2026-01-13 Resolution 12397STATE OF MINNESOTA )
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COUNTY OF HENNEPIN ) ss
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CITY OF RICHFIELD )
I, Michelle Friedrich, City Clerk of the City of Richfield, Hennepin County,
Minnesota, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and exact copy of Resolution No.
12397.
And that the same is on file and on record in my office.
Given under my hand and seal
this 13th day of January, 2026.
Michelle Friedrich
City Clerk
City of Richfield
Hennepin County, Minnesota
City of Richfield January 13, 2026
County of Hennepin
State of Minnesota
RESOLUTION NO. 12397
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Motion by: Hayford Oleary
Seconded by: Burk
RESOLUTION DISAPPROVING MUNICIPAL CONSENT TO THE MINNESOTA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE I-494 CORRIDOR VISION PROJECT 2
PROPOSED FINAL LAYOUT (SP 2785-462)
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Richfield is the official governing body of the City of
Richfield, Minnesota; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (“MnDOT”) is developing a project (the
“Project”) to construct Project 2 of the I -494 Corridor Vision. Project 2 of the I-494 Corridor Vision will
construct an E-ZPass lane on I-494 between I-35W and 24th Avenue, reconstruct pavement on I-35W
between American Boulevard and 75th Street, reconstruct the railroad bridge at Pleasant Avenue,
reconstruct 78th Street east of 12th Avenue, reconstruct the I-494/Highway 77 interchange, and perform
bridge deck rehabilitation on the Lyndale Avenue bridge over I-494, construct ADA improvements on the
impacted local system, construct drainage system improvements, and construct utility relocations; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes Section 161.164 provides, “Before proceeding with the
construction, reconstruction, or improvement of any route on the trunk highway system lying within any
municipality, the commissioner [of transportation] shall submit to its governing body a final layout and
project report covering the purpose, route location, and proposed design of the highway... [which] must
include a good-faith cost estimate of all the costs in which the governing body is expected to participate...
The governing body shall, within 60 days of receiving a final layout from the commissioner, conduct a
public hearing at which the Department of Transportation shall present the final layout for the project...
Within 90 days from the date of the public hearing, the governing body shall approve or disapprove the
final layout in writing…”; and
WHEREAS, the Project will deliver the remaining elements of the I-494 Corridor Vision; and
WHEREAS, on August 29, 2025, MnDOT submitted the proposed Final Layout and other
supportive materials and data to the City and requested the City’s consent to and approval of the proposed
Final Layout pursuant to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes Section 161.164; and
WHEREAS, the Project is proposed to be administered by MnDOT via the design-build project
delivery method, with the contract anticipated to be let in October 2026; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes Section 161.164, the City scheduled
a public hearing, conducted a public hearing, provided at least 30-days’ notice of the public hearing and
has 90 days from the date of the public hearing to approve or disapprove the proposed Final Layout by
resolution; and
WHEREAS, at said public hearing, officials of the Minnesota Department of Transportation
presented plans for review and responded to questions, and the City Council received comments
regarding these plans from the public and City staff and considered all the materials and testimony which
had been presented; and
WHEREAS, the I-35W and 76th Street interchange in Richfield is part of the “box” network formed
by 76th Street, Penn Avenue, Lyndale Avenue, and 82nd Street that is intended to facilitate access to and
City of Richfield January 13, 2026
County of Hennepin
State of Minnesota
RESOLUTION NO. 12397
2 of 2
from the interstates; and
WHEREAS, the reconfiguration of the ramps at the Penn Avenue interchange in Project 1 forces
drivers on I-35W to use 76th Street or 82nd Street to access Penn Avenuve; and
WHEREAS, this access change is expected to increase traffic on the routes that make up the
“box”; and
WHEREAS, the City has consistently advocated for safety improvements for pedestrians and
bicyclists at the 76th Street/I-35W interchange ramps that are traversed by a Three Rivers Park District
Regional Trail; and
WHEREAS, there are five schools within close proximity to this interchange, and school-aged
children must traverse these intersections every day; and
WHEREAS, no safety improvements are planned with this project or programmed in a future
project at this location.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Richfield disapproves
the plans and proposed Final Layout submitted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation on August
29, 2025 and presented at the October 28, 2025 public hearing, and that the City Council of the City of
Richfield requests that the layout be modified to include safety improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists
at the I-35W and 76th Street interchange.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Richfield, Minnesota this 13th day of January, 2026.
VOTING AYE VOTING NAY
Supple, Mary Supple, Mary
Burk, Walter Burk, Walter
Christensen, Sharon Christensen, Sharon
Coleman-Woods, Rori Coleman-Woods, Rori
Hayford Oleary, Sean Hayford Oleary, Sean
Mary B. Supple, Mayor
ATTEST:
Michelle Friedrich, City Clerk