For now, decisions about the Cedar Avenue corridor have been put on hold pending further input from stakeholders.

At a work session May 10, the Apple Valley City Council discussed the status of proposals, which were released by Dakota County earlier this year. The plans encompassed a range of improvements, from widening shoulders and adding turn lanes to removing stoplights and grade separating intersections throughout Apple Valley.

"Cedar Avenue is a major thoroughfare for much of the county and a complicated issue," said Apple Valley City Administrator Tom Lawell.

Four proposals were originally suggested as a means to deal with projected growth over the next 20 years.

"We need to look out to 2030 and determine what we need in the future," said Kristine Elwood, project manager. "It doesn't mean we have to make all these changes now."

A date of June 15 was set by members of the Cedar Group and Local Advisory Group to narrow down the proposals. That date's been pushed back upon hearing concerns from local business owners, especially those along 145th Street.

However, Elwood said if nothing is done to address projected growth congestion will increase. She suggested phasing out plans in five, 10-, 15- and 20-year intervals "as needs arise and as funds become available."

"We still need to have more involvement," said Elwood, referring to businesses, residents and officials.

Dr. Karl Biewald of Orthodontic Care Specialists and Deb Lysholm of Heartbeat Studios have been serving as unofficial spokespeople for local businesses impacted by the proposals. Many fear the closure of key intersections would deny adequate access to their stores and offices.

"The business community of Apple Valley, which I'm part of, needs to be taken into consideration," Biewald said.

"At one point we didn't know how fast this was going to move," he said.

Councilmember Bob Erickson worried that business owners were becoming paranoid about the proposals, and that the plans were not as extreme as some interpreted them to be.

"We're not paranoid," said Paul WonSavage of Heartbeat Studios. "We're conservative; we're interested."

In response to those concerns, Elwood said staff is working on measuring travel times, to compare how long it takes to reach specific businesses now from Cedar and how long it would take with the concept plans in place.

Additionally, it was announced at the meeting that the proposal to add a third lane at the bottleneck on northbound Cedar made the Minnesota Department of Transportation top 20 list of significant low-cost projects. The third Cedar lane actually landed in the top 10, with rough cost estimates at $12 million to $13 million. Dakota County has no authority over that section of Cedar.

With all focuses running from 138th Street south for the county, Dakota County Commissioner Will Branning said: "No decisions to date have been made on the roadway."

A Cedar Group meeting was set for May 16, with the next Local Advisory Group meeting scheduled in August. Branning, who serves as chair of the Cedar Group, encouraged business owners to attend the next Local Advisory Group meeting to provide needed input.

"We would encourage everyone to be a part of the process," said Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland, vice chair of the Cedar Group.

More information on the Cedar Avenue corridor and Local Advisory Group meeting times can be found at www.dakotacounty.us/EnvironmentRoads/Transit/PublicTransportation/CedarAve.htm.

(You are invited to comment about this story on our website at www.mnsun.com and/or write a letter to the editor at suncurrentsouth@acnpapers.com.)

"We're not paranoid," said Paul WonSavage of Heartbeat Studios. "We're conservative; we're interested."

In response to those concerns, Elwood said staff is working on measuring travel times, to compare how long it takes to reach specific businesses now from Cedar and how long it would take with the concept plans in place.

Additionally, it was announced at the meeting that the proposal to add a third lane at the bottleneck on northbound Cedar made the Minnesota Department of Transportation top 20 list of significant low-cost projects. The third Cedar lane actually landed in the top 10, with rough cost estimates at $12 million to $13 million. Dakota County has no authority over that section of Cedar.

With all focuses running from 138th Street south for the county, Dakota County Commissioner Will Branning said: "No decisions to date have been made on the roadway."

A Cedar Group meeting was set for May 16, with the next Local Advisory Group meeting scheduled in August. Branning, who serves as chair of the Cedar Group, encouraged business owners to attend the next Local Advisory Group meeting to provide needed input.

"We would encourage everyone to be a part of the process," said Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland, vice chair of the Cedar Group.

More information on the Cedar Avenue corridor and Local Advisory Group meeting times can be found at www.dakotacounty.us/EnvironmentRoads/Transit/PublicTransportation/CedarAve.htm.

(You are invited to comment about this story on our website at www.mnsun.com and/or write a letter to the editor at suncurrentsouth@acnpapers.com.)