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CO
CROIX
company
April 23, 2012
Mr. Jon Chiglo
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Transportation Building
395 John Ireland Blvd
Mailstop 100
St. Paul, MN 55155 -1899
Re: Impact of Closure of Access Point of
SuperAmerica Station located at:
14493 N 60 Street, Oak Park Heights, MN 55082
Dear Mr. Chiglo:
The purpose of this e-mail is to express my opposition to the proposed closure of the right -in-
right -out access point on Highway 36 at Omaha Avenue North, in Oak Park Heights (the
"Access Point "). Croix Oil Company owns the SuperAmerica station located at that corner.
This property has been owned by my family for over 40 years. Even prior to my family's
ownership, the location was a gasoline station.
A convenience store /gasoline station is a "convenience" destination. As such, ease and
efficiency of entry and exit are critically important to its success. In addition, such a use is
heavily dependent on traffic volume. Today, a substantial portion of the customer base for our
facility is captured from Highway 36 via the Access Point. The closure of the Access Point
would be devastating to our business. The ease of access to the motoring public would be so
negatively impacted that such closure would likely result in the cessation of business operations
at that location and the loss of ten jobs.
While the loss of jobs in the City of Oak Park Heights would be the most significant impact, the
loss of direct access to Highway 36 would also have other detrimental effects on the City and
Washington County. Given that alternate access to the property via the frontage road would be
unreasonably circuitous, the value of the property would decline significantly. Such a decline in
value would result in lower property tax revenues to the City of Oak Park Heights and
Washington County (current real property taxes for the property are $30,856).
It is worth noting that the foregoing negative consequences resulting from the closure of the
Access Point would be further amplified by the poor access to the frontage road that is currently
provided by the intersection of Highway 36 & Osgood Avenue. Presently, that intersection is
overly congested and access to /from the frontage road is difficult and dangerous. It seems a
1749 South Greeley Street • P.O. Box 15 • Stillwater, Minnesota 55082
(651) 439 -5755 • Fax (651) 439 -1051
Mr. Chiglo
April 23, 2012
Page 2 of 2
reasonable assumption that such congestion and danger will only increase if the Access Point is
closed, because it will force additional traffic to the Highway 36 & Osgood intersection.
Hopefully, given the foregoing, MNDOT will reevaluate its preliminary proposal to close the
Access Point. I welcome any opportunity to discuss this critically important matter with you
further. If you have any additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
CROIX OIL COMPANY
"
Mark J. Ogren
President
Cc: City of Oak Park. Heights
Mr. Jim Erickson/Solomon Strategies Group