Eagan Council Warms Up to Proposed Pilot Knob Improvements

After rejecting Dakota County's Pilot Knob Road corridor study findings in January as premature and harmful to local businesses, the Eagan City Council came around to the idea last week.

At a regular meeting on Tuesday, May 7, the council unanimously approved the county's long-term recommendation to add a third southbound lane to Pilot Knob through the Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle Road intersection to improve flow. The plan also calls for the eventual elimination of the Wells Fargo driveway entrance just north of that intersection and several other improvements.

The improvements are needed, county officials say, to relieve heavy traffic and reduce accident risks on a .36-mile-long stretch between Yankee Doodle Road and Central Parkway. In 2011, the average daily traffic volume for that portion of Pilot Knob was 16,200 vehicles.

Scroll down to review all the county's proposed corridor modifications.

At a January meeting, .

Wells Fargo representatives argued that direct driveway access off Pilot Knob was instrumental for their business. Their perspective found favor with Maguire, who asked the county to come up with a solution to keep the driveway.

But Maguire and the council reconsidered their stance on May 7, after Dakota County Traffic Engineer Kristi Sebastian told the council that, as a concession to Wells Fargo, the county could push back the proposed removal of the driveway for several years while the county works on other aspects of the corridor.

Sebastian also reminded the council that the county hasn't yet produced a formal design for the revamped Pilot Knob Road. When the design is released, she said, city and business leaders will have another opportunity to give input.

Pilot Knob Road Improvement Recommendations

• Southbound Lane
  Dakota County officials plan to add a third southbound lane to Pilot Knob Road going straight through the intersection of Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle Roads. The lane would continue south until hitting the access ramp for southbound Interstate 35E.

• Turn Lane at Norwest Court and Pilot Knob
  Because of a statistically high number of accidents at this intersection, Dakota County wants to add a right turn lane into Norwest Court, but eliminate the possibility of a left turn out of Norwest onto Pilot Knob. Traffic traveling south on Pilot Knob would still be allowed to make a left turn into Norwest Court.

• Turn Lane at Marice Drive and Pilot Knob
  Like the intersection of Norwest and Pilot Knob, county officials want to install a right-turn lane into Marice on northbound Pilot Knob, and prevent cars from making a left turn from Marice out onto the county road. Left turns from Pilot Knob onto Marice would still be permitted.

• Wells Fargo Entrance Eliminated
  As in previous drafts of the plan, the Wells Fargo entrance—located near the intersection of Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle—would be eliminated. As a concession to the business, the county says the driveway can stay open in the near future.

• Lengthened Turn Lane at Pilot Knob and Central Parkway
  County officials recommended the lengthening of a left-turn lane at this intersection.

• CSM Entrance
  The county's recommendations include a 230-foot "window" on the west side of Pilot Knob where developer CSM can install an entrance for its proposed redevelopment of the Lockheed Martin property.