1955-647rRESOLUTION N0. 61t7
RESOLUTION OPPOSING PROPOSED IMPROVEMgNTS OF HIGHWAY
NO. 100 AND REL'OMMENDING AN OUTER BELT LINE
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WHEREAS, the Minnesota State Highway Department has submitted a proposal for
improvement of Highway 100 extending across the full southerly boundary of Richfield
and
WHEREAS, it is the opinion of the members of the council of said Village of
Richfield that the proposed highway improvement is inadequate for the needs of the
area and state,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the council go on record relative to such
improvement as follows:
That the present Highway 100 should immediately be widened to four lanes using
the present right-of-way in order to eliminate a serious hazard due to the present
three lane highway and further to provide a more suitable highway for the new base-
ball stadium, which is to be located on Cedar on s aid Highway No. 100, to allow for
the greatly increased traffic, which will result when said ball park is put into
operation in '1956.
BE IT FU~~.THER RESOLVED that the Village Council requests the State Highway De-
partment to study the acquisition of right-of-way at some point to the south of
the prESent Highway 100 for the purpose of constructing an express highway as part
of the. outer belt line south of the metropolitan area. In so doing the council
called attention to the fact that an outer belt line is proposed to the north, east
and to the west skirting the present urban area but still maintaining the inner belt
line.
It is recommended that the same method of procedure insofar as the belt line
is concerned to the south carrying out the same policy of developing an outer belt
line, which will not separate the two communities of Richfield and Bloomington which
will have a combined potential of 200,000 population and has already exceeded 50000:
Attention is further called to the fact that to construct the proposed express-
way at the present location of Highway 100 would 3.nvolve a fantastic investment both
from the standpoint of land acquired, due to the fact that many buildings will have
to be removed completely or will saffer excessive damage from the proposed widening
and also from the fact that numerous overpasses are proposed, which would bring the
total cost far in excess of the amount necessary if an outer belt line is constructed
as proposed.
Such a highway improvement pro3eet would be'antiquated before it is even com-
pleted due to the rapid growth in the south section of the metropolitan area. It
is recommended to the State Highway Department that this highway be planned for
future years to a8oid unnecessary expense due to antiquation and-that in order to
properly serve the highway needs in the not too distant future, an inner belt lime
and an outer belt line will both be necessary.
Adopted by the Village Council of the Village of Richfield this 28th day of
March, 1955.
ATTEST:
Pa auge
Clerk
Fre u. i tel
Mayor
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L oy Tra ton
Manager
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