2019-03-06 TC Minutes
Richfield Transportation Commission Attachment #1
March 6, 2019 - Meeting Minutes
7:00 p.m. | Richfield Municipal Center – Bartholomew Room
Commission members: Wes Dunser (chair), Ken Severson, Jack Wold, Husniyah Bradley,
Jeffrey Walz, Paul Chillman
Commission members not in attendance: Francine Legba, Marco Lanz, Dan Edgerton, Ted
Weidenbach, Gerry Charnitz
Liaisons: Mary Supple, Art Felgate, Sean Hayford Oleary
Liaisons not in attendance: Simon Trautmann and Sarah Musgrave
City Staff Liaison: Jack Broz
Other City Staff: Logan Vlasaty
I. Call meeting to Order
Commissioner Dunser called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
II. Approval of Agenda
Motion by Commissioner Severson to approve the agenda, s/Walz. Motion carried.
III. Welcome new liaisons
IV. Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
Motion made by Commissioner Severson to approve the February 6th, 2019 meeting
minutes, s/Wold. Motion carried.
V. Updates
Minimal updates regarding the 66th St. project, Xcel Energy will be removing
overhead power poles along the corridor this spring.
Vlasaty updated the Commission on the Lyndale Ave project: plans and specs are
out for bid with a bid opening at the end of March, open house will be April 25th.
Portland Ave (66th St to 60th St): preliminary plans have been approved by council,
Hennepin County is waiting until spring to conduct further traffic studies on the 66th
St and Portland Ave roundabout function.
Felgate updated commission on upcoming improvements to Washington Park and
new pickle ball courts coming to the City.
VI. 65th St
Hayford Oleary commented that on-street parking for 65th St would be beneficial for the
community. Staff discussed the potential for Blaisdell, Wentworth, and Pillsbury Aves to
have full access to 65th St as part of the reconstruction. The commission discussed the
impacts this may have such as the potential for increased traffic on those local streets, but
also the benefits such as easier and safer access to Nicollet Ave via 65th St. Felgate added
that the addition of on-street parking on Nicollet Ave as part of Hennepin County’s
maintenance project would be valuable for the Nicollet Park users.
VII. I-494 Discussion
Staff reviewed the background history of the 494 project with the commission going back
to the 1950s and providing geographical reasons for why the corridor is so important and
heavily used. Staff presented MnDOT’s project goals: provide transit advantage, improve
rush hour traffic, improve safety, restore and improve infrastructure. Commission
discussed how Richfield’s project goals may differ: minimize 494 traffic diverting onto local
streets, maintain efficient operations on 77th St, improve operations of 76th St west of
35W, improve multimodal crossings of 494, access and detour plan during construction.
To increase pedestrian/bike access over 494 it was suggested a pedestrian bridge over
494 at Chicago Ave because of the high density housing in the area.
VIII. Transportation and Technology
Vlasaty presented on how technology will change transportation and what we should be
considering as both transportation commission members and transportation professionals
regarding the upcoming technological changes. Autonomous vehicles will be able to drive
closer together thus making the roadways more efficient and less lane space will be
needed. Autonomous vehicles will also be safer than human drivers and be able to more
efficiently navigate intersections and merging. It is unclear how soon widespread fully
autonomous vehicles will be implemented and how it will effect trip generation.
IX. Work Plan Review/Next Steps
Lyndale Ave Open House
65th St & Nicollet Ave
I-494
X. Upcoming Events/Meetings
Staff and commission didn’t feel there was enough substance to justify a meeting for the
month of April so the next meeting will be May 1st, 2019.
Motion made by Commissioner Wold to cancel April meeting, s/Walz. Motion carried.
XI. Adjournment
Motion made by Commissioner Edgerton to adjourn meeting, s/Bradley. Motion carried.
Adjourned at 8:59 pm.