Council learns of planned Holly Boulevard closure
By:
Jill Meier, Journal editor
Planned improvements to the Ellis & Eastern Railroad that crosses Holly Boulevard will have a direct impact on a common route to and from Sioux Falls this summer.
At the Brandon City Council’s Jan. 2 meeting, city engineer Paul Sanow said Holly Boulevard will be closed down to local traffic this summer for a minimum of four weeks. The closure from Sioux Boulevard to the Big Sioux River is needed while Ellis & Eastern improves the rail line in one construction phase.
While there was some initial discussion on extending the closure one to two months for utility (water, sewer and storm sewer) upgrades, City Administrator Bryan Read said Holly Boulevard will remain open during that work.
“We don’t feel it is in our best interest to detour traffic longer than it should be,” said Jon Brown of Stockwell Engineers.
During the road closure, the estimated 10,000 vehicles that travel Holly Boulevard daily, will be rerouted to Madison Street. Interstate 90 and Highway 42 south of the city are two other alternative routes to Sioux Falls. Timberline Avenue, Sanow added, will close in April for the Highway 100 project.
Sanow added that public meetings will be scheduled once the design plan is finalized.
The Ellis & Eastern track upgrade will also affect crossings on Dogwood Street, Sioux and Aspen boulevards.
One idea presented by Ellis & Eastern is to eliminate the railroad crossing with right-of-way on Dogwood. If it is eliminated, cul-de-sacs would be constructed on both sides of the rail line, essentially closing access from Sioux Boulevard to Main Avenue using Dogwood.
Sanow said some business owners have indicated they prefer Dogwood is kept open, and Alderman Blaine Jones supports that.
“We may be relieving liability on one side but we’re gaining liability on the other side,” he said.
The council also discussed installing sidewalks on the east side of Main Avenue from Dogwood Street to Aspen Boulevard. Sanow warned the grade of some driveways would be steep and several old trees in the boulevard would need to be removed.
“I would strongly say we don’t want to get into that,” Alderwoman Barb Fish said. “Why fix it if it’s not broke?”
Jones agreed.
“The core of town was not designed for sidewalks, and I think this would be a huge Pandora’s box.”
