In a version of the old adage "You can’t get there from here," Brian and Kathy Dolan discovered that to be true this week.

Wednesday, October 25, 2000

In a version of the old adage "You can’t get there from here," Brian and Kathy Dolan discovered that to be true this week.

The couple opened their Dolan’s Landscaping and Spas business in new facilities built along 18th Avenue NW in Austin.

That was Monday.

On Tuesday, Brian Dolan appeared before the Mower County Board of Commissioners, asking for help.

Westbound motorists along 18th Avenue NW can turn off the heavily traveled roadway and into the Dolan business parking lot. Eastbound motorists cannot. A traffic median prevents that from happening. Thus, they must drive farther east on 18th Avenue NW, make a U-turn and head eastward to their destination.

"From my standpoint, it makes it kind of tough," Dolan said. "We just opened the business out there on Monday and now we have this situation."

The Dolans’ business was relocated from its previous location at 411 Oakland Ave. East to make way for the Austin Housing and Redevelopment Authority’s massive housing project across First Avenue NE from the Courtyard Apartments complex.

Their new location is just west of a tax increment financing district created by the city of Austin to spur commercial and industrial development along 18th Avenue NW.

Only four lots – two residential and two commercial – on the north side of 18th Avenue NW are actually in the county – or more specifically Lansing Township – and the rest are within the city of Austin’s jurisdiction, including the site for the new Cooperative Response Center facility.

The Dolans obtained the necessary city building permit for their business without a problem. The only thing standing – or more accurately lying – in the way of their expansion is the traffic median along 18th Avenue NW.

While 18th Avenue NW is slated for a major reconstruction in the future, including a traffic signal at the intersection of the city’s soon-to-be-created Eighth Street NW extension and with it a service drive access for the businesses along the roadway, the Dolans said they need help today and not tomorrow.

Dolan sought the county’s intervention to make a median cutout so eastbound 18th Avenue NW traffic can turn into his business’ parking lot, and he got it Tuesday, but not before the county commissioners questioned why the city would allow the situation to ever develop.

Among the reasons for the commissioners’ dismay: when the county finishes the 18th Avenue NW reconstruction project, the city has agreed to take over the so-called county road and provide for its future maintenance and upkeep.

Thus, the county will be paying twice – once for the major reconstruction project and now for a median cutout – for a roadway it plans to turn over to the city.

In granting him a building permit for his business, Dolan told the commissioners that the city ensured the buildings would be constructed allowing for enough space for a service drive to be constructed.

Also, median cutouts are not unique along the roadway. Wagner True Value Hardware store, also on the north side of 18th Avenue NW, already has one to avoid the "can’t get there from here" situation.

Mower County Engineer Michael Hanson said he prefers one service drive to be able to link all businesses along 18th Avenue NW and exiting traffic at a single location; preferably the city’s new Eighth Street NW intersection where a traffic signal would be utilized to control traffic.

"The city’s new Eighth Street NW is not coming until 2002 and we need something sooner than that," Dolan reminded the commissioners.

"Without a frontage road," First District County Commissioner Richard P. Cummings said, "a median cutout is better than having traffic go farther down and back after making a U-turn on that road."

Hanson said the median cutout would cost an estimated $10,000 and that the county highway department could do the work.

But, Hanson also warned, "Median cutouts without a traffic signal create traffic safety concerns."

David Hillier, Third District county commissioner, said the median cutout would be only a temporary solution until the entire roadway is reconstructed and a service drive built.

"What I can’t understand is why the city would issue a building permit without being concerned how he (Dolan) would get in or out of his place of business?" Ray Tucker, Second District county commissioner, said.

"I’m disappointed, because there is so much talk about city-county cooperation and then something like this happens," Cummings said.

County Coordinator Craig Oscarson asked Dolan whether he would be willing to pay for the street improvement and Dolan replied, "I thought that’s what taxes are for."

However, Hanson cautioned against asking Dolan to pay, because "no deals were made like that with the Wagner hardware owners."

Cummings made the motion to approve the median cutout and Len Miller, Fourth District, seconded it. All five commissioners voted "aye."