in favor of anarchy. Simply put--high auto speeds are a problem which on some streets are completely legal; we really need to change that. I just want drivers to slow down a tad so that we can all enjoy the experience of being outside of a car a bit more, without fear of death. You don't need police enforcement of traffic laws to make that happen. The last-measured average speed on my part of Jersey Ave. was 25.6. It is extremely unpleasant, especially with the size of some of these vehicles, to share space with something that can carry that much force. If people see and know that the speed limit is 20, I do think that they'll slow down a bit, especially when they pass a pedestrian (we even don't have sidewalks so I really feel it when someone blows by at 25-30). Please take bike and pedestrian safety seriously and adopt the recommended speed limit changes. And thanks for your time! I can really rant on on this topic! – Patrick Baldwin, 1825 Jersey Ave Comments by phone (summaries from various staff):

22 Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 34

Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

70. An older woman who lives on Cedar Lake road near Ford road called for some basic information on the speed limit changes, and also gave her input: she is very happy about this, feels people are used to driving fast without regard for pedestrians, especially older or disabled people. Thinks there is too much “it’s all about me, get out of my way” attitude with drivers, that they feel they can do whatever they want. Is very bothered that people tailgate her when she is going the speed limit, especially on the frontage road (Wayzata Blvd). She talks to other people her age and they tend to agree with her, that people drive too fast. 71. Hopes that this will actually result in people driving slower, wondering if people who like to speed can change. Likes the focus on pedestrians, this is much needed. It can be very stressful to be an older pedestrian crossing streets. We need to adjust our thinking, slow down to a comfortable pace, a deeper way of thinking (regard for others). She did not want to leave her name or contact info. 72. Donald Hirasuna, 2821 Ottawa Ave, called to let us know he is very much against sidewalks (I believe he meant on his street). For one thing, he has a large elm tree that has been alive since the 1940s, and since there are so few of these old trees, he doesn’t want it to be taken down. For another, he is legally blind, and says most people do not shovel their sidewalks, leaving them icy and dangerous. In addition, cars drive faster “like maniacs” when there are sidewalks. He would rather walk on the street where it’s safer, doesn’t want to have to worry about falling. 73. A resident, who lives at 4050 Wooddale, called to ask about the speed limit changes. She says lowering to 25 mph doesn’t make a difference, generally thinks people drive too fast around here. She says traffic has doubled in the past two years, and there are a lot of motorcyclists and construction trucks that are very noisy, and drive too fast. She thinks people should be slower in residential areas. Thinks people from Edina are using the street to get to Hy 100. She says she called about Wooddale being a collection street, because of a bike trail (?) and she is concerned about the increased traffic with little kids in the area, with the school nearby. She has lived in her house all her life, and says the traffic patterns have changed, and impacted the homes. 74. Caroline Lazo (?), 3506 Minikahda Ct #2, called to say she does not have a car, hasn’t driven for 25 years, and feels this correspondence is for drivers and she would like to be taken off the list for notifications. She did not leave a callback number 75. Anonymous caller, no address: Lowering the speed limits seems like regressive thinking, for an older community, not thinking forward for a younger community. Maybe we could enforce the speed limits already in place and see how that works rather than making us a geriatric community.

23 Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 35

Emailed and phone speed limit feedback

76. Anonymous caller, lives at 25 ½ St: Thank you so much for the new speed limits- I hope the consideration will turn into new signs. My street is very dangerous. Thank you so much for doing this and making SLP a safe place to walk. 77. Anonymous I live at 27th and Inglewood, and the problem is that no one stops at the stop signs, they just roll through, and then speed down Inglewood. Would prefer that there be ticketing or some other enforcement, and community education so people actually stop. But am in favor of lowering the speed limit also, and maybe speed bumps. 78. Marilyn Lingwall, 4211 Ottawa Ave, called to give her feedback on the proposed speed limits she is very much in favor of lowering the speed limits. She lives at 4211 Ottawa, and says cars speed on both Ottawa and 42nd St all the time. She called a year or so ago, and the city installed a speed limit radar tracker, but she says cars slow down when they see them. She also had wanted stop signs for that corner, but says the city said there wasn’t enough traffic. She says there are kids and animals on her street, and mentioned several times how happy she is about the speed limit change. 79. 5/17: Didn’t provide name. Called saying the city needs low speed limits on local streets. Cars drive too fast on my street. 80. 5/4: Didn’t provide name. I’m not really for changing speed limits. Had clarifying questions on specific speeds and streets. 81. 5/4: Karen Christensen, 2112 Flag Ave. Changing speed limits won’t help. The current speed limit is not enforced. 82. 5/4: Kathryn Urich, 2208 Oregon Ct. I’m against speed limit changes. It won’t change driver behavior. Local residential streets are fine with lower speed limits. Thru streets with lower speed limits will cause congestion.

24 Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 36

City of St. Louis Park, MN Export of Records Captured by ArchiveSocial From 5:00 on Mar 31, 2021 UTC to 4:59 on Apr 22, 2021 UTC

City of St. Louis Park speed limits social media campaign Generated by Nicole Pribbenow at 17:16:28 on 5/10/2021 UTC

Included in this export: Account(s): [Facebook Page] City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota; [Instagram Business] stlouispark; [Twitter] @stlouispark Content Type(s): All Term(s): matching speed limits AND matching slower

Records matching the above criteria are highlighted.

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 37

City of St. Louis Park speed limits social media campaign generated at 17:16:28 on 5/10/2021 UTC Account: stlouispark Content type: Instagram Business - Media Record ID: 20210331City-of-St-Louis-ParkMedia24574_2541660861397700976_5731291062

stlouispark  Slower is safer. To support safer streets, the City of St. Louis Park is considering adjusting speed limits on city streets. Visit bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP to find answers to frequently asked questions and maps to check proposed speed limits in your neighborhood and around the city. Implementation of new speed limits is expected this summer. at 16:53:27 on 3/31/2021 UTC

cgkreie Speed limits tell people how to drive, but good street design make people drive slowly. Fix Highway Louisiana. at 19:01:50 on 3/31/2021 UTC

itsbenjp @cgkreie  at 19:33:41 on 3/31/2021 UTC

bgranqui Get the county to do the same on Minnetonka and you have a win. at 2:45:34 on 4/01/2021 UTC

jamiemeidlinger Please give a valid URL. Thank you at 4:04:21 on 4/01/2021 UTC

stlouispark @jamiemeidlinger bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP is the short custom URL. The long URL is https://www.stlouispark.org/government/departments-divisions/engineering/speed-limits. You can get to the webpage by swiping up on our story from yesterday. at 14:15:45 on 4/01/2021 UTC

sellwithkel  at 23:12:36 on 4/01/2021 UTC

Account: @stlouispark Content type: Twitter - Tweets Record ID: 20210331St-Louis-Park-MNTweets4393_1377304683560067076 St. Louis Park, MN @stlouispark  Slower is safer. To support safer streets, the city is considering adjusting speed limits on city streets. Visit bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP for FAQs & maps to check proposed speed limits in your area & around the city. Implementation of new speed limits is expected this summer. pic.twitter.com/JOapdeY3Xz

at 17:00:00 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Account: City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota Content type: Facebook Page - Photos Version: Current / Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 38

Tags: edited Album: Timeline Photos Edit time: Wed Mar 31 17:00:01 UTC 2021 Record ID: 20210331City-of-St-Louis-Park-MinnesotaPhotos4397_10159453610846584

City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota at 17:00:01 on 3/31/2021 UTC

 Slower is safer. To support safer streets, the City of St. Louis Park is considering adjusting speed limits on city streets. Visit bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP to find answers to frequently asked questions and maps to check proposed speed limits in your neighborhood and around the city. Implementation of new speed limits is expected this summer.

Scott Dyer Cedar Lake should be 30 the entire way through SLP. It is a major arterial no different from Minnetonka Blvd and the other major arterials that aren't dropping to 25. at 17:05:22 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Mike Edlavitch What’s the point if you don’t enforce it? at 17:11:57 on 3/31/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: deleted, edited John Kindseth The post says this is under consideration but the graphic says it is coming. Given the statement of coming soon, has this already been decided? at 17:26:50 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Chris Clarke Ask Minneapolis how this worked out for them? Zero enforcement means your new signs will be ignored. And what is the impetus for this initiative? Are we experiencing a huge number of auto accidents now? Or is this just more government overreach packaged as 'safety'? I'm guessing the latter rather than the former. at 17:52:12 on 3/31/2021 UTC Tags: deleted Chris Clarke John Kindseth Right? at 17:53:30 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Mary Lorvick Our council person mentioned how safe it is for pedestrians with the lower speed. My husband asked how many pedestrians have been killed in the last 10 years on city streets-ONE has. How about we put more effort into pedestrians learning how to walk safely on our streets instead of lowering the limits? I am amazed at how many people, who walk the streets in our neighborhood walk with traffic instead of against it, the way I was taught in the 50s. Is this just another anti-auto initiative? at 18:04:46 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Mary Lorvick Chris Clarke my daughter lives in the North Mpls Speedway-total disregard for their 20 is Plenty motto. at 18:06:27 on 3/31/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited Karen Dresen Hoeschen Scott Dyer I live right off Cedar lk rd and cannot tell you the cars that speed around me when I'm going 35. Plus everyone ignores the crosswalk because they are going too fast to stop by the time they notice someone waiting. Everyone needs to slow down! at 18:09:20 on 3/31/2021 UTC

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 39

Scott Dyer Karen Dresen Hoeschen I totally agree they need to slow down. It should just be consistent with comparable streets and it needs to be enforced. Doesn't matter what the speed limit is if it isn't enforced. at 18:14:52 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Karen Dresen Hoeschen Scott Dyer definitely agree with consistent. at 18:16:39 on 3/31/2021 UTC Tags: deleted Julianna Janssen John Kindseth my understanding is that the law changed to allow cities to set their own speed limits on city streets, so this will for sure be changing, but maybe the actual changes are not 100% finalized. Your city council rep should be able to provide more info. at 18:21:10 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Wendy Sulzer "Slower speed limits promote a mobility system that prioritizes walking first, then bicycling and transit, and then motor vehicle use." This is the goal. This is part of the Great Reset of the World Economic Forum. less cars and more public transport. I don't think accident reduction is the goal. But it is framed by the city, for "safer streets" but the first paragraph starts with the quote above. St. Louis Park will not be allowed to sell any gas cars by 2030 as well, most are unaware of these agendas happening. I do believe that reducing speeds on Cedar Lake or Minnetonka will push more cars to the side streets, which is already an issue. Minnetonka is a county road which I don't think the city can change the speed limit. at 18:22:50 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Shaun Jamison This is great. Five miles an hour reduction can drastically reduce stopping distance to avoid accidents altogether as well as reduce the risk of serious injury. Yes, people will speed, but many will stay within 5 miles an hour which could still help as speeds will generally decline. Going 20 miles an hour on my street will hardly add any time to driving through to a major street. at 18:24:05 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Stephanie Johnson Suppes As a resident of Louisiana Ave, please enforce the speed limit. The high rates of speed that come down this street are frightening. Louisiana should also be one lane all the way down. at 18:28:03 on 3/31/2021 UTC Tags: deleted Leah Brown Mary Lorvick I agree! The crosswalks are so dangerous. at 18:33:18 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Claire Warren Did I miss where it said they wouldn't be enforcing the new speed limits? at 18:36:51 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Leah Brown Stephanie Johnson Suppes I agree with Louisiana Ave between Cedar Lake Rd and 394! at 18:37:58 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Claire Warren Agree - it should be 30 and enforced. Dropping it to 25 is lowering it too low and people will not follow it. From the FAQs: "Setting a speed limit much lower than what drivers actually travel leads to drivers not complying with the limit. That works against the goals of increasing safety and decreasing vehicle speeds. The recommended speed limits are intended to be understandable, consistent and reasonable. Existing average speeds were used to help set recommended speed limits."

I find it hard to believe the average speeds on CLR were 25 mph. at 18:39:57 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Jon Dordal Wendy Sulzer it's the religion of Safeism, where safety is the carrot and control is the stick. at 18:44:04 on 3/31/2021 UTC

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 40

Matt Moore LOL "overreach" at 18:49:42 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Linda Trummer I don't believe lowering speed limits is the answer. And I think pedestrians should be the priority. We should be able to safely cross streets, especially fast moving streets like Louisiana Avenue on the North end of town, where there are insufficient sidewalks, no crosswalks, no signage, and no enforcement. No one addresses the needs of residents living in the neighborhoods adjacent to Louisiana North in St. Louis Park. We already have traffic speeding through our side streets, with too many cars parked on those side streets for it to be safe for pedestrians. As for gas vehicles not being sold by 2030, the numbers I've read indicate that 69% of vehicles will still be gas operated. at 18:58:30 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Kelsy Koeller

at 19:07:01 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Timothy Danger Perez Thank God! I hate driving fast!!! I’ll take 20-50mph anyday. at 19:14:43 on 3/31/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited Mike Edlavitch Claire Warren it sure doesn’t seem like they are currently enforcing the speeds, Edina is though, they love to ticket. at 19:43:48 on 3/31/2021 UTC Tags: deleted Mike Edlavitch Edina is though at 19:44:06 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Tyler Luby Do you want republicans? This is how you push people to vote Republican at 19:44:07 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Randall Olson Thank you!! And I hope this includes city vehicles, school busses, etc. They all drive way too fast!! at 19:58:26 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Joanna Robson Yeah, everything north of Library Lane really ought to be one lane plus parking/right turn lane rather than two lanes of traffic. That would help with the speeding some. at 20:16:06 on 3/31/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited Cindy Novak Swartout Kelsy Koeller interesting...why are you saying no? at 20:22:12 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Casey Kreie Stephanie Johnson Suppes I couldn't agree more. I wrote a lengthy essay about how Louisiana sucks and is super dangerously designed, and I was basically shut down by the city and told that it needs to be the way it is.  at 21:02:26 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Casey Kreie Mary Lorvick you're joking right? Cars kill people, simple as that. at 21:03:52 on 3/31/2021 UTC Tags: hidden

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 41

Casey Kreie Do more than just lower the speed limit. Design streets to force people to drive slower. Louisiana is a damn highway, so people drive highway speeds. It needs to be fixed. at 21:04:36 on 3/31/2021 UTC (hidden)

Stephanie Johnson Suppes Casey Kreie maybe we need to attend some city council meetings together. Cars race to get in front of each other right in front of our house where the street merged into one lane. Its insane ! at 21:21:16 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Penny Kokkila What is the big deal? It's a 5 mile an hour change. I don't think this is a life changing event. at 21:55:27 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Karoline Pierson Please do change them. It is like a raceway on Cedar Lake Road. at 22:18:09 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Mary Woodford Mike Edlavitch I agree with you, I live on Dakota. It is a nightmare of speeding vehicles and although many of us have reported this, the 30 mph is not enforced. at 22:33:23 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Macy Door Chris Clarke Minneapolis resident here and the 20 is plenty signs have been helpful reminder for me to slow down! Slower speeds in my neighborhood actually make it quieter and with more kids on bikes and people out walking it’s been good at 22:43:20 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Claire Warren Mike Edlavitch Ah - I get what you're saying now. Yes, they definitely need to step up enforcement :) at 23:06:04 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Mary Lorvick Casey Kreie I was given the lower speed limit as a reason for less people dying from being hit from my council person. at 23:52:13 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Erica Gutmann Strohl Is this something SLP residents want or have requested or is the Council just adopting another bad idea from Mpls without fully considering whether it is needed in SLP? at 0:52:37 on 4/01/2021 UTC

Quinten Reuben I regularly see vehicles racing down Cedar Lake Road at what appears to be 45-50 miles an hour! at 1:27:38 on 4/01/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: deleted, edited John Kindseth This issue reminds me of the Pledge craziness caused by the Council, with folks who don't live here telling us to create laws they do not live under themselves. Many people outside of SLP and even out of state giving the thumbs up, I suspect in an effort to make it appear support is much greater than it is. at 1:51:34 on 4/01/2021 UTC

Chris Clarke Macy Door I'm glad for your street, but that is not the experience of the vast majority of residents that I know and talk with. We lived at 33rd and Knox for 23 year and our streets then were raceways and we weren't even that close to thoroughfares. at 2:05:31 on 4/01/2021 UTC

Mike D Ballsacker Who is going to enforce these new laws? I thought the woke City Council didn’t want the police department doing any traffic stops in the first place since you would hate to have any non white male motorists having to deal with police. Reap what you sow City Council! at 16:42:22 on 4/01/2021 UTC

Linda Trummer Casey Kreie Bad drivers kill people. at 17:46:58 on 4/01/2021 UTC / Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 42

Linda Trummer My comment about the north side of Louisiana is missing on my screen, so I will say it again. We need enforcement of the speeds posted, and we need more sidewalks, and better or at least some pedestrian crossings north of Franklin Avenue. at 17:55:36 on 4/01/2021 UTC

Aaron Monson 

at 19:43:23 on 4/01/2021 UTC

Cherie Mitchell How about enforcing the current speed limits 1st? People speed through some sections of Fern Hill like it is a NASCAR track... and please listen to the residents of the neighborhood before you install sidewalks or narrow streets... You wasted a whole bunch of money on putting in sidealks to nowhere and narrowing streets thst have caused more problems than solved with imcrease congestion on the streets... at 19:44:07 on 4/01/2021 UTC

Jackie Johnson It is what Golden valley is talking about. They have bike lanes all over, roundabouts and now they want 25 mi./hr. Do they want everybody walking or biking? How does that work in the winter or the rest of the year. at 21:43:42 on 4/01/2021 UTC Tags: deleted Sean Hayford Oleary Great to hear! Why did SLP immediately post 35 signs on Cedar Lake Road when the default urban speed is 30 and no speed study was yet conducted.

Will you be lowering that speed limit? at 20:48:05 on 4/02/2021 UTC

Robin Scholer Erica Gutmann Strohl I’ve been calling the city about the racers and loud motors flying down Shelard Parkway where the noise reverberates between the two condo units.Many of us work from home and it’s awkward to be on the phone with a client and a loud motor goes roaring by. at 15:52:13 on 4/04/2021 UTC

Erica Gutmann Strohl Robin Scholer We live just off Cedar Lake Road and have a huge problem with cars roaring by and not stopping at stop signs. To me, enforcement of current laws makes more sense. at 16:31:41 on 4/04/2021 UTC

Sue Wiseman Erica Gutmann Strohl how about both? at 14:37:57 on 4/05/2021 UTC

Sue Wiseman Its very hard to actually drive the speed limit. People pressure you to go faster. Maybe if the limits were lower, they would drive the speed of the old limits. at 14:40:04 on 4/05/2021 UTC

Bob McSherry Is there any way we can increase the speed limit on Louisiana from 32nd street to Excelsior Blvd to 35? It's a divided 4 lane boulevard with a pedestrian bridge to the parks. Also the roundabouts, which I like, naturally slow traffic down anyway. Just my thoughts. at 2:05:45 on 4/11/2021 UTC

John White i am on louisiana av between cedar lk rd and hwy 7several times a week, and am constantly passed by vehicles doing much faster than the posted 30 mph speed limit. even the yellow slp pickups are speeding! at 19:46:33 on 4/11/2021 UTC / Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 43

Account: City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota Content type: Facebook Page - Timeline posts Version: Current Tags: edited Edit time: Wed Mar 31 17:00:17 UTC 2021 Record ID: 20210331City-of-St-Louis-Park-MinnesotaTimeline-posts4397_10159453621751584 City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota at 17:00:00 on 3/31/2021 UTC ·

Mary Lorvick Chris Clarke my daughter lives in the North Mpls Speedway-total disregard for their 20 is Plenty motto. at 18:06:27 on 3/31/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited Karen Dresen Hoeschen Scott Dyer I live right off Cedar lk rd and cannot tell you the cars that speed around me when I'm going 35. Plus everyone ignores the crosswalk because they / Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 44

are going too fast to stop by the time they notice someone waiting. Everyone needs to slow down! at 18:09:20 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Claire Warren Did I miss where it said they wouldn't be enforcing the new speed limits? at 18:36:51 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Leah Brown Stephanie Johnson Suppes I agree with Louisiana Ave between Cedar Lake Rd and 394! at 18:37:58 on 3/31/2021 UTC

I find it hard to believe the average speeds on CLR were 25 mph. at 18:39:57 on 3/31/2021 UTC

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 45

Jon Dordal Wendy Sulzer it's the religion of Safeism, where safety is the carrot and control is the stick. at 18:44:04 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Matt Moore LOL "overreach" at 18:49:42 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Kelsy Koeller

at 19:07:01 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Tyler Luby Do you want republicans? This is how you push people to vote Republican at 19:44:07 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Randall Olson Thank you!! And I hope this includes city vehicles, school busses, etc. They all drive way too fast!! at 19:58:26 on 3/31/2021 UTC

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 46

Casey Kreie Mary Lorvick you're joking right? Cars kill people, simple as that. at 21:03:52 on 3/31/2021 UTC Tags: hidden Casey Kreie Do more than just lower the speed limit. Design streets to force people to drive slower. Louisiana is a damn highway, so people drive highway speeds. It needs to be fixed. at 21:04:36 on 3/31/2021 UTC (hidden)

Penny Kokkila What is the big deal? It's a 5 mile an hour change. I don't think this is a life changing event. at 21:55:27 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Karoline Pierson Please do change them. It is like a raceway on Cedar Lake Road. at 22:18:09 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Claire Warren Mike Edlavitch Ah - I get what you're saying now. Yes, they definitely need to step up enforcement :) at 23:06:04 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Mary Lorvick Casey Kreie I was given the lower speed limit as a reason for less people dying from being hit from my council person. at 23:52:13 on 3/31/2021 UTC

Mike D Ballsacker Who is going to enforce these new laws? I thought the woke City Council didn’t want the police department doing any traffic stops in the first place since you would

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 47

hate to have any non white male motorists having to deal with police. Reap what you sow City Council! at 16:42:22 on 4/01/2021 UTC

Linda Trummer Casey Kreie Bad drivers kill people. at 17:46:58 on 4/01/2021 UTC

Aaron Monson 

at 19:43:23 on 4/01/2021 UTC

Will you be lowering that speed limit? at 20:48:05 on 4/02/2021 UTC

Sue Wiseman Erica Gutmann Strohl how about both? at 14:37:57 on 4/05/2021 UTC

at 2:05:45 on 4/11/2021 UTC

Account: stlouispark Content type: Instagram Business - Media Record ID: 20210407City-of-St-Louis-ParkMedia24574_2546735335345094850_5731291062

stlouispark  Slower is safer. Adjusting speed limits supports the city goals and policies for increasing the safety of the traveling public, including: • Elimination of fatalities and serious injuries that are a result of crashes on city streets. • Creating a mobility system that prioritizes walking first, then bicycling and transit, and then motor vehicle use. • Ensuring the quality and function of the transportation system contributes to equitable outcomes for all people. Visit bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP to learn more. at 16:55:31 on 4/07/2021 UTC

stlouispark #speedlimit #speedlimits #safety #travel #driving #traveling #mobility #walking #bicycling #transit #motorvehicle #vehicle #car #bus #bike #walk #run #transportation #transportationsystem #stlouispark #stlouisparkmn #saintlouispark #minnesota at 17:59:47 on 4/08/2021 UTC

Account: @stlouispark Content type: Twitter - Tweets Record ID: 20210407St-Louis-Park-MNTweets4393_1379841403895873540 St. Louis Park, MN @stlouispark  Slower is safer. Adjusting speed limits supports the city goals and policies for increasing the safety of the traveling public, including: • Elimination of fatalities and serious injuries that are a result of crashes on city streets. bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP pic.twitter.com/f1zoXi9KdR

at 17:00:01 on 4/07/2021 UTC

Account: City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota Content type: Facebook Page - Photos Version: Current Tags: edited Album: Timeline Photos Edit time: Wed Apr 07 17:00:02 UTC 2021 Record ID: 20210407City-of-St-Louis-Park-MinnesotaPhotos4397_10159467989826584

City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota at 17:00:02 on 4/07/2021 UTC

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 49

 Slower is safer. Adjusting speed limits supports the city goals and policies for increasing the safety of the traveling public, including:

• Elimination of fatalities and serious injuries that are a result of crashes on city streets.

• Creating a mobility system that prioritizes walking first, then bicycling and transit, and then motor vehicle use.

• Ensuring the quality and function of the transportation system contributes to equitable outcomes for all people.

Visit bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP to learn more.

Audrey Sheffield Please make the 4600 block of Cedar Lake Rd a 20 mph zone! Drivers impatient to get to the JCC make crossing the street quite hazardous! at 18:38:56 on 4/07/2021 UTC

Scott Froehle Libbie Froehle David Sanderson 臘 at 19:42:37 on 4/07/2021 UTC

David Sanderson Scott Froehle  at 21:45:40 on 4/07/2021 UTC

Gretchen Carlson Don’t think it will change one darn thing on Texas Ave So from Cedar Lake Road North to the Frontage road. Speed all the time. 40 mph at least. It’s ridiculous. Glad kids aren’t out for school. Never ever police officers here to watch. at 2:16:11 on 4/08/2021 UTC

Catherine O'Neil We need to do the same in Hopkins!!! Drivers are going down Main Street as if they are on Highway 7!! at 4:11:40 on 4/08/2021 UTC

Mary Woodford Gretchen Carlson Dakota Ave is the same...... so sad. at 12:56:43 on 4/08/2021 UTC

Rick Voshell What a crock. at 22:42:38 on 4/08/2021 UTC

Christina Merhy I’m all for the slower limits, but will they be enforced? They aren’t now. We can ALL do better. at 2:20:53 on 4/10/2021 UTC

Bridget Bennett Audrey Sheffield yes  please! Drivers race to condos and JCC, ignore the fact the community is beyond their building.  at 4:17:11 on 4/10/2021 UTC

Casey Kreie Fix the most dangerous roads; much more is needed than simply lowering speed limits, but I appreciate the first step. at 14:52:47 on 4/11/2021 UTC

Account: City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota Content type: Facebook Page - Timeline posts Version: Current Tags: edited Edit time: Wed Apr 07 17:00:22 UTC 2021 Record ID: 20210407City-of-St-Louis-Park-MinnesotaTimeline-posts4397_10159467990881584 / Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 50

City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota at 17:00:01 on 4/07/2021 UTC ·

 Slower is safer. Adjusting speed limits supports the city goals and policies for increasing the safety of the traveling public, including:

• Elimination of fatalities and serious injuries that are a result of crashes on city streets.

• Creating a mobility system that prioritizes walking first, then bicycling and transit, and then motor vehicle use.

• Ensuring the quality and function of the transportation system contributes to equitable outcomes for all people.

Visit bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP to learn more.

Audrey Sheffield Please make the 4600 block of Cedar Lake Rd a 20 mph zone! Drivers impatient to get to the JCC make crossing the street quite hazardous! at 18:38:56 on 4/07/2021 UTC

Scott Froehle Libbie Froehle David Sanderson 臘 at 19:42:37 on 4/07/2021 UTC

David Sanderson Scott Froehle  at 21:45:40 on 4/07/2021 UTC

Catherine O'Neil We need to do the same in Hopkins!!! Drivers are going down Main Street as if they are on Highway 7!! at 4:11:40 on 4/08/2021 UTC

Mary Woodford Gretchen Carlson Dakota Ave is the same...... so sad. at 12:56:43 on 4/08/2021 UTC

Rick Voshell What a crock. at 22:42:38 on 4/08/2021 UTC

Christina Merhy I’m all for the slower limits, but will they be enforced? They aren’t now. We can ALL do better. at 2:20:53 on 4/10/2021 UTC

Bridget Bennett Audrey Sheffield yes  please! Drivers race to condos and JCC, ignore the fact the community is beyond their building.  at 4:17:11 on 4/10/2021 UTC

Casey Kreie Fix the most dangerous roads; much more is needed than simply lowering speed limits, but I appreciate the first step. at 14:52:47 on 4/11/2021 UTC

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 51

Account: stlouispark Content type: Instagram Business - Media Tags: deleted Record ID: 20210407City-of-St-Louis-ParkMedia24574_2546737855322048911_5731291062

Account: City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota Content type: Facebook Page - Photos Version: Current Tags: edited Album: Timeline Photos Edit time: Wed Apr 14 17:00:01 UTC 2021 Record ID: 20210414City-of-St-Louis-Park-MinnesotaPhotos4397_10159468005726584

City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota at 17:00:01 on 4/14/2021 UTC

 Slower is safer. Streets with higher speed limits are more likely to have fatal or high injury crashes than streets with lower speed limits. Adjusting speed limits supports the city’s goal to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries that are a result of crashes on city streets. Lower traffic speeds reduce both the likelihood and severity of crashes. Visit bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP to learn more.

David Snow Prinz I love this park at 17:14:35 on 4/14/2021 UTC

Ben Osa This is good. at 14:59:58 on 4/15/2021 UTC

City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota David, thank you! at 18:46:24 on 4/15/2021 UTC

City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota Ben, thanks for the feedback! at 18:46:37 on 4/15/2021 UTC

Andrea Kristian What fast roads does SLP even have?! Other than highway 7? at 2:12:42 on 4/16/2021 UTC

Todd Hintz Andrea Kristian, this applies to city streets. Hwy 7 is the state’s responsibility, so the change does not apply. at 3:13:27 on 4/16/2021 UTC

Andrea Kristian Todd Hintz so if you lose highway 7... then what Minnetonka or Excelsior? They are both 35mph. Just pointing out the fact that there’s nowhere to go down from where / Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 52

we are now. SLP will just turn it into a speed trap as they have done Louisiana by Park Tavern. at 3:24:58 on 4/16/2021 UTC

Andrea Kristian Todd Hintz Just saw the proposed speeds. So basically all roads will be 20mph except for Cedar at 25mph. Despite all the research about speed safety, what the city needs is safer and brighter crosswalks for actual pedestrians to walk around. Even the existing bikes lanes are unprotected. SLP needs to address actual issues before creating more to “fix”. at 3:34:41 on 4/16/2021 UTC

David Snow Prinz Please I want to come to the park please at 13:31:58 on 4/16/2021 UTC

Account: @stlouispark Content type: Twitter - Tweets Record ID: 20210414St-Louis-Park-MNTweets4393_1382378122587172867 St. Louis Park, MN @stlouispark  Slower is safer. Streets with higher speed limits are more likely to have fatal or high injury crashes than streets with lower speed limits. Lower traffic speeds reduce both the likelihood and severity of crashes. Visit bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP to learn more. pic.twitter.com/2TcmKfdiWb

at 17:00:02 on 4/14/2021 UTC

Account: City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota Content type: Facebook Page - Timeline posts Version: Current Tags: edited Edit time: Wed Apr 14 17:00:18 UTC 2021 Record ID: 20210414City-of-St-Louis-Park-MinnesotaTimeline-posts4397_10159468005961584 City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota at 17:00:01 on 4/14/2021 UTC ·

David Snow Prinz I love this park at 17:14:35 on 4/14/2021 UTC

Ben Osa This is good. at 14:59:58 on 4/15/2021 UTC

City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota David, thank you! at 18:46:24 on 4/15/2021 UTC / Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 53

City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota Ben, thanks for the feedback! at 18:46:37 on 4/15/2021 UTC

Andrea Kristian What fast roads does SLP even have?! Other than highway 7? at 2:12:42 on 4/16/2021 UTC

Todd Hintz Andrea Kristian, this applies to city streets. Hwy 7 is the state’s responsibility, so the change does not apply. at 3:13:27 on 4/16/2021 UTC

Andrea Kristian Todd Hintz so if you lose highway 7... then what Minnetonka or Excelsior? They are both 35mph. Just pointing out the fact that there’s nowhere to go down from where we are now. SLP will just turn it into a speed trap as they have done Louisiana by Park Tavern. at 3:24:58 on 4/16/2021 UTC

David Snow Prinz Please I want to come to the park please at 13:31:58 on 4/16/2021 UTC

Account: stlouispark Content type: Instagram Business - Media Record ID: 20210414City-of-St-Louis-ParkMedia24574_2551811319104681788_5731291062

stlouispark  Slower is safer. Streets with higher speed limits are more likely to have fatal or high injury crashes than streets with lower speed limits. Adjusting speed limits supports the city’s goal to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries that are a result of crashes on city streets. Lower traffic speeds reduce both the likelihood and severity of crashes. Visit bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP to learn more. at 17:00:36 on 4/14/2021 UTC

Account: @stlouispark Content type: Twitter - Tweets Record ID: 20210421St-Louis-Park-MNTweets4393_1384914835821920262 St. Louis Park, MN @stlouispark Slower=safer. Slower speed limits promote mobility system that prioritizes walking 1st, bicycling/transit 2nd & motor vehicle 3rd. Lower traffic speeds reduce crash likelihood & make all types of crashes less likely to lead to death or life-changing injury bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP pic.twitter.com/ecBshbmYqs

at 17:00:01 on 4/21/2021 UTC

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 54

Account: City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota Content type: Facebook Page - Photos Version: Current Tags: edited Album: Timeline Photos Edit time: Wed Apr 21 17:00:01 UTC 2021 Record ID: 20210421City-of-St-Louis-Park-MinnesotaPhotos4397_10159468017161584

City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota at 17:00:01 on 4/21/2021 UTC

 Slower is safer. Slower speed limits promote a mobility system that prioritizes walking first, then bicycling and transit, and then motor vehicle use. Lower speed limits are in line with national trends toward lower urban speed limits to support safety. Lower traffic speeds reduce the likelihood of a crash and make all types of crashes less likely to lead to death or a life-changing injury. Visit bit.ly/speedlimitsSLP to learn more

Paul Baudhuin I've already begun to drive 20mph on residential roads. And, yes, it feels like I'm crawling but it is safer, and driving 25-30 really accomplishes nothing. We can do this. We're just not accustomed to moving slowly. It's actually good for the soul. at 17:11:43 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Andrea Kristian How many pedestrians have been injured or killed on SLP roads? at 17:21:44 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Matthew Flory I think there are many things we could and should do to improve pedestrian safety, but slower speeds on residential streets seems like a sensible place to start at 17:28:19 on 4/21/2021 UTC

John Kindseth This will lead to more traffic stops and therefore more police encounters. I wonder if that is the intention. at 17:29:56 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Michele Peterson Andrea I tried searching for myself and couldn’t find any data. I found a news article from 2015 of a kid who was killed walking across highway 7, against the red light. at 17:35:50 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Colleen Lessley Matthew Flory the no cell phone law hasn’t changed anything. Every other car has someone texting or talking. I fear nobody will follow this law either. at 17:51:33 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Andrea Kristian Michele Peterson yeah I agree, that’s the only article I could find too. From a previous posting it’s also clear that certain roads fall under the jurisdiction of the county and cannot be reduced in speed like: Excelsior, Minnetonka and highway 7. So, for the majority of roads it will affect is residential roads with most being 20mph or 25mph. Now, if the city would actually address making crossings more visible and help protect with barriers the biking lanes that exist, I think this would be more affective in helping protect the pedestrians of SLP than lowering the speed for a issue of “reducing pedestrian deaths”, an issue that doesn’t exist. at 17:54:59 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Andrea Kristian John Kindseth that’s exactly what I think will happen. at 17:56:32 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Cameron Goeb I personally crawl around residential neighborhoods already (10-20 mph) and cannot stand the idea of being forced to! at 17:56:45 on 4/21/2021 UTC

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 55

Matthew Flory John Kindseth The intention is pretty clear if you click-through the link and review the resources. That doesn’t mean we should t consider the number of encounters which could and should be be part of the public discussion

https://www.stlouispark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/20291/637508833403770000 at 17:57:08 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Matthew Flory Michele Peterson There is data in the staff presentation in the resources listed on the city website

https://www.stlouispark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/20291/637508833403770000 at 17:58:08 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Valerie Sims Andrea Kristian a fatal accident occurred last year on Raleigh and 28th I believe. New stop sign went in. The push for slower speed is clearly aimed at the non- residents speeding through the neighborhoods. You are correct the Highway 7 accident is not part of this. at 17:59:26 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Michele Peterson Matthew thanks for the link! at 18:04:01 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Susan Budig It would help if you'd publish statistics about traffic crashes and fatalities in St. Louis Park so that we, the residents of SLP, could understand and appreciate the reasoning behind this speed limit change. at 18:04:38 on 4/21/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited John Kindseth Matthew Flory they can claim no additional police resources will be used for enforcement, however, we are all violating the traffic ordinances all the time and if police want to make a stop, they will find a reason. This gives an additional reason. at 18:04:54 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Colleen TeeDee Valerie I live in Fern Hill and didn’t hear anything about this.

The new stop sign that went in was on 28th and Quinton. But that intersection was horrible. at 18:12:12 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Andrea Kristian John Kindseth exactly. In the presentation there is a bunch of loosely connected data on race/speed/pedestrian yielding that doesn’t point directly to the fact that if we enforce slower speeds, people of color will come into direct contact with law enforcement more than they would have previously. There is no reason why people of SLP of any race should be having more involuntary police interaction for something over 5mph/10mph. at 18:13:24 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Joe Zahner This will increase the number of police stops. And this may not make us safer. at 18:16:12 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Michele Peterson Susan someone posted this link in a different thread. Was interesting.

https://www.stlouispark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/20291/637508833403770000? fbclid=IwAR2Rdpsz4MqwIfkom_bU1bIBWnbrn576uf-tE1tMow3coJORWX7bWtyNjzo at 18:16:43 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Linda Walberg You can lower the speed to 10 MPH, there are those that just don't care. I know, I see it driving the school bus all the time. Just like people who never stop for the stop arm and red lights. I believe 25 MPH is fine, but most won't care until they are caught. But not enough cops to catch them. at 18:18:00 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Valerie Sims Colleen TeeDee yes I think your are right- 28th and Quentin. It was a moped v car fatality. / Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 56

at 18:19:24 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Susan Budig Michele Peterson That does help. at 18:44:20 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Jacquelyn J. Eckholm Linda Walberg I too would like to see more traffic enforcement at 18:47:26 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Jacquelyn J. Eckholm Joe Zahner we can advocate for speeding violations to be mailed to owners of the car registered instead of triggering a traffic stop. We could also have unarmed traffic enforcement. Would you be interested in either of those options, or do you have another proposal? at 18:49:38 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Mary Lorvick Colleen TeeDee we lived on that corner for 28 years. We saw frequent cars blowing through that intersection. One accident had a car get hit and end up in our yard. at 18:59:37 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Colleen TeeDee I live around the corner. It was and still is a horrible intersection. at 19:01:13 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Scott Johnson Take out the bike paths and wouldn’t be a issue ...... at 19:27:01 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Karen Huse Good share, thanks at 19:53:16 on 4/21/2021 UTC

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 57

5/10/2021

City of St. Louis Park speed limits social media campaign generated at 17:16:28 on 5/10/2021 UTC Account: City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota Content type: Facebook Page - Photos Version: Current Tags: edited Album: Timeline Photos Edit time: Wed Apr 21 17:00:01 UTC 2021 Record ID: 20210421City-of-St-Louis-Park-MinnesotaPhotos4397_10159468017161584

City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota at 17:00:01 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Joe Zahner Jacquelyn J. Eckholm Jacquelyn I would be for both of those proposals. I think traffic stops can be dangerous for both parties. If the violators received a citation in the mail it would deter them from speeding again. at 20:39:36 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Matthew Flory Andrea Kristian What about traffic fatalities? The chance of death in a higher speed versus a lower speed collision is a reason

I get the concern about traffic stops but that doesn’t mean that vehicle speed doesn’t matter at 20:42:34 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Matthew Flory Scott Johnson How would that make pedestrians safer? at 20:45:25 on 4/21/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited Misha Wahlstrom Good approach wrong application. This should be applied to Minnetonka blvd and excelsior, where it’s impossible to safety walk across streets on crosswalks - drivers get furious when pedestrians make them stop. at 20:53:20 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Matthew Flory There is a problem. If you have other ideas I think it’s great to bring them to the table but suggesting the status quo is ok is dangerous

https://www.npr.org/2021/03/23/980438205/americas-roads-are-getting-deadlier-and-fatality- rates-are-worse-for-minorities

at 20:59:35 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Pam Bartz Kalpin 30 mph is already a crawl. More and more laws to follow. at 21:00:54 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Katrina Kramlich We live on 36 1/2 street where traffic flies by, when we complained we were told the speed limit was 35 on this road where people walk and kids play. If you want to / Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 58

5/10/2021 lower a speed limit, lower it there, please! at 21:02:46 on 4/21/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited Carole Clemens It would help if you wouldn't over develop areas. We have lost almost all of our green space in the last 15 years. Some streets are a nightmare of train tracks roads sidewalks bike lanes joggers people with babies in strollers roller bladers. It's downright scarey to drive these streets at all. Every inch of st louis park doesn't have to be developed to the teeth. Our infrastructure is really suffering. at 21:20:13 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Scott Johnson Matthew Flory is that a issue or is it more of the bikes not obeying the traffic laws like running through stop sign red lights turn signals cutting off cars and so on at 21:24:44 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Matthew Flory Scott Johnson I have observed both cars and bikes in violation of laws. I think enforcement is important for both and suggesting that the onus be on bikes and pedestrians is irresponsible at 21:36:02 on 4/21/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited Jordan Rozycki Ya. Every car ever follows traffic laws. What's up with these hippie anti establishment bicyclists? Taking up 4 x 2 feet of the road and all. at 21:38:30 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Scott Johnson Matthew Flory who is going to win a car a bike or a person and where is the responsibility of the bike riders and the pedestrians come in at ??? at 21:38:52 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Jordan Rozycki When most drove to work this street is like frogger. at 21:41:33 on 4/21/2021 UTC Tags: deleted Matthew Flory Scott Johnson I think bikers are people and should be respected. “Who’s going to win” isn’t taking care of our neighbors at 22:44:39 on 4/21/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited Matthew Flory Scott Johnson I think we should be working to keep everyone safe. I think we can expect that everyone, cars and bikers and people on foot can be responsible

Do you disagree? at 22:45:43 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Jacquelyn J. Eckholm Joe Zahner true. I think there's also an issue of "any crime that's a fine disproportionately affects the poor" so maybe we can have a different outcome, like requiring attendance of a brief seminar about risks of speeding? at 23:01:02 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Scott Johnson Matthew Flory let’s start at curbing crime ... domestic violence...... mental health issues...... I could go on and on and on on things that have needs instead of this special interest groups needs Do you agree???? at 0:14:03 on 4/22/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 59

5/10/2021 Daniel Mona Nope. More dumb ideas by the self entitled idiots in city council.

I plan to take Minnetonka Blvd to work daily then and I’ll avoid Louisiana. City doesn’t control Mtka. Sorry businesses along Louisiana and Cedar but the city council screwed you. at 0:25:40 on 4/22/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited Daniel Mona Misha Wahlstrom Minnetonka Blvd is not controlled by the city. And thank god. I’ll be taking it a lot more often after this stupidity by the city council overlords at 0:27:19 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Matthew Flory Scott Johnson I think preventing pedestrian fatalities is good public safety and a public good at 1:09:26 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Pam Bartz Kalpin Jacquelyn J. Eckholm I think that is a terrible idea. I want to discuss with a cop. And how can I plead the fifth? Speed stops also allow the cop to see if the driver is under the influence. at 3:57:25 on 4/22/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited Pam Bartz Kalpin Matthew Flory I’ve been driving 30 mph around SLP for 30 years. This is a safe speed to drive and allows for plenty of time to slow down if necessary. This new law is ridiculous. at 4:02:14 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Pam Bartz Kalpin Matthew Flory which is completely doable at 30 mph. It’s been done for years. at 4:06:05 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Pam Bartz Kalpin Matthew Flory that looks like an NPR report. Let’s stick to SLP data. at 4:08:59 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Mike Brennan I'd like to see laws enforced for bicyclists. It is a very, very rare occurrence when I see a bike rider stop at a stop sign or obey basic traffic rules. at 5:41:15 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Jacquelyn J. Eckholm Pam Bartz Kalpin I understand wanting to make stops for moving violations because of the possibility of driving under the influence. Right now in Minnesota, including Saint Louis Park, there is barely any traffic enforcement at all. I live on a busy residential road and when the cops themselves aren't speeding 50mph on a 30 limit road, so many other people are. I think the vast majority of speeders and reckless drivers are sober and as long as they feel there are no consequences, they will continue to drive hazardously. If you were pulled over for speeding, what is there to discuss? That you're trying to make it home 15mph over limit because you have to pee real bad? It's irrelevant why you'd be speeding. And I don't think you can convince a cop you weren't speeding (unless you're using your white privilege). It's their word against yours. By pleading the 5th, I believe you mean the right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. If you receive a speeding ticket by mail, who is there listening to you incriminate yourself? If you want your day in court, you could contest it just as you could now with a speeding or parking ticket.

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 60

5/10/2021 Matthew Flory The original post notes that the new speed limits are being considered. That means whether you like the idea or you hate the idea, there is an opportunity to participate in the public debate beyond Facebook.

The debate in this thread makes it clear there are differences of opinion that should be discussed. However you feel, consider contacting your city council members

https://www.stlouispark.org/government/city-council/mayor-council-members at 12:51:50 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Pam Bartz Kalpin Jacquelyn J. Eckholm I have gotten a ticket in the mail and was completely rail roaded by the system. It’s a lazy way of policing. at 13:01:48 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Julie Manuel Mike Brennan I've seen bicycalists pulled over 2x on Alabama Ave by Cambridge Street. Presumably for blowing through the stop sign there. And it isn't kids, it's adults in full gear. at 14:17:36 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Matt Baier As a neighbor to the disaster that is Mpls. seems SLP may be majoring in minors. at 14:58:08 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Sean Hayford Oleary Mike Brennan I have never felt injured or threatened by a bicyclist rolling a stop sign. Have you?

Maybe if SLP made major streets safer to bike on, bicyclists wouldn't be weaving through stop signs on side streets to try to get from A to B. at 16:08:20 on 4/22/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited John Kindseth Matthew Flory this is a great point, but doesn't the post from the city say this is happening? That would mean the decision has been made. at 16:33:56 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Kirk Spencer Sean Hayford Oleary, completely agree that lower residential speed limits is a good idea, but if there is no enforcement I dont see it changing behavior. What kind of investments can be made in the neighborhoods to change behavior? more stop signs? tiny roundabouts? speed bumps? maybe add intersections like the one at 47th and Vincent, where there is no straight ahead traffic? Less connections from neighborhoods to main roads? Open to ideas. at 16:37:15 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Sean Hayford Oleary Kirk Spencer I think all of those are good ideas. Not my city so I can't say what you have political will for. But general understanding is that stop signs aren't as effective when used in excess, but things like chicanes, "yield streets" (narrow enough there isn't continuous space for two cars in both directions), speed humps, and neighborhood traffic circles all seem like great tools.

From what I've seen in other cities that have done it, changing the posted limit alone has some effect. But obviously much more effective when it's combined with more features. at 16:47:43 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Jacquelyn J. Eckholm Pam Bartz Kalpin Maybe my suggestion of swapping out a ticket with teaching you how to drive could help at 16:57:37 on 4/22/2021 UTC Tags: deleted, hidden Pam Bartz Kalpin Jacquelyn J. Eckholm such a bullshit answer to me. Welcome to social media. You know nothing, but think that you know it all. at 16:59:40 on 4/22/2021 UTC (hidden)

Mike Brennan Sean Hayford Oleary no, i haven't but that's not the point. A bicyclist shouldn't / Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 61

5/10/2021 be weaving through stop signs, period. It is illegal and unsafe. at 18:02:15 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Mike Brennan John Kindseth i do sense a bit of a revenue producer motive in this. at 18:19:28 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Robert Kipp I’m completely on board with any and all traffic calming measures—mainly because I live on the four-lane stretch of Louisiana, which might as well be a drag strip. This stretch is slated to have a 25 MPH limit, although it’ll flow uninterrupted to/from the 30 MPH divided stretch in front of Park Tavern… at 18:24:42 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Robert Kipp Louisiana is in dire need of a top-to-bottom redesign, in my opinion. And while the southernmost parts are being/have been rebuilt, improvements to the residential stretches (via Connect the Park) keep getting pushed back. at 18:30:33 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Robert Kipp And it’s always important to mention that Louisiana is the city’s ONE AND ONLY continuous north-south connection. at 18:31:39 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Robert Kipp (A drag strip for semis, no less.) at 18:40:35 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Nicole Buehler Kirk Spencer I vote speed bumps!! at 20:15:35 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Kirk Spencer Nicole Buehler could be hard for plows, but fun for our kids doing pop-a- wheelees at 20:40:40 on 4/22/2021 UTC Version: Current Tags: edited Monte Castleman Unwarranted stop signs just add new dangers:

1) Motorists get angry that their time is wasted, so they just stomp on the accelerator between signs to make up for lost time

2) Eventually they start to realize that the signs aren't warranted for the intended purpose of stop signs- assigning right of way where the standard right-of-way rule is not adequate, and there's never any cross traffic, so they start ignoring them. After 5 unwarranted stop signs that they blow through, the 6th turns out to be warranted because it's facing a major street and major pedestrian crossing, and lets hope the motorist doesn't hit a car or pedestrian.

3 Unwarranted signs breed disrespect and disobedience to all signs in general.

The way you slow down motorists are geometric changes like bump-outs, chicanes, diverters, traffic circles, and road narrowing. Yes, these are more expensive than a stop sign, but these are what are proven to work, while there's been numerous studies that unwarranted stop signs have no net safety benefit. at 21:25:48 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Kirk Spencer Monte Castleman that is fair at 21:53:40 on 4/22/2021 UTC

Matthew Flory May the 4th be with you

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 62

5/10/2021

at 12:09:52 on 5/04/2021 UTC

Account: City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota Content type: Facebook Page - Timeline posts Version: Current Tags: edited Edit time: Wed Apr 21 17:00:09 UTC 2021 Record ID: 20210421City-of-St-Louis-Park-MinnesotaTimeline-posts4397_10159468017726584 City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota at 17:00:01 on 4/21/2021 UTC ·

Andrea Kristian How many pedestrians have been injured or killed on SLP roads? at 17:21:44 on 4/21/2021 UTC

John Kindseth This will lead to more traffic stops and therefore more police encounters. I wonder if that is the intention. at 17:29:56 on 4/21/2021 UTC

Colleen Lessley Matthew Flory the no cell phone law hasn’t changed anything. Every other car has someone texting or talking. I fear nobody will follow this law either. at 17:51:33 on 4/21/2021 UTC

/ Study session meeting of May 24, 2021 (Item No. 1) Title: Citywide speed limit evaluation update Page 63

5/10/2021 at 17:54:59 on 4/21/2021 UTC