This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Staff writer

The temporary closure of the 142nd Avenue will now be permanent.

The Ramsey City Council voted 5-1 March 9 to make the closure permanent after looking at the results of the year-long closure experiment. Councilmember Colin McGlone voted no and Councilmember John Dehen was absent.

The city closed the 142nd Avenue access to Highway 47 last March in an effort to lower the amount of traffic using the Flintwood neighborhood as a short cut from County State Aid Highway 5 (Nowthen Boulevard) and reduce the number of accidents at the 142nd Avenue and Highway 47 intersection.

Since 142nd Avenue has been closed the traffic counts and accidents have dropped significantly, said Assistant City Engineer Steve Jankowski.

There have only been two reported accidents since the 2009 closure, he said.

The intersection had averaged 11 accidents per year, said City Engineer Tim Himmer.

The amount of traffic going through the neighborhood has also dropped.

The traffic on Argon Street and 143rd Avenue dropped between 27 percent and 38 percent, Jankowski said.

Prior to the closure, the intersection of Argon Street and 142nd Lane, north of the closed street, had an average of 583 vehicles per day. That has dropped to 159.

Although the temporary closure resulted in a large outcry, only a few have spoken out against it since.

Of the e-mails and phone calls Mayor Bob Ramsey has received on the subject, only a small number asked to have it re-opened, he said.

Only two or three were against the closure and 15 were in support, Ramsey said.

Jankowski received 10 e-mails with four agreeing with the closure, four against and two that saw the benefits to either option.

Even though he does not live in the neighborhood, resident John Enstrom said the road should be re-opened.

Residents in this neighborhood should be able to access the businesses in the adjoining strip mall, he said.

If the road is closed then the businesses won’t be patronized, Enstrom said.

While this will be a great result for a few people, it will be a loss for many, many more, said McGlone who opposed the road closure.

The permanent closure of 142nd Avenue is estimated to cost $42,000 to create a “T” at the existing intersection and extend the storm water system.

The city will retain a portion of 142nd Avenue to be used as a bikeway and for emergency access, Jankowski said.

Tammy Sakry is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it