To the Editor:

Traffic volumes continue to increase on County Road 116 through Corcoran and Medina. They have reached a point where Hennepin County now has plans to expand the intersection at County Road 116 and Highway 55 in Medina to better handle the traffic flow. While this is great that the county will be investing in the intersection at Highway 55 and County Road 116, there are still great concerns about the 1.3 mile stretch of road from Hackamore Road to Highway 55 along County Road 116.

The intersection is Hackamore Road and County Road 116 has been the scene of far too many accidents. It’s a difficult and dangerous intersection for adults to cross let alone teenagers. The neighborhoods of Foxberry Farms as well as Bridgewater combined have 300-400 children many of whom are now in high school and drivers. There are other neighborhoods in Corcoran north of Hackamore that also have concerns about this. The intersection at Hackamore and County Road 116 is particularly difficult for teens to cross as they drive to and from Wayzata High School and Providence Academy.

The accidents have been increasing as well. According to the Medina Police Department, from 2008 to 2010 there were a total of 17 reported accidents and so far this year in 2011 there have been 12! We do not want to wait until someone or several people die in a terrible crash before we act.

There is a new development that will be starting in 2012, which will only add more traffic to County Road 116. There are more developments likely in the future as well. We would like to see Hennepin County establish a plan for County Road 116 from Hackamore to Highway 55. It’s a serious safety issue at this point. 

A group of citizens have collected a few hundred signatures petitioning Hennepin County to thoroughly study this road and develop a plan now. We are not traffic experts, but we know a problem when we see it.

A public meeting has been set for at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, with Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson. The meeting will be held at the Hennepin County Public Works Facility located at 1600 Prairie Drive in Medina, (on the southwest corner of Hwy 55 and Arrowhead Drive).

If you are concerned about the traffic on County Road 116, please join us at this meeting. We expect a significant turn out of concerned parents as well as high schoolers who drive this road everyday.

- John Murphy