Minutes 08-24-06 Joint mtgRichfield Transportation Commission
And
Bloomington Transportation and Traffic Advisory Commission
Thursday, August 24, 2006
6:30 p.m.
Bloomington Public Works , Council Chambers
Minutes
Richfield Commission members in attendance: Barbara Kritzman (Chair); Bob Elliott (Vice-Chair); Pat Sorensen; Steve Lindgren; Maureen Scaglia; and, Sue Sandahl. Bloomington Commission
members in attendance: Andrew Tasi (Chair); Jeff Andrews; Craig Carlson; Jerry Fruetel; Romeo Garcia; Valerie Svensson; and Robert Works. Others in attendance: Derick Schmidt of WSB
& Associates; Bloomington staff: Diane Frost, Shelly Pederson and Chad Smith; Richfield staff: Mike Eastling; and Scott Pedersen of Mn/DOT staff.
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m.
Lyndale Avenue Bridge
M. Eastling reviewed the history of the 77th Street Project including: the relationship of 77th Street and American Blvd to the original I-494 EIS; the projected (then realized) congestion
at 77th/Lyndale; the widening of Lyndale Avenue to relieve the congestion; the need to reconstruct Lyndale Ave and Bridge; the Best Buy/Penn Bridge funding switch from Lyndale Bridge;
the change in access to 35W from Lyndale Avenue with Mn/DOT plan; and, finally, the two-year delay to resolve I-35W access with a potential solution to the stalemate.
Commission members discussed the 4 strategies available and the staff-recommended strategy of proceeding with the design based on the assurance that the I-35W access to/from the South
will be included in the ultimate plan now being planned by Mn/DOT in their I-35W/-I494 interchange plan. Both Commissions indicated informal support for the staff recommendation but
will now await the feedback from the Open House.
There was a question about bike access across the freeway at Lyndale Avenue. M. Eastling answered that (1) there will be excellent access at Nicollet, 12th and York. (2) Penn, Lyndale,
and Portland bike crossings will necessarily compete with vehicles. A Bloomington Commission member pointed out that a blue colored bike lane was used in Oregon. We should consider
this. On the general topic of bike planning, M. Eastling said that biking was the most "talked about" item as Richfield prepared its updated Comprehensive plan and that Tom Foley is
heading up the effort.
A public open house on the Lyndale Bridge design will be held on Thursday, September 21 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Richfield City Hall Council Chambers.
Adjournment
Meeting was adjourned at 7:14 p.m.