Raymond Avenue Traffic Calming

Construction of the Raymond Traffic Calming project is now planned for the summer of 2013 now that the St. Paul City Council approved the project.  2013 construction still allows City staff to utilize the federal funding received for the project while responding to requests and hopes from the St. Anthony Park businesses for a year off after light rail construction.  Parking solutions meetings will begin in early spring 2012- details and documents can be found at sapcc.org/raymondparking.

Please stop by the Community Council office (890 Cromwell) to look at the plan or ask questions, or contact Lauren Fulner-Erickson, Community Organizer, at 651-649-5992 or lauren@sapcc.org.

Traffic calming is the combination of mainly physical measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior and improve conditions for non-motorized street users.

Relevant links, data, and documentation:

• Raymond Station Area Plan
  
   

  . References to mobility enhancement zone (p. 13), existing inhospitable ped. conditions north of University (p. 18), Raymond as a key open space connection (p. 25), Raymond as a bike route with proposed streetscape improvements (p. 39), and key bike crossing at Raymond and Territorial (p. 39 and 40).

• Bike Walk Central Corridor Action Plan
  
   

  . Raymond identified as a regional north-south bikeway (p. 8),  bike parking demand forecasts for Raymond LRT station (p. 14), Raymond recommended as a site for secure bike storage due to its regional significance (p. 16), Pelham/Raymond Avenue bikeway identified as a critical part of the Grand Rounds and are prioritized for improvements (p. 23), West Midway identified as a priority area to improve and add sidewalks (p. 28).

• Comp Plan Transportation Chapter
  
   

  . Raymond is identified on a number of maps in the plan, making it a significant piece for several modes: urban local transit service (p. 11), bike route (p. 18), designated truck route (p. 37).  The ADT map shows that this part of Raymond had approximately 10,275 cars per day in 2008, and is projected to have 12, 475 cars by 2030 (p. 43).

• Comp Plan Parks Plan
  
   

  . Raymond is identified as part of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway (p. 40), and policy 6.7 states, "Build the Grand Rounds Parkway from a loop route to a complete parkway. The City should add off-road trails, on-road bike lanes, and "green" the Grand Rounds to create a scenic recreational parkway experience, enhance property values, and build tourism (see Figure PR-E). Parkway identity should be achieved through the use of cohesive paving, lighting, landscaping, signage, and street furnishings." (p. 30)

• 2011 CIB evaluation for Comp Plan compliance (attached). This is an evaluation I did listing policies in the Comp Plan that were consistent with the Raymond Traffic Calming project. They were approved and forwarded to the CIB committee by the full Planning Commission. This list is not exhaustive. The project is number 41 in the attached spreadsheet.

• The District 12 Ten Year Plan which was adopted as part of the St. Paul Comprehensive Plan includes numerous references to transportation. Specifically related to the Raymond Avenue Traffic Calming Process: T4.  Improve Vehicular Connectivity.  Add new connections and  realign roads to improve local access and reduce through-traffic in  areas designated  for enhanced pedestrian and transit-oriented  land uses. T5. Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety and Traffic Calming.  Make busy  thoroughfares (Como, Cleveland, Raymond, Territorial and  University) safer for bikes and pedestrians and improve their visual  quality. Read the entire section here.