04-9456r
56
RESOLUTION NO. 9456
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE IMPROVED FUNDING FOR
1-494 CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS
WHEREAS, the cities of Bloomington, Edina, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Plymouth
and Richfield have joined together to promote improvement of 1-494 from the Minnesota
River to 1-94 in order to increase road capacity and to improve the productivity and
convenience of residents and businesses throughout the region; and
WHEREAS, accelerating the scheduled expansion of 1-494 is a common and high
priority objective of the 1-494 Corridor Coalition communities; and
WHEREAS, the 1-494 corridor is at 50 percent over capacity in many locations; the
cost of traffic congestion along the corridor is $100 million per year, and congestion is
expected to double in the next 20 years; and
WHEREAS, funding for improvements to the 1-494 corridor, the Twin Cities
metropolitan region and greater Minnesota has not kept pace with growth and demand due
to a lack of any state gas tax increase in Minnesota since 1988; and
WHEREAS, transportation spending, as a percentage of the state gross product,
has declined from 1.2 percent to .9 percent over the past decade, transit is funded at 65
percent that of similarly sized regions and planners estimate that at least $1 billion in
improvements per year for the next decade is needed to simply keep up with anticipated
congestion; and
WHEREAS, the costs and ramifications of congestion are an impediment to
business development, economic growth, and reduce the overall quality of life in the
metropolitan area.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RICHFIELD that this Council supports steps to decrease congestion and increase the
state revenues available for improvements to the 1-494 corridor and other metropolitan
transportation systems.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Richfield, Minnesota this 27 d~y of April,
2004.
Martin J. Kir
ATTEST:
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Nancy Gibbs ity Clerk