Education Update
NEW PARKING LOT
There has been a lot of discussion about the High School’s new parking lot. I want to assure everyone that we know about the grade from South to North and we did consider other alternatives. The main reasons for the 5.5% grade are for us to keep water out of the new addition (we do not want to battle mold issues) and we want to match the current landscape.
We are confident that we will be able to maintain the parking lot throughout the winter and make it safe for everyone. In fact, we believe the slope will help with any snow or ice melt because it will drain very well.
Temporary lights are coming soon and eventually light poles, bushes, trees, signage, benches, etc. will be added in the near future.
If you actually stand in the parking lot, it looks very good. In fact, if you look from West to East while you are standing in the parking lot it is basically level. There is a 1% grade going east to west from the new addition to keep the water out of the new addition.
The parking lot has an optical illusion effect to it. Driving by it on HWY 19 compared to standing on it gives you different views. Realize that the slope on HWY 19 going from east to west drops down about 6 feet. HWY 19 is not level. If you stand in the southeast corner of the new lot and look east toward the Elementary School and then look west, you’ll see that the new parking lot follows the same grade.
Elevations play into the looks and the slope of the lot. When you turn off of HWY19 and go down the main road to the High School, there is a drop of elevation of about 10 ½ feet. The new addition will be closer to HWY 19 and the drop will still be 10 ½ feet. Since the new addition must remain level with the current High School facility, the slope is going to be steeper from HWY 19 to the new addition.
Mn Dot regulates the slope for our entrances for turning onto or off of HWY 19. Engineering on the project requires a 5.5% grade from South to North toward our drains near the new addition and a 1% grade away from the new addition. If we reverse this either the water will drain into the new addition or the parking lot will look like a warped board. By the way, the City Parking lot has a slope of 7%.
The drainage will be great on the lot and actually during the winter when the snow and ice melt, it will drain right away and will not sit in the same place to thaw and refreeze day in and day out like it would on a level surface.
If you have any questions about this, please give either Dave Davisson or Todd Sesker a call and we will be more than happy to visit with you and bring you to the site to explain this in greater detail.
Dave Davisson
Todd Sesker
NEW PARKING LOT
There has been a lot of discussion about the High School’s new parking lot. I want to assure everyone that we know about the grade from South to North and we did consider other alternatives. The main reasons for the 5.5% grade are for us to keep water out of the new addition (we do not want to battle mold issues) and we want to match the current landscape.
We are confident that we will be able to maintain the parking lot throughout the winter and make it safe for everyone. In fact, we believe the slope will help with any snow or ice melt because it will drain very well.
Temporary lights are coming soon and eventually light poles, bushes, trees, signage, benches, etc. will be added in the near future.
If you actually stand in the parking lot, it looks very good. In fact, if you look from West to East while you are standing in the parking lot it is basically level. There is a 1% grade going east to west from the new addition to keep the water out of the new addition.
The parking lot has an optical illusion effect to it. Driving by it on HWY 19 compared to standing on it gives you different views. Realize that the slope on HWY 19 going from east to west drops down about 6 feet. HWY 19 is not level. If you stand in the southeast corner of the new lot and look east toward the Elementary School and then look west, you’ll see that the new parking lot follows the same grade.
Elevations play into the looks and the slope of the lot. When you turn off of HWY19 and go down the main road to the High School, there is a drop of elevation of about 10 ½ feet. The new addition will be closer to HWY 19 and the drop will still be 10 ½ feet. Since the new addition must remain level with the current High School facility, the slope is going to be steeper from HWY 19 to the new addition.
Mn Dot regulates the slope for our entrances for turning onto or off of HWY 19. Engineering on the project requires a 5.5% grade from South to North toward our drains near the new addition and a 1% grade away from the new addition. If we reverse this either the water will drain into the new addition or the parking lot will look like a warped board. By the way, the City Parking lot has a slope of 7%.
The drainage will be great on the lot and actually during the winter when the snow and ice melt, it will drain right away and will not sit in the same place to thaw and refreeze day in and day out like it would on a level surface.
If you have any questions about this, please give either Dave Davisson or Todd Sesker a call and we will be more than happy to visit with you and bring you to the site to explain this in greater detail.
Dave Davisson
Todd Sesker
