The Roseville City Council voted Monday night to approve the paving of an unfinished section of Ramsey County Road C2, a move that angered many residents but drew applause from others in an overflow crowd at City Hall.

The 3-2 vote came after a passionate public hearing in which people stepped to the microphone to make their cases for and against connecting a 175-foot gap in the road from just east of Griggs Avenue to a cul-de-sac west of Lexington Avenue. The issue had divided neighbors for more than two decades.

Proponents had said completing the road would create another east-west thoroughfare through the Ramsey County suburb and relieve traffic pressure on Josephine Road. Those opposed had argued that opening the road would double the amount of traffic in their quiet neighborhood and might bring down property values and endanger bikers, walkers and motorists.

"My wife and I have had many sleepless nights over the fear of what will happen to my neighborhood," said resident Yi He, who opposed the road project. "We are 100 percent opposed to wasteful projects that waste taxpayers money."

But Pam Newcome, who spoke on behalf of the members of the group Share C2, said opening C2 would help equitably distribute traffic in the area, especially with a new housing development planned between Josephine Road and C2.

"No one wishes more traffic on their neighbor, but increased traffic is the price of progress," she said. "The city's long-range plans call for better utilizing existing roadways. Now is the time to open C2 and help Roseville prepare for a bright and prosperous future."

The debate over County C2 was one of the most contentious at a City Council meeting in recent memory. The controversy surfaced back in 1988, but the issue hit a boiling point this summer when Pulte Homes announced plans for a development in the area. Residents of Josephine Road concerned about increased traffic circulated a petition to have C2 connected to more evenly distribute east-west traffic passing through Roseville.

That led the city to revisit the issue. Roseville spent $15,000 over the summer to study traffic patterns to assess the impact connecting C2 will have. Currently, 2,600 vehicles use Josephine Road each day, but that would have risen to 4,100 by 2030 if C2 were not connected. When C2 is built, Josephine Road will see a decrease of 660 vehicles a day, while C2 between Lexington and Hamline will see an increase of 1,900. The number of vehicles on C2 will rise from 610 today to as many as 3,400 by 2030, the study indicated.

Work on connecting C2 will begin next year. The city had already identified $4 million in other road projects through 2014, but will adjust that schedule to put C2 on next summer's construction calendar, said city engineer Deb Bloom.

Tim Harlow • 651-925-5039 Twitter: @timstrib