2011-01-05 Transpo Commission MinutesATTACHMENT #1
Richfield Transportation Commission
Meeting Minutes
January 5, 2011
7:00 p.m. | Richfield City Hall | Council Chambers
Commission members in attendance: Martin Kirsch (Chair); Gail Lund; Gary Ness; Tim Carter;
Peter Easterlund; Bob Shotwell; Andrew Wittenborg; Pat Sorensen; Maureen Scaglia; Sara Nutter;
Council Member Sue Sandahl.
City Staff: Jeff Pearson, Kristin Asher.
Others: Jupe Hale
I. Call to Order
M. Kirsch called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
II. Approval of Agenda
Motion to approve agenda with addition of one item – Stop Sign on Humboldt Ave., s/.
Motion carried.
III. Approval of Meeting Minutes
Motion by Carter to approve December 1, 2010 meeting minutes, s/ Ness. Motion carried.
IV. I-494 Auxiliary Lane & Xerxes Avenue Bridge Replacement
Scott Pederson reviewed the three projects Mn/DOT is proposing to let in November 2012
and to construct in 2013. The projects are as follows:
o Bituminous Mill & Overlay of I-494 from 0.5 miles west of France Ave. to 0.5
miles west of 34th Ave. Estimated cost of this project is $16,000,000
o Construction of an auxilliary lane on westbound I-494 that starts at the
entrance ramp from northbound I-35W and ends with connection to the
auxilliary lane that currently exists between the on-ramp from SB France
Ave. and the exit ramp to NB TH 100. Estimated cost of this project is
$8,600,000.
o The replacement of the Xerxes Avenue Bridge over I-494. Estimated cost of
the Mn/DOT preferred alternative is $7,250,000.
Pederson explained that there are two main issues with the projects as proposed:
o That the preferred alternative for the Xerxes Ave bridge does not fully
accomodate the long-term I-494 FEIS plans.
o That the Met Council policy is for all new highway lanes in the metro to be
“managed lanes.”
For the FEIS issue, he stated that the vehicle lanes could be accomodated but that the 26
foot wide cooridor in the median identified in the FEIS for transit use would not fit. He
went on to say that there is no expectation to build out the FEIS plan in the near future and
that after 20 years, the Xerxes Ave bridge could be rebuilt with no impacts on the federal
funding agreement. It was brought up that both the Penn Ave. and Lyndale Ave. bridges
were constructed to the full FEIS layout.
Regarding the managed lane issue, Pederson explained that they are working with the Met
Council to see if the lane could be constructed with the intent that when there is a
continuous new lane for the entire I-494 corridor, the inside lane will become a managed
lane.
Pederson explained that there has been and will continue to be work with both Richfield
and Bloomington to build an implimentation plan for the projects. The City will follow up
with a letter to Mn/DOT similar to what Bloomington sent.
V. Intercity Regional Trail Master Plan
Joni Giese of SRF Consulting presented on the proposed north-south regional trail that is
planned to go through Richfield. She explained that a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
has been set up with members from all the stakeholders that may impact the trail. The
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intent is that when the Master Plan is completed, it will be submitted to the Met Council w/
a City resolution in support of the proposed alignment.
VI. Richfield Parkway North Connection Planning
Jupe Hale asked if the Commission was comfortable with proceeding with the Goals/Criteria
as they were scored at the December meeting. Motion was made by Lund to proceed with
the Goals/Criteria list as scored. Second by Easterlund, motion passed.
Hale asked for discussion regarding the methods of assigning scores for each alternative
against each criterion. The consensous was to score each alternative 1-5 against each
criterion and use the previous criteria scores as a multiplier.
Hale then presented more detailed drawings of each alternative. The biggest new
development was the introduction of issues related to the profile of each alternative.
Impacts to neighboring properties are more significant for each due to the grade that needs
to be constructed. Hale asked for thoughts about the grade of the new street and
consensous was to only proceed with a 5% option, no steeper.
Pearson and Asher will contact the impacted property owners prior to the open house.
Lund voiced her concern with spending money of right-of-way aquisition for what she feels
may be unnecessary projects.
Other items discussed were:
o Where does/should the parkway section begin?
o How does each alternative relate to the overall parkway vision?
o Is there any benefit to having the second curve be 15 mph?
o Should bike lanes be included on the new parkway or does the proposed trail
do enough to facilitate those users?
Hale will update the alternative graphics based on comments for the public open house and
City Council worksession.
VII. Stop Sign at Humboldt Ave.
There was question from a couple Commission members on the intent of the stop sign near
75th St and Humboldt Ave. Asher explained it is for the trail crossing but was installed
incorrectly. It will be removed and reinstalled in the spring in the correct location.
VIII. Updates
Pearson reviewed the Crosstown article that explored traffic issues. Earlier discussion by
Mn/DOT officials acknowledged the merging problem but the issue won’t be addressed until
an additional lane can be added on crosstown outside of the commons area.
Pearson updated the Commission on the Bicycle Master Plan Task Force progress.
IX. Future Agenda Items
The Commission requested continuing the No Turn on Red discussion and reexamining the
77th St Underpass project given the change in political climate.
X. Adjournment
M/Ness to adjourn the meeting, s/Easterlund. Motion carried. Meeting was adjourned at
9:25 P.M.
XI. The next Transportation Commission meeting will be held on February 2, 2011 at
7:00 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers.