HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-12-xx WC Ltr Re Mister Car Wash Sign Department of Transportation
%shin' tcii and Physical Development
os"ftliairriO Donald J.Theisen,P.E.
Director/County Engineer
Wayne H.Sandberg,P.E.
Deputy Director/Ass't.County Engineer
Eric Johnson
City Administrator
5C100 0 S 9O0d f
City of Oak Park Heights
14168 Oak Park Blvd., Box no. 2007
Oak Park Heights, MN 55082
MISTER CAR WASH SIGN IN WASHINGTON COUNTY STATE AID HIGHWAY 24 (OSGOOD
AVENUE NORTH; CSAH 24) RIGHT OF WAY
Dear Mr. Johnson:
I received your letter of December 13, 2005, suggesting that our requirement for removal of the
Mister Car Wash sign is premature. I recall a discussion that we had near the conclusion of the
Highway 36 Partnership Study where we decided that the removal of the sign could be
postponed if a highway project was agreed to that would likely result in the removal of the sign
within a relatively short time. (I don't recall what we thought a reasonable time was, but think it
was a five to ten-year time frame.)
With no agreement on a design for Highway 36, it may be some time before the issue is even
discussed again and could be many years before a project could begin. The sign blocks
visibility to the south for eastbound drivers and must be removed before it causes a serious
accident. Minnesota Statute 160.27 clearly prohibits the placing of advertising signs in public
rights of way. The car wash owners have removed a retaining wall that was built around the
sign to improve visibility, but the sign base still blocks drivers' views of traffic to the south and is,
therefore, a traffic hazard. As traffic volumes on Osgood Avenue continue to rise, the hazard
has grown to unacceptable levels
I have enclosed an air photo that clearly shows the sign in the right of way, as well as several
photos (taken before the retaining wall was removed) that show the sign's location relative to
the right of way corner. I have also enclosed correspondence, dating back to November 14,
2002, regarding the removal of this sign. We have been extremely flexible in this matter but the
sign must be removed this spring.
•
Sincerely,
Joseph Lux
Senior Transportation Planner
Enclosures
C: Greg Lemon, Mister Car Wash
Mark Swenson, Oak Park Heights City Council
Gary Kriesel, Washington County Commissioner, District 3
Jim Schug, Washington County Administrator
Wayne Sandberg, Assistant County Engineer
N:\WORD\Traffic Safety\Mister Car Wash-OPH Reply 121905.doc
11660 Myeron Road North, Stillwater, Minnesota 55082-9573
Phone: 651-430-4300 • Fax: 651-430-4350 • TTY: 651-430-6246
www.co.washington.mn.us
Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action
1
Z Z z z z z 5 It
M' — x •
x n
111 1
ez zz z z -,-E
�' . Itx ,
J. -
f A
s -1.1.4
s
.• j A,.... "al.' i.,,...-... i' . ; ,..: • sty.* z
, y1
M
. }- 5 ,y* 4
j44 - _040 '0
f- ...-14:0"
y .a- .A'N,•Alwa4,-* .��,..• r alc"`�'/.+1'- :".*-.. • 'Z,f• ,4-•'''''w; .ter r• '`;; s'"c.•?y4 A s;''3:a..
•
--"'- ''� �—` . 1 ,'le
.• ,f -- , -- •_ - --.. '1�1A 'Z 11,,:'4r FT.#r.. pi,,
•
•
t rs ;•r . `"x'4", '+4.. . . A.. . ••.• Pr=+ ''.'-r-vaal4+ .n3.:;r+'9�` 4.�..r a"t,..::
�yy +.fop 7 N
wfiAa:• rY- 5 F ` J AP �.Ii" "��{L1 - aV
iih
C 2n
.. a4 v •a a9 '" LiF-z"; F, r *+ .b ; .sa,r► .3,h •,,`
-_ ® ;� -:
for4
. I, .. ..,. t
u '''' ' i r:4 '
i a
-..F ® 'b YJf y
- --
„.." ...:\ .,,
/.:, ,,, . ..„,:ti.
. , .a. , ,
...:::: -
•
)0'VL . , • YRI
a U
o
v y J
-:n
�?' " j a ,
I
'- 'Fi tB:--,-_
[ ith .•
C+b
Y�� -4,1„' . mac X ', ,� ..±‘.7.3.. _, s's :'YH:..
i i h "2a•-
K S
+-' ,
ssy.,,. _ 'Y- :s-so- { t'. _i :::,,+ T>'��. .�.� .::s '. Y- '�"':,__.
A Mme. ¢,a
F.
;,.e'''''''1•-- ' C. 17ev,_---...avm, ''''01( "---'' g. .
:.
,,, ,,, ,.. -,,. ---,_, ,,... . _, - - - . ....
. ,„...._,.., --.-...,,,_T- , . = #-..,•----- ----_ ,
,..,-- :,: -..„..,L.,...,,,, ,,,,.... , .r . ._ . -,,,,a -.-_,,_• _
i 1
-- .
— � " ,3
w«._ a . '..1
_ '�€, -.�' €"
„� q I. t
:,4'., '� 'T`i.i ::."s_`� z+c ..., `', - may,
2
F1 a+3 ,.<. wl'teEr w ' '''''. �'^v m
g: ,-, , 3sr ,3„,,.,,,,,,,,..„,,,,,,,,,,,_..,,.----,-_
y ;. 'yZm� a i as 'z & fi7 _ i�-� ss--€,..,‘„.„.„.-,,--
- t'sny�
_«_.