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Minutes 03-04-09RICHFIELD TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MARCH 4, 2009 7:00 p.m. | Richfield City Hall | Council Chambers Commission members in attendance: Martin Kirsch (Chair); Peter Easterlund (Vice-Chair); Bob Shotwell; Barb Kritzman; Pat Sorensen; Gerald Charnitz; Sara Nutter; Steve Lindgren; Gail Lund; and, Council Member Sue Sandahl. Others in attendance: David Gepner; Bob Hall; and, Jack Broz of Howard R. Green Company. City Staff: Tom Foley and Kristin Asher Osberg. Excused absence: Gary Ness and Jay Hermann. CALL TO ORDER M. Kirsch called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion to approve the agenda by Kritzman, s/ Lindgren. Motion carried. APPOINTMENT OF NEW COMMISSION MEMBER Chair Kirsch welcomed Gail Lund as a new Transportation Commission member. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES M/Lindgren to approve February 4, 2009 meeting minutes s/Kritzman. Motion carried. URBAN PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT Nick Thompson of Mn/DOT gave a presentation on the Urban Partnership Agreement project. One of four demonstration grants in the country to encourage people to use transit or carpools. The project is on I-35W from Lakeville to downtown Minneapolis. The major innovation will be electronic signs over lanes that will reserve the inside lane as a HOT lane during rush periods. There will be lane and ramp closures along the route during construction. Work will occur in 2009 and 2010. RICHFIELD ARTERIALS STUDY J. Broz submitted alternative cross-sections in response to comments received at the January 21st Open House. On-street parking was raised by Bob Hall. One alternative will show parking on one side of the street. The alternatives included a modification to fit the special situation along the Wood Lake Nature Center. In this case the bike lane was placed behind the curb on the west side of Lyndale Avenue to avoid any impact on the nature center. Soil erosion along the Wood Lake Nature Center was raised as an issue that would need to be evaluated. J. Broz discussed his talks with Hennepin County staff regarding the proposed cross sections and design standards. It is possible that the design recommended for County roads may differ from the design proposed for Lyndale Avenue, a city street. J. Broz also reviewed possible locations for transit improvements based on the relative importance of cross streets that intersect with the north-south arterials. The alternatives will be presented at a second Open House to be held on March 18 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Richfield City Hall, Council Chambers. M/Lindgren, s/Easterlund to advance the alternative cross sections to the March 18, 2009 Open House. Motion carried. METRO SEWER PROJECT UPDATE K. Asher reported that City Council must decide on undergrounding of utilities along 76th Street. Also, the project is planned to be advertised for bid in April 2009. LYNDALE AVENUE BRIDGE UPDATE T. Foley reported that Lunda Construction is on schedule with the bridge project. The contractor has several pile driving rigs on site and that is speeding up the pile driving. BLOOMINGTON AVENUE PED/BIKE TRAIL UPDATE T. Foley reported that Minneapolis received a $400,000 grant to build the trail on Bloomington Avenue/17th Avenue/18th Avenue to connect to Richfield. RICHFIELD’S ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE T. Foley reported that the City submitted five proposals. They are: the 77th Street Underpass; the Richfield Parkway Stage 2 Project; Mill & Overlay of residential streets; Traffic Signal at 77th Street and Colfax Avenue; and, Countdown Timers at Pedestrian Signals. ANNUAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL THE Commission will give its annual report to the City Council on March 10, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. A copy of the report is in the agenda packet. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Topics for upcoming meetings include Election of Officers for the Commission; the Arterials Design Study and the Richfield Arterials Study, and report on 35W Bus Rapid Transit.. OTHER BUSINESS T. Foley reported that the City was proposing four transportation projects for the President’s Economic Stimulus Package. They are: the 77th Street Underpass; the Richfield Parkway; Countdown Timers on all Pedestrian Signals; and a Traffic Signal at 77th Street and Colfax Avenue (Main Entrance to Shops at Lyndale.) Chair Kirsch agreed to submit the Commission’s Annual Report to the City Council on March 10, 2009. B. Shotwell asked staff to check with Hennepin County on changes in signal plans at 69th & York, 66th & York ADJOURNMENT M/ Kritzman to adjourn the meeting. S/Easterlund. Motion carried. Meeting was adjourned at 8:29 P.M. THE NEXT TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING WILL BE HELD ON APRIL 1ST AT 7:00 P.M. AT THE RICHFIELD CITY HALL.