There has been plenty of talk about the traffic studies by the proposed SS Walmart before the election, but the facts about access to the retailer were murky. A resident in the SON neighborhood recently spoke with a regional engineer (RE) with the SD DOT, here were the results of there teleconference;
Widening Highway 115 is rescheduled to 2017; this is due to not getting it approved by the state for 2015. The City was going to work on Cliff Ave and the State thought they should wait with the widening project. For 2016, any projects approved and scheduled prior to the last budget were funded, Highway 115 was not. So 2017 seemed the most appropriate time to do the work.
In July 2014, state-wide STIP meetings, to plan projects by DOT were held. They were open to the public (not sure where, probably Mitchell or Pierre) for statewide projects. Â Aug to Sept will be the Transportation Commissioners’ meeting to approve projects for 2017. I’m not sure if we could get to communicate with this Board or not. Â Usually approved once projects get this far.
One item for SD Highway 115 widening is the right of way. The RE said needs to be sorted through to get them right.
I also told him that 85th from Cliff to Highway 115 had not been asphalted this year as the City had planned. The purpose of this was mostly to provide the detour for Highway 115 widening.
According to The RE, the City is planning to hire a private developer to fix Twin Eagles pond. We had discussed how it floods at least once a year and how the rise in the water table has occurred; how the water keeps recycling through the sump pumps and sits saturated on the south side of 85th. Apparently, the City drainage engineers are trying to see if they can redirect some of the drainage to Heatheridge, as they are draining too much down Mustang and Grange).
The City will supposedly place a retention pond near Highway 100 and one farther south to County Rd 106 just west of Highway 115 (this area was a lake in June 2014). I asked if he knew about the other developments behind Jeff G.’s property and also about the road that more than likely will be put in over to Western Ave. Â He was not aware of this.
The State most likely will not be able to tell the City what to do for engineering of drainage. The state will try to do all the highways with 100-year flood levels. I asked if they are redefining those since we are getting them every 2 years, they aren’t. They will also not do drainage studies from the existing areas and new areas and will rely on Sioux Falls.
He was aware of the building issue at 85th and Minn. and the court action pending that is pending. The State is planning to put signal lights at that intersection. The City is responsible to build out 85th to the 4 lanes at least up to the entrance to the retail development.
So, it looks like the development will have only one intersection in and out until 2017 and will not have the right in/right out on Minnesota. I asked about why the 1/4 mile could not be allowed and maybe push Highway 100 south a bit; he said it would impact the environmental reviews that had just been approved. I don’t think they want to rework the routing. He thing that there will be no more instances of turning over control to the city (like north of 85th).
I’m sure the little driveway approach that is closer to Minn. on 85th on the south side will probably be the construction access.
For the part of Highway 100 that will be NE from Menards north to I90, this will be in 2018. Â This will happen before the South will be done. DOT people should have public meetings to show the plans for this road and the bridge over I-90 to Cty121.
The South part will not be started until after 2018. They will be working on designs and right of way purchases. It could be that the DOT may have some shared responsibility with the City on the retention ponds. DOT does not usually deal with retention ponds, but appears they might this time. He thought the City of Sioux Falls would push its southern boundaries to County Rd 106/Highway 115 area.
I asked him how much of WM’s traffic study report from Kimberly Horn DOT had read as WM’s opening day depends on certain roads and traffic signals being completed. That report failed even with the RIRO on Highway 115 and the widening project done. He said that some of the other engineers have reviewed it and that is why they are putting in the traffic signal at the Minn. and 85th intersection. Â It seems they will not supersede the city on that.
I’m sure they learned from the Hwy11 disaster. I think they slowed down due to the loss of the Shindler Lawsuit.
Let’s hope they have the access where it was to be on 85th (300 ft east), and not all the way to Audie. This would also help the Charis corner development across the street.