Minutes 06-03-09RICHFIELD TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
MEETING MINUTES
JUNE 3, 2009
7:00 p.m. | Richfield City Hall | Council Chambers
Commission members in attendance: Martin Kirsch (Chair); Sara Nutter; Gail Lund; Pat Sorensen; Bob Shotwell; Steve Lindgren; Barb Kritzman; Gary Ness; Maureen Scaglia; and Council Member
Sue Sandahl.
Others in attendance: Jack Broz of Howard R. Green Company; Lydia Major and Michael Schroeder of LHB, Inc.; Bill Svoboda
City Staff: Christine Costello, Mike Eastling and Kristin Asher Osberg.
Excused absence: Gerald Charnitz and Peter Easterlund
CALL TO ORDER
M. Kirsch called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Request to add the item Conflict of Interest under Future Agenda Items. Motion to approve the agenda as amended by Lindgren, s/Lund. Motion carried.
APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES
Motion by Shotwell to approve May 6, 2009 meeting minutes, s/Lund. Motion carried.
RICHFIELD ARTERIALS STUDY
Asher updated the Commission on the results of the May 20, 2009 Open House and the May 26th City Council Worksession. Discussion centered around parking on the arterials and the influence
of no parking and the viability of keeping homeowners living on the arterials.
Motion by Kritzman recommending that the City Council consider three-lane sections along the four arterials (Portland, Nicollet, Lyndale, and Penn) within the project study limits while
retaining Sunday Parking. Three lanes are recommended due to the benefits they present for safety, multi-modal mobility, traffic flow, on-street amenities and the quality of life improvements
that can be established with added sidewalk and bicycle accommodations. A second to the motion was made by Lund. The Commission recommends completing Portland Avenue first before
completing other arterials. Motion passed.
RICHFIELD PARKWAY AND 66TH STREET EAST DESIGN STUDY
Christine Costello of the City’s Community Development Department introduced the Richfield Parkway and the 66th Street Design Study funded by Hennepin County’s Community Works Department.
M. Schroeder and L. Major talked about the study in detail regarding the priorities and goals, how the alignment impacts new redevelopment and how the parkway will be used. The new
parkway will include a Three Rivers Park Regional trail. The Commission was encouraged to review the goals and priorities and attend the June 24, 2009 Open House.
The 66th Street East Design Study is looking at the portion of 66th Street between Portland Avenue and Richfield Parkway. Due to the lower volumes in this area this section of 66th
Street can be compared to the arterial roads just studied and a three-lane conversion is being considered as part of this study.
CONSIDERATION OF SUBMITTAL OF FEDERAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM (STP) GRANT PROPOSAL FOR PORTLAND AVENUE
Asher suggested the Commission considered supporting a submittal for federal funding for reconstructing Portland Avenue. Motion by Sorensen to support a Portland Avenue Reconstruction
submittal to the Metropolitan Council for Surface Transportation Program funding consideration, s/Kritzman. Motion passed.
It was suggested that the Commission also consider supporting a submittal for federal funding for the reconstruction of 66th Street East. Motion by Sorensen to support a 66th Street
East Reconstruction submittal to the Metropolitan Council for STP funding consideration, s/Kritzman. Motion passed.
UPDATES
LYNDALE AVENUE BRIDGE UPDATE
Asher reported that Lunda Construction is on schedule with the bridge project and that Lyndale Avenue between 494 and 77th Street should be paved and open by the end of July.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Topics for upcoming meetings include the Richfield Parkway and 66th Street East Design Study, Conflict of Interest, and a report on 35W Bus Rapid Transit.
ADJOURNMENT
M/Lindgren to adjourn the meeting, s/Shotwell. Motion carried. Meeting was adjourned at 8:45 P.M.
THE NEXT TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING WILL BE HELD ON JULY 1ST AT 7:00 P.M. AT THE RICHFIELD CITY HALL.